MAKES 25 TO 30 SPRINGROLLS
This is a very light, delicious springroll, blending the tastes of beef and roasted peanuts with the perfume of fresh basil and mint. It is tart, tangy, and spicy like most all of our China Moon springrolls, but it has a special lushness.
Preparations are easy, although best done in advance. If springroll-making is beyond your schedule, try rolling the filling in lettuce leaves.
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons mushroom soy sauce
1 teaspoon “goop” from China Moon Chili-Orange Oil (page 15) or China Moon Chili-Lemon Oil (page 12)
Finely minced or grated zest of 1 small scrubbed orange or 1 large scrubbed lemon
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons Serrano-Lemongrass Vinegar (page 19) or unseasoned Japanese rice vinegar
1 pound coarsely ground top round beef
AROMATICS:
2 tablespoons finely minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons finely minced garlic
3 small green serrano chilis, finely minced
1 to 2 small red Fresno chilis, finely minced
SEASONINGS:
2 tablespoons mushroom soy sauce
2 tablespoons Serrano-Lemongrass Vinegar or unseasoned Japanese rice vinegar
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
4 to 5 cups corn or peanut oil, for stir-frying and deep-frying
2 cups diced celery
1½ cups finely shredded carrots
4 cups diced Napa cabbage
2 tablespoons julienned purple or green basil
2 tablespoons julienned fresh mint
2 ounces (1 small skein) glass noodles, soaked in hot water until translucent and cut into 2-inch lengths
½ cup raw skinless peanuts, roasted (see page 35) and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons cold chicken stock or water
About 30 very thin 7- to 8-inch-square springroll wrappers
¾ cup coarsely chopped fresh coriander leaves and stems
1 egg yolk, beaten
Pickled Ginger Dipping Sauce (page 28), Peanut-Lime Dipping Sauce (page 28), or Ten-Spice Honey Dip (page 27)
Coriander sprigs and/or scallion brushes, for garnish
Psychologists would say (and did) that I love to use my hands in cooking—to make a happy mess—in reaction to my upbringing in a home headed by two very hygienic doctors. Other cooks (and I) would say that the best way to stir, mix, and otherwise blend a lot of things is to do it literally by hand.
Your hand is a terrific paddle. There is nothing like it for stirring things around and knowing how well a mixture has been blended. Likewise, there is little better than one’s own five or ten to blend a marinade to smoothness, to mix cornstarch with a surety that it has dissolved, and to deftly toss strips of meat or poultry and evenly coat each one.
I remember a TV show years ago in which a pastry chef stirred some creamy concoction with her whole forearm, and everyone watching nearly plotzed. I also remember the early Julia years, when Julia would taste a dab of something with her finger, go yum-yum to the viewers, and then hold her finger out to stage right, where some disembodied helper would wipe it with a towel. Somewhere between the forearm and the fingertip is the hand I always use.
1. To make the filling: Blend all of the marinade ingredients through the vinegar in a large bowl. Add the beef and stir well in one direction with your fingers to coat it thoroughly. Seal airtight with a piece of plastic wrap pressed directly on the meat and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours. The longer the marination, the fuller the flavor. Let come to room temperature before cooking.
2. Combine the aromatics in a small dish, and seal until ready to use.
3. Combine the seasonings through the salt in a small bowl. Stir to blend, leaving the spoon in the bowl.
4. Heat a wok or large heavy skillet over high heat until a bead of water evaporates on contact. Add 3 tablespoons of the oil, swirl to glaze the pan, and reduce the heat to moderately high. Add the beef and toss, breaking up the meat with a spatula, until it is 90 percent gray. Put the beef in a colander to drain. Clean the pan and return it to high heat.
5. When the pan is hot enough to evaporate a bead of water, add another 3 tablespoons of the oil. Swirl to glaze the pan and reduce the heat to moderate. When the oil is hot enough to foam a pinch of ginger, add the aromatics. Stir gently until the oil is well infused, about 2 minutes, adjusting the heat so the aromatics foam slowly without browning. Add the celery, toss to mix, then let stew until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the carrots, toss, and let stew for 4 minutes. Add the cabbage, toss, and let stew until translucent and juicy, 4 to 5 minutes more. Adjust the heat so the vegetables sizzle slowly and cook down. You want them to give up their juices (they’ll be more or less willing depending on the season and their own water content), so don’t rush the process.
6. Add the basil, mint, and drained noodles; toss to mix. Stir the seasonings and add them to the pan. Toss well to combine. Return the beef to the pan and toss until it is cooked through and very hot to the touch. Add the peanuts and toss to combine. Quickly stir the cornstarch together with the cold stock or water to dissolve it, then scrape it into the pan, looped over the hot filling, in a thin, even stream. Stir until the filling turns very thick, heavy, and glossy, a full 4 to 5 minutes. Nibble a bit to be sure it leaves no floury aftertaste on the roof of your mouth, indicating that the cornstarch is cooked through.
7. Spread the filling in a thin layer on 1 or 2 large platters or a jelly roll pan. Refrigerate, uncovered, until thoroughly cool. Once cool, stir; taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed. The flavor should be keen, spicy, and a bit on the tart side. You may need an extra shot of vinegar. At this point, the filling can be sealed and refrigerated for up to 2 days before rolling. Stir before using; roll while still cold.
8. To wrap, fry, and serve the springrolls, follow steps 8 through 10 on pages 335 and 336.
MENU SUGGESTIONS: Especially in the winter, I love these springrolls served along with Sweet Mama Squash Soup (page 108). In a warmer month, a clear soup or an entrée featuring grilled or pan-fried fish with a roasted vegetable sauce would be appealing.