Crispy, fresh, homemade – spring rolls you won’t forget
People who associate wine with Asian cuisine often think of beer first. Yet a well-made spring roll – crispy fried, with glassy soft rice noodles, fresh herbs, crunchy vegetables and juicy prawns – is one of the most interesting accompaniments for an aromatically balanced white wine. The right wine pairing must be able to handle the interplay between the fat and crunch of the deep-fried coating, the freshness of the filling and the iodine-salty depth of the prawns. Homemade spring rolls are fundamentally different from the industrial version: the wrapper is thin and bubbly, the filling is aromatically balanced and the sauce – a dipping sauce made from soy sauce, lime, ginger and chili – brings acidity and spiciness into play. It needs a wine with lively acidity, a light body and a freshness that breaks up the fried food and understands the herbs in the filling.
Ideal wine accompaniment: Rheingau Riesling Spätlese dry QmP (Rheingau, Germany)
From the south-facing slate slopes of the Rheingau, where a unique combination of river location, microclimate and red sandstone soils gives Riesling a precision and depth that is unparalleled anywhere in the world, comes a white wine of exceptional balance. Aromas of ripe citrus peel, peach, apricot, honeydew melon and a hint of slate smoke meet an acidity of crystal-clear structure and a body that never tips over into heaviness despite the late harvest maturity. This balance is the first key to the pairing: the Riesling cuts through the fat of the frittered skin with its acidity and cleanses the palate between each bite in an elegant, precise manner. The ripe fruit communicates with the herbs and prawns in the filling without being overpowered by the spiciness of the dipping sauce. On the palate, it shows a length and minerality that carries the entire dish. Its slate minerality provides a grounding counterpart to the iodine-salty depth of the prawns. A Riesling that shows why the Rheingau is one of the most important white wine regions in the world.
Further wine recommendations for this dish
Albariño DO Rías Baixas (Galicia, Spain)
The Atlantic salt freshness and peach-citrus aroma of Albariño are a natural accompaniment to fried and deep-fried seafood dishes – Galician cuisine has paired it with prawns, mussels and fish from the Atlantic for centuries. Its lively acidity cuts through the fat of the crispy shell as precisely as the Riesling, and its salty finish harmonizes with the dipping sauce and the iodine-salty depth of the prawns. The peach fruit communicates with the herbs in the filling in a fresh, pleasant way. It is more expressive and warmer than the Rheingau Riesling, with more tropical fruit depth. For all those who prefer Atlantic warmth to German slate precision in their glass for an evening of spring rolls.
Grüner Veltliner Wachau DAC (Wachau, Austria)
The characteristic white pepper and green herbal spice of the Grüner Veltliner Wachau DAC meet the filling of the spring rolls in a direct, aromatically harmonious way: herbs in the glass meet herbs in the roll. Its fresh acidity breaks through the fat of the wrapping, its medium body carries the prawns without being overwhelmed by the dipping sauce. It is somewhat more expressive than the Riesling and has its own herbal spice that accompanies the dish on a different, more direct level. For all those who prefer Austrian spice to German Riesling in their glass with an Asian-inspired dish.
Muscadet Sèvre et Maine AOC sur lie (Loire, France)
The salty freshness and creamy sur-lie texture make this Muscadet a reliable accompaniment to seafood in crispy shells. It is leaner and more sober than Riesling, without opulence or expressiveness – but with an honesty and freshness that respects and carries the dish. Its Atlantic salt freshness hits the prawns in a direct oceanic way, its neutral fruit gives way to the filling and dipping sauce. For anyone who would rather have a quiet wine in their glass than a loud one during a spring roll evening and wants to leave all the attention to the food.
Txakoli DO Getariako Txakolina (Basque Country, Spain)
Lightly sparkling, fresh and salty, with an almost provocative lightness and low alcohol content: Txakoli from the Basque coastal region is an intriguing, unconventional choice for fried seafood snacks. Its perlage cools the palate after biting through the hot, fatty coating and immediately creates freshness. Its brevity on the finish allows the filling and dipping sauce to come fully to the fore, its salty freshness communicating naturally with the prawns. A wine that radiates lightness and joy – ideal for a relaxed spring evening when the spring rolls are fresh from the oil.
Mosel Riesling QbA dry (Mosel, Germany)
The lightness and slate minerality of the Mosel Riesling QbA trocken are particularly harmonious for a crispy, light starter such as spring rolls: It is the most delicate accompaniment to this round, without the heft and ripe fruit of the Rheingau Spätlese, but with a citrus precision and coolness that elegantly breaks up the fried food. Its acidity directly reflects the lime in the dipping sauce, while its slate minerality gives the prawns a grounding depth. For all those who prefer the lightest and freshest German Riesling for an evening of spring rolls.
You can find more Asian-inspired spring recipes with matching wines on the spring and wine overview page.
The recipe:
Homemade spring rolls with rice noodles and prawns
Cooking utensils
- Großer Wok oder tiefe Pfanne (zum Frittieren)
- Kleine Schüssel (für das Einweichen der Teigblätter)
- Chopping board and knife
- Backpapier (zum Ablegen)
- Küchenpapier (zum Abtupfen)
- Küchenthermometer (für die Öltemperatur)
Ingredients
- 8 Spring roll pastry sheets from the Asiashop, deep-frozen
- 200 g Tiger prawns peeled, raw, coarsely chopped
- 50 g Rice noodles thin vermicelli
- 1 Carrot finely grated
- 100 g White cabbage finely chopped
- 2 Spring onions cut into rings
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil Roasted
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- Vegetable oil for frying
FOR THE DIPPING SAUCE:
- 3 tablespoon soy sauce
- Juice of half a lime
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 small red chili pepper finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds Roasted
Preparation
PREPARATION:
- Soak the rice noodles in hot water for 5 minutes, drain and roughly chop.
- Mix all the dipping sauce ingredients together, set aside.
- Roughly chop the prawns.
- Finely grate the carrot, finely chop the white cabbage and slice the spring onions into rings.
- Mix all the filling ingredients with the soy sauce, sesame oil and ginger, season to taste.
- Defrost the pastry sheets, cover with a damp cloth to prevent them from drying out.
COOKING STEPS:
- Place 2 tablespoons of filling on each pastry sheet, press down, fold in the sides and roll up tightly.
- Moisten the tip with a little water and stick it down.
- Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan to 170 °C.
- Fry the spring rolls in batches for 3-4 minutes until golden brown, turning once.
- Drain on kitchen paper.
DIRECTIONS:
- Arrange the spring rolls on a wooden board or flat plate, cut diagonally.
- Serve the dipping sauce in a small bowl on the side.
- Garnish with fresh herbs (coriander, mint) and lime wedges.
SUPPLEMENTS:
- Pickled ginger as a fresh garnish
- Small bean sprout salad with sesame dressing
- Fresh mint and coriander leaves to dip yourself
