Raspberry Pomegranate Jam

Eggrolls

My favorite thing to eat when I get Chinese is an egg roll. Deep fried dough wrapping up a delightfully spiced package of pork and vegetables, dipped in sweet and sour sauce? Sign me up!

Egg rolls are simple to make; all you need to do is stir fry your filling ingredients, allow them to cool, and wrap them up. Once you master the wrapping method, you can wrap a hundred of them mindlessly. I recommend wrapping them while watching your favorite show; the process will go by in a jiffy.

I can find egg roll wrappers in my grocery store near the tofu products and mushrooms. They are in a refrigerated section. I use Nasoya brand. If I have any wrappers left over, I cut them into strips and deep fry them, lightly salting them as they come out of the oil. 

Make sure to keep your oil at 350 degrees F while frying. If the temperature drops, your egg rolls will absorb more of oil and get greasy. Watch your thermometer carefully and do not crowd your fryer. As always, be very careful when deep frying. I always kick out my animals to the other room, because they have been known to create a ruckus. (Don’t worry, I give them treats!)

I hope you enjoy these egg rolls; serve them with some Sriracha peas or Chinese noodles and your favorite duck sauce or sweet chili sauce- or all of the above! Enjoy!

Vegetable Eggrolls-

Recipe Credit: Adapted from Steamy Kitchen

Ingredients:

8 fresh shiitake mushroom caps, julienned

3 cups shredded cabbage, shredded (I used a mix of napa and red)

2 medium carrots, julienned

2 nests of glass noodles

1 tablespoon flavorless cooking oil

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

2 stalks green onion, finely chopped

3/4 cup of fresh bean sprouts

1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons dark sesame oil

salt and fresh ground pepper

1 package egg roll wrappers 

Method:

Place your glass noodles in heat proof bowl. Pour over boiling water and allow to sit for 30 second. Drain and set aside.

In a large skillet, add in 1 tablespoon of flavorless cooking oil, such as safflower, canola or grapeseed. Once the oil is hot, add your mushrooms, cabbage, carrots, garlic, ginger, and green onion. Season with salt and pepper. Cook on high heat for about two minutes, and toss in the bean spouts and cook another 2 minutes. Add in your soy sauce, sesame oil and glass noodles. Cook another minute. You may need to use tongs to separate the glass noodles so they are evenly distributed through out mixture.

Put the mixture on a large platter or baking sheet and spread it out thinly so that it will cool quickly. Prop it up on once side slightly so any excess oil or liquid can drain away.

Pork Egg rolls

Recipe Credit: Adapted from Martha Stewart

Ingredients:

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon light-brown sugar

1 tablespoon flavorless cooking oil (canola, grapeseed, safflower)

4 1/2 cups of shredded cabbage (I chose napa and red) 

2 medium carrots, coarsely grated

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

Salt and fresh ground pepper

1/2 pound ground pork

4 green onions, thinly sliced

1 package egg roll wrappers 

Method:

Into a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce, rice vinegar and

brown sugar. Set aside. 

Put one tablespoon of cooking oil into a large skillet. Once the oil

is hot, add you cabbage, carrots, garlic and ginger; season with

salt and freshly ground pepper. Cook on medium-high heat while

stirring for about 3 to 5 minutes, under the vegetables have

softened slightly. 

Add your pork and soy mixture to the skillet and turn the heat to

high. Cook until the pork is browned and the extra liquid has

evaporated, about 5 to 7 minutes. Turn off the heat and add in the

green onions. 

Put the mixture on a large platter or baking sheet and spread it out thinly so that it will cool quickly. Prop it up on once side slightly so any excess oil or liquid can drain away.

For both egg rolls:

6 to 8 cups of oil for deep frying (peanut or canola are recommended)

Place an egg roll wrapper on your work surface, and add 1 1/2 tablespoons of the mixture into a corner of the wrapper, and then roll the edge of the wrapper tightly around the mixture. Fold the two side corners towards the middle of the wrapper while continuing to roll up. Paint the top edge with some water and wrap tightly the rest of the way. Make sure all edges are tightly sealed. Place the egg roll seam side down onto another baking sheet.  Set aside until ready to fry. 

Meanwhile, preheat you deep fryer or a dutch oven with a deep fry thermometer to 350 degrees F. Fry your egg rolls a few at a time, being sure not to crowd the fryer. Fry, turning occasionally, until they are gold brown all around, about 2 to 3 minutes. Place them on a paper towel lined plate to drain, and serve hot with your favorite duck sauce or sweet chili sauce.

Enjoy!