Shrimp and vegetables Harumaki (Japanese spring rolls) recipe

Harumaki is a crispy Japanese spring roll, packed with a delightful assortment of veggies, seafood, meats or almost anything you like, fried in thin spring roll wrappers (usually found in a freezer section of Asian grocery stores.) It is excellent finger food or appetizer and very easy to prepare. Even if you roll up raw vegetables, frying will make them tender inside.

The name Harumaki (春巻き) is a combination of the Japanese words "春, haru" meaning spring, and "巻き, maki" meaning to roll.

Ingredients (8 rolls)

• Medium shrimps (use minced pork or chicken if you prefer): 180 g (6 oz) 
• Spring roll wrappers:  8 sheets
• Cabbage: 4-6 leaves or to taste 
• Use green peppers, green onions, bamboo shoots, shiitake mushrooms, or anything you find delicious
• Soy sauce

How to prepare

1. Sauté the shrimps seasoned with salt and pepper and a dash of soy sauce. Set aside. 
2. Sauté the veggies and season with salt and pepper. 
3. Put the sautéed shrimp and vegetables back in the pan. Mix well. Let the mixture cool down so it will be easy to roll in the wrapper.
4. Lay the spring roll wrapper on a flat surface. Place some filling on the wrapper. Roll one corner of the wrapper over the filling. Fold the right and left corners over the filling and roll. Use a little potato starch or flour mixed with water to seal the wrapper.
5. You can deep-fry the rolls, but I prefer to bake them in a frying pan on medium-low heat for a few minutes until both sides are golden brown.

Serve on a plate with a side of dipping sauce. Typical Japanese Harumaki dipping sauce is soy sauce mixed with rice vinegar and a dash of Japanese karashi mustard, but you can use any dipping sauce you like!