Growing up in Wuhan, China, Lafayette cookbook author Ying Chang Compestine says it was frustrating learning how to use chopsticks as a kid. Watching her son experience the same frustration as a small child, she turned to spring rolls and other wrapped dishes that can be eaten by hand.
These mango lobster spring rolls are one of her son’s favorites — and a perfect party appetizer. “Double the fun,” she says, “by inviting your friends over for a spring roll assembly party!”
Mango Lobster Spring Rolls
Makes 12 rolls
INGREDIENTS
Green Tea Orange Sauce
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
2 teaspoons loose green tea, such as gunpowder
1⁄3 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
4 green onions, white parts only, minced
Filling
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry
3½ teaspoons peeled and minced fresh ginger, divided use
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
8 ounces cooked lobster meat, broken into chunks
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon loose green tea, such as gunpowder
2 small mangoes, peeled, pitted and diced
12 dried rice paper wrappers (8-inch rounds)
These fresh lobster-mango spring rolls are a great option for serving at a Lunar New Year banquet, according to cookbook author Ying Chang Compestine. (Courtesy Vivian Truong/Chronicle Books)
The guide to making mango-lobster spring rolls comes with step-by-step drawings in the forthcoming graphic model cookbook “Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, and Other Curiously Named Classic Chinese Dishes” (Chronicle Books, $25). (Courtesy Vivian Truong/Chronicle Books)
DIRECTIONS
To make the sauce, heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the orange zest and green tea and saute until fragrant. Remove from the heat. Stir in the soy sauce, vinegar and green onions. Let it cool.
Refrigerate in a tightly sealed glass container for 30 minutes or overnight to allow the flavors to meld. It can last in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To make the filling, in a medium bowl, combine the fish sauce, rice wine, 1½ teaspoons of the ginger and the cilantro. Add the lobster meat and toss to combine. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
In a wok or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil and swirl to coat. Add the green tea and sauté until fragrant, abut 30 seconds. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of ginger and saute for another 30 seconds. Add the lobster mixture and toss until it is heated through, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and set aside. Once the mixture is cool, stir in the mangoes.
To make the spring rolls, fill a medium bowl with warm water. Dip a rice paper wrapper into the water for 15 seconds or until softened. Carefully transfer it to a dry work surface. Arrange 2 to 3 tablespoons of the filling in an even horizontal mound just below the center of the wrapper. Roll the rice paper to form a tight cylinder, folding in the sides about halfway. Assemble the remaining spring rolls in the same manner. Cover the finished rolls with a damp cloth to prevent them from drying out. Serve the rolls at room temperature with the green tea orange sauce.
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To store, wrap each roll in plastic wrap and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Excerpted from “Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, and Other Curiously Named Classic Chinese Dishes: A Graphic Cookbook—26 Recipes & Stories” by Ying Chang Compestine, © 2025. Illustrated by Vivian Truong. Published by Chronicle Books.
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