Spring roll facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Spring roll

Type	Dim sum
Course	Hors d'oeuvre
Region or state	East Asia and Southeast Asia
Variations	Many

Spring rolls are yummy snacks or appetizers popular in many parts of the world, especially in Asia and Latin America. They are called "spring rolls" because their name comes from the Chinese words chūn juǎn (春卷), which means 'spring roll'. These tasty rolls are made with different wrappers, fillings, and cooking styles depending on where they come from.

The Story of Spring Rolls

Spring rolls have a long history, especially in Asia. They were first eaten during the spring season. People would fill thin pancakes with fresh spring vegetables. This was a welcome change after eating preserved foods all winter!

Spring Rolls in China

In China, spring rolls are often savory. They are filled with vegetables like cabbage and sometimes meat, especially pork. These rolls are wrapped in a thin pastry. People usually eat them during the Spring Festival, which is why they are called spring rolls.

Fried spring rolls are usually small and crispy. They can be sweet, often filled with red bean paste. Or they can be savory, usually with vegetables. They are fully wrapped and then fried until golden.

Some spring rolls are not fried. These are usually bigger and more savory. They are made by filling the wrapper with ingredients that are already cooked. Traditionally, people eat these non-fried rolls during the Cold Food Festival and the Qingming Festival. These festivals happen in spring and are a time to remember family ancestors.

Spring Rolls in Hong Kong and Macau

Hong Kong-style spring rolls served with dipping sauce

In Hong Kong and Macau, spring rolls are a popular fried dish. You can often find them as part of a dim sum meal. They usually have minced pork, shredded carrot, bean sprouts, and other vegetables inside. They are often served with a tasty dipping sauce.

Spring Rolls in Taiwan

In Taiwan, a popular non-fried spring roll is called popiah. In northern Taiwan, the fillings are often stir-fried and flavored with herbs. Sometimes, finely ground peanut powder is added before wrapping. In southern Taiwan, the ingredients are usually boiled or blanched. Sometimes, sugar is added along with the peanut powder.

Spring Rolls in South Asia

In places like India and Pakistan, spring rolls are often eaten as snacks. They are especially popular during holidays like Ramadan. In Pakistan, they are often served with tea and other snacks.

Spring Rolls in Southeast Asia

Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Singapore

Fried and unfried lumpia

Hot and spicy popiah in Malaysia

In Indonesia and the Philippines, spring rolls are called lumpia. This name comes from Chinese spring rolls. Lumpia are savory snacks made with a thin pastry skin. They are filled with chopped vegetables like carrots, cabbages, and bamboo shoots. Sometimes, they also have minced meat like chicken, shrimp, pork, or beef. Lumpia can be served deep-fried or fresh (unfried). In Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand, they are called popiah. In Myanmar, they are known as kawpyan.

Vietnam

The fried spring rolls in Vietnam are called chả giò (in southern Vietnam) or Nem rán (in northern Vietnam). These are often mistakenly called "egg rolls" in Western countries. Vietnamese imperial rolls are usually smaller than Chinese spring rolls. They contain ground or chopped meats or seafood like pork, crab, or shrimp. They also have ingredients like taro, glass noodles, and shredded carrots. Rice paper is traditionally used for the wrappers.

Gỏi cuốn or summer roll

Fresh spring rolls, also called summer rolls, are a Vietnamese specialty known as “gỏi cuốn”. These rolls are not fried. They usually contain cooked pork, shrimp, fresh herbs like basil, lettuce, cucumbers, and rice vermicelli noodles. All these ingredients are wrapped in moistened rice paper. They are served at room temperature with a dipping sauce. Popular sauces include Nước chấm (fish sauce based) or a hoisin peanut sauce.

Spring Rolls in Oceania

Australia

In Australia, you can find many types of Asian food. Australians also have their own version of a spring roll called the Chiko Roll. You can find these in many fish and chip shops or buy them from supermarkets. They have a more doughy texture instead of a thin pastry.

Spring Rolls in Europe

Germany, France, and Poland

In Austria and Germany, deep-fried spring rolls are called Frühlingsrolle. The fresh Vietnamese salad rolls are called Sommerrolle ("summer roll"). In France, the fried ones are called nem, and the fresh ones are rouleaux de printemps. In Poland, they are known as sajgonki, named after the city of Saigon.

Netherlands and Belgium

In the Netherlands and Belgium, spring rolls are known as loempia. They are deep-fried or sometimes baked. They were likely brought by immigrants from Indonesia. Loempias are filled with bean sprouts, chopped omelette, and sliced chicken or crab. They are also often served with a sweet and spicy sauce.

Northern Europe

In countries like Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland, spring rolls are known by similar names that mean "spring rolls" in their languages.

Spring Rolls in Latin America

Argentina and Uruguay

In Argentina and Uruguay, spring rolls are called arrolladitos primavera. This name also means "spring rolls". You can find them in supermarkets and Chinese restaurants. They are often served with a small bowl of hot soy sauce for dipping.

Brazil

In Brazil, spring rolls are called rolinhos-primavera. This is a direct translation from English. They are mostly found in Chinese restaurants. They are usually served with a molho agridoce (sweet and sour sauce) for dipping. This sauce is often bright red and hot.

Chile

In Chile, spring rolls are called arrollado primavera. You can buy them in supermarkets, from street vendors, and in Chinese restaurants.

Costa Rica

In Costa Rica, spring rolls are called rollito de primavera in Spanish. But they are more commonly known as "Taco Chino". They are offered as an appetizer in almost all Chinese restaurants.

Mexico

In Mexico, spring rolls are called rollos primavera. They are sold in many Chinese restaurants and fast-food places. They are usually served with sweet and sour or soy sauces. In some parts of Mexico, they are known as chunkun. These are deep-fried and often served with ketchup and a bit of hot mustard.

Venezuela

In Venezuela, spring rolls are called lumpia, just like in the Philippines and Indonesia. Many Chinese restaurants sell them. They are usually served with sweet and sour or soy sauce.

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See also

In Spanish: Rollito de primavera para niños