Harumaki is Japanese fried spring rolls: skin is light and crispy and filled with mung bean noodles, meat, and vegetables and served with ponzu and karashi mustard. This recipe is from Tanpopo restaurant, where harumaki were served as an appetizer or entree and enjoyed by many. Our fillings were so that we used everything available at the restaurant: mung bean noodles, ground pork, often ground ourselves, shiitake mushrooms, carrots, and green onions. However, fillings are interchangeable, so choose your own, even make them vegetarian. Enjoy.
Harumaki Skin vs Eggroll Skin
Harumaki skins are made with wheat flour and water, whereas eggrolls skins are made with flour, egg, and water. As a result, the skin of harumaki is thin and elastic, resulting in a crispier texture and has a light finish. On the contrary, egg roll skin is thicker and heavier, making it easier to work with and resulting in a doughier and richer texture and finish. Although the results are slightly different, egg roll skins can be substituted in some areas where harumaki skins are hard to find.
(Note: tapioca four is used in “fresh” spring roll skin, which should not be confused with harumaki skin)
Note: Fillings can be prepared 1-2 days in advance. However, because harumaki skin can get wet and broken, it is not recommended to roll and store uncooked harumaki for too long before frying.
Harumaki: Japanese Fried Spring Rolls
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound ground pork
- 3/4 medium carrot peeled and julienned
- 5 caps shiitake mushroom stems removed, sliced
- 4 oz dried mung bean noodles (harusame) may substitute rice noodles
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2-3 springs green onions chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- pepper
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 8 sheets harumaki skin Spring Home TYJ, spring roll pastry wrap, 8-inch. May substitute 10 sheets of egg roll skin, 7-inch
- 2 tablespoon flour mixed with 2 tablespoons water (for binding)
- 2 cups vegetable oil for frying
- Ponzu sauce and karashi mustard (optional) for serving
Instructions
Prepare the filling.
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Soak the bean noodles in a bowl of hot water until soft. Drain the water and cut the noodle into quarters. Let it cool. Chop all the vegetables.
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Heat a medium skillet with 1 teaspoon of sesame oil. Add ground pork and cook until broken up into pieces and almost cooked through.
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Add shiitake and carrots to pork and cook until vegetables are soft, one minute. Add seasoning and when incorporated, take off the heat and cool.
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Mix the pork mixture, bean noodles, and chopped green onions. Divide the filling into 8 or 10, depending on the size of the skin.
Make Harumaki
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Have a station ready: harumaki skin covered with a damped towel or plastic wrap to prevent them from drying, flour mixture, and the fillings. Working with one sheet, place the sheet with a corner pointing towards you. Place one serving of filling closer to the corner, fold the corner over the mixture. Fold the left and right corner towards the center and continue rolling. Using your fingertip, apply some of the flour mixtures on the final corner to seal the harumaki. Cover in plastic until all the harumaki are finished.
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Heat oil in a frying pan to 300 ℉. Without overcrowding the pan, gently place a couple of harumaki to fry. Turn occasionally and fry until lightly brown and the skins are crispy. Place harumaki on a drying rack or paper towel to drain excess oil.
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Cut them in desired sizes and serve with ponzu sauce.
