[THAI] Po Pia Taud (Spring Rolls) & Nam Jim Wan (Dipping Sauce)

[Colonel I. F. K. Philpott]

Po Pia Taud (Spring Rolls) & Nam Jim Wan (Dipping Sauce)

Description:

Though today spring rolls, like 'pad Thai', are virtually signature dishes
of every Thai restaurant in the world, it is no surprise that, like pad
Thai, they are essentially Chinese food adapted to a Thai style.
Typically they have a "wrapper" of thin pastry similar to a Chinese spring
roll, and these wrappers are generally purchased pre-made (and partially
cooked). If you prefer a smaller hors d'oeuvres size roll, you can divide
the spring roll wrapper in 4 or use the smaller wrappers intended for
wontons.

Alternatively you could use the Vietnamese rice paper wrappers (which need
to be soaked in water first), or a thin egg crepe, or even the "Thai rice
sheet" - essentially uncut rice noodles. You can also experiment with
using thinly rolled puff pastry of even filo dough!

Whatever wrapper option you select Thai spring rolls are made of a firmer,
more sausage like, texture than the essentially open, loose texture of
Chinese or Vietnamese rolls. This is a consequence of the fact that
the meat is prepared in a mortar and pestle and reduced to a fine, sticky,
paste-like texture.

Before moving on to the detailed description, a word on cooking: spring
rolls are deep fried and if the oil is too cool, will be oily and soggy.
On the other hand if the oil is too hot, they will cook so fast that the
wrapper will be crisp and begin to burn and the centre of the roll will
still not be cooked. The answer is to return to tradition and use pork
lard or dripping as the cooking oil: this reaches smoking point at a much
lower temperature and hence can be made hot enough not to make the rolls
greasy while imparting the unique flavour of the oil and also ensuring
that the rolls are cooked all the way through.

Finally this is a simple traditional presentation: it is possible to
embellish po pia by adding a variety of ingredients, such as julienne
carrots, mooli, celery, shredded cabbage, even mushrooms and shrimps, but
at heart this dish is meant to be a simple snack not a gourmet feast!

Incidentally in Thailand, vendors selling po pia are rated more on the
quality of their dipping sauce than the quality of the rolls! Po pia
are becoming quite expensive at 5 baht each (20 cents US)!

Ingredients:

You need a packet of spring roll wrappers, some egg wash, and oil to cook
with. The filling is as follows:

1 cup prepared wunsen (mung bean) noodles, soaked, drained, and chopped
1 cup bean sprouts
1 cup ground pork
1 cup of ground chicken
1 tablespoon kratiem (garlic), chopped
Prikthai (black pepper), freshly cracked, to taste
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons nam pla (fish sauce)
2 tablespoons si-iew khao (light soy sauce)

Method:

Cover the noodles with tepid water and soak for 10-15 minutes, then drain
thoroughly (preferably in a salad spinner, or similar device), then cut
into short lengths. (This is easiest done with a pair of kitchen
scissors.)

In a food processor reduce the pork and chicken to a fine mince, then
transfer them to a mortar and pestle, add the garlic, pepper, sugar, fish
sauce and soy sauce and pound to a very fine, moist paste.

Fold in the bean sprouts and noodles.

Place a wrapper flat on your work surface, and form a 'sausage' of the
mixture along a diagonal, extending slightly over half the length of the
diagonal. Fold over the ends of the square, to enclose the ends of the
filling 'sausage', and then bring up one side to cover the mixture, and
then roll over to complete a parcel, applying a little egg wash if
necessary to persuade the wrapper to stick together and seal.

When you have sufficient rolls prepared to start cooking, heat the oil.
This is typically done in a wok in Thailand, but is probably easiest done
in an electric deep fryer. The oil should be close to its smoking point
in order to prevent the rolls being oily. This is generally tested by
inserting the end of a clean dry chopstick and if the oil is hot enough,
a brisk bubbling action ensues.

Fry the rolls two or three at a time. When cooked they will come to the
surface of the boiling oil. Remove to a draining rack and pat dry with a
paper towel.

Serving & Storage:

Depending on personal preference you can either 'grasp the nettle' and
pick up the roll in its entirety and dip it in the sauce, eating with the
hands, as most folk in Thailand do, or you can be more elegant, slice the
rolls into 1-inch segments, and serve on small plates with hors d'oeuvres
forks, and individual bowls of dip.

Spring Rolls are served with Nam Jim Wan.

Uncooked rolls can be kept in the refrigerator, but are at their best for
only about 2 days. Cooked rolls can be reheated in the microwave and
will keep for up to 48 hours. (In each case the limiting factor is the
bean sprouts which become unappetizing if kept too long.

Nam Jim Wan (Sweet Dipping Sauce) [REPOST]

Description:

This is a simple dipping sauce usually used with deep fried items such as
spring rolls and stuffed chicken wings.

Ingredients:

3 cups water
3 cups sugar
1 cup rice vinegar
3 tablespoons Chinese pickled plums
3 tablespoons thinly sliced prik ki nu daeng (red birdseye chilies)
2 tablespoons garlic, very thinly sliced
2 tablespoons ginger, julienned or grated
1 teaspoon of salt

Method:

Boil the water, and add the pickled plums (sometimes sold as 'salted
plums'), and simmer for five minutes.

Remove the plums to a food processor and puree them.

Continue to boil the water, adding and dissolving the sugar, then adding
the vinegar and salt. If any sugar is still undissolved, add a little
more water until it dissolves.

Return the plums to the mixture, then pour over the other ingredients
in a sterilized preserving jar, and keep in a cool place for at least a
week before using.

Serving & Storage:

Will keep for 2-3 weeks in a well stopped jar in the refrigerator.

Colonel I.F. Khuntilanont-Philpott
(mailto:ia...@usa.net)
(http://news.vu-korat.ac.th/muoi/)

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