Crispy on the Outside

• Spring rolls are made by enveloping ingredients in a wrapper made of a thin dough. When the wrapped roll is cooked in oil, the wrapper dough becomes delightfully crisp. The proper oil and method are critical to perfectly fried spring rolls. Use peanut oil for frying, because its high smoking point means that it can be heated to very high temps before smoking and imparting burnt flavors to the food. Heat the oil to the proper temperature before inserting the egg rolls. Then carefully drop them into the oil and fry them on all sides until they are a deep golden brown.

A Proper Drain

• After removing a spring roll from the fryer or pot of oil, it’s important to drain the oil properly to retain a crispy exterior. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, remove the spring roll from the oil and place it on a wire rack over a plate to allow the oil to drip down. As an extra precaution, pat the roll all over with a paper towel to absorb excess oil. This will ensure that the spring roll crisps up as it cools, instead of becoming soggy.

Vegetables with a Crunch

• Adding crispy vegetables to the spring roll filling ensures crispiness throughout. Cabbage, carrots, jicama and bean curd are all crunchy choices. When you pre-cook the ingredients for the filling -- including any aromatics, meats and vegetables -- be careful not to overcook, which will result in soggy, limp vegetables. For uncharted levels of crunch, add sesame seeds or peanuts. Fried or baked diced tofu not only adds protein, it incorporates another interesting texture to the mix—crisp on the outside, tender within.

Plate, Serve and Dip

• After the spring rolls have drained and cooled, they are ready for serving. Place them alongside or on a bed of shredded cabbage, which will add a decorative flourish to your plate and create even more crunch in your dish. Dipping sauces can provide a pleasing contrast in flavors to your rolls. Hot red chile sauce, sweet hoisin sauce and spicy peanut sauce all complement the flavors of spring rolls.