Crispy Vegetable Pockets with Spring Roll Wrappers
Crispy Vegetable Pockets with Spring Roll Wrappers are golden pan-fried pockets filled with glass noodles and vegetables, inspired by Northern Chinese hé zi.
Ingredients
For the filling
- 3 ounces glass noodles
- 2 cups hot water
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil, high-smoking-point oil such as avocado
- 1 medium carrot, julienned
- 2 cups cabbage, thinly sliced
- 6 large shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons vegetarian oyster sauce
- Pinch of white pepper
For the dipping sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Chinkiang vinegar
- 1 tablespoon chili oil
For the pockets
- 12 sheets spring roll wrappers
- 1 large egg, beaten (for sealing)
- 3 tablespoons cooking oil, for pan-frying
Instructions
- To soften the noodles, in a bowl, soak the glass noodles in the hot water for 5 minutes until softened. Drain well and cut into 2-inch lengths.
- To make the dipping sauce, in a bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, Chinkiang vinegar, and chili oil. Set aside.
- To cook the filling, in a pan over high heat, add the cooking oil. Stir-fry the carrot, cabbage, shiitake mushrooms, and garlic for about 2 minutes until aromatic and slightly softened. Add the noodles and mix well. Add the vegetarian oyster sauce and white pepper and stir-fry until evenly combined. Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes.
- To assemble, place a spring roll wrapper in a diamond position. Add about 3 tablespoons of filling to the center. Fold the bottom corner over the filling, fold in both sides, and roll upward tightly. Brush the top corner with beaten egg to seal. Repeat.
- To pan-fry, in a pan over medium-high heat, add the cooking oil. Pan-fry the pockets for about 2 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy. Serve hot with dipping sauce.
Video
Notes
• Soften and cut the noodles: Soak until just tender, then cut into short lengths so the filling distributes evenly and doesn’t tear the wrappers.
• Keep the filling dry: Stir-fry over high heat until no visible liquid remains in the pan. Excess moisture leads to soggy pockets.
• Cool before wrapping: Let the filling cool slightly so steam doesn’t soften the wrappers from the inside.
• Keep wrappers covered: Cover unused wrappers with a lightly damp towel to prevent drying and cracking while assembling.
• Seal tightly: Roll firmly and seal well with egg to prevent the pockets from opening during cooking.
• Pan-fry with space: Cook in a single layer over medium-high heat so the pockets crisp instead of steaming.
• Air-fry option: Lightly brush or spray with cooking oil and air fry at 375°F (190°C) for 8–10 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and crisp.
• Freeze before cooking: Freeze assembled, uncooked pockets in a single layer. Pan-fry from slightly thawed, adding 1–2 extra minutes if needed.
• Protein option: Add finely chopped tofu or ground chicken to the filling and stir-fry until fully cooked before wrapping.