Spring Roll Techniques

1. Lay a thin, clean kitchen towel on your work surface. Remove one softened rice wrapper from its soaking water and place it flat on the towel. Wait a minute or two for it to dry slightly—the wrapper will be easier to roll if it's slightly sticky—then place 1 tbsp. of the filling in the middle of the rounded side, about 1" from the edge.

2. Fold the wrapper over the filling, and slightly tuck the edge under it, so the filling is sealed inside.

3. Fold in the sides and tear off the excess corners of wrapper. This will make your spring rolls tighter.

4. Roll the wrapper into a neat package—the tighter the better. (Oil leaks inside loose rolls, causing them to break apart when frying.) Then rolls can be cooked, or frozen, on a wax paper-lined tray, not touching. Transfer frozen rolls to plastic freezer bags until ready to use.

5. Voila—the perfect spring roll!