We confess: Restaurant egg rolls are dead to us – and soon they’ll be dead to you, too. Once you learn how easy and delicious it is to make them at home, all restaurant egg rolls pale in comparison.
Many Asian cultures have their own take on an eggy pancake filled with a predominantly vegetable filling with a bit of meat or seafood, wrapped and paired with a sweet or spicy dipping sauce. Like many Asian dishes, an egg roll is all about balance of flavors and textures.
According to Corinne Trang, author of Essentials of Asian Cuisine, the Cantonese-style egg roll (the one most Americans are familiar with) is likely about 2,000 years old. A wrapper made with wheat and egg is rolled thin and cut into squares for wontons or rolls. Wonton wrappers are easily found at any grocery store and will keep refrigerated for several weeks, even after opening the package.
Our family likes egg rolls so much that we frequently make them as a main course for large gatherings. Paired with rice and a bok choy salad, they make a dazzling dinner. Because the egg roll is the star, our filling recipe is heavy in meat and seafood, but yours don’t have to be. Any mixture of ingredients, seasoned well and then wrapped in dough and fried, is usually quite good (crab Rangoon, anyone?).
The accompanying bok choy salad is delightful in its simplicity, but feel free to toss any other treats you have in the fridge. Pickled shiitake mushrooms, shaved carrots or Chinese black beans will all brighten up the dish if you happen to have them around.
The Shopping List* 9 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. vinegar
1 quart plus 7 Tbsp. canola oil (for cooking and frying)
1 Tbsp. minced ginger
3 cups ground pork
1 lb. shrimp
6 cups thinly sliced Napa cabbage
2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup thinly sliced celery
4 cups mung beans
1 package eggroll wrappers
½ cup honey
3 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. sambal
2 Tbsp. whole-grain mustard
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. spicy Asian mustard
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise (preferably Kewpie mayonnaise )
4 scallions
6 to 8 cups baby bok
1 Tbsp. gochujang
3 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
*This list assumes you have kosher salt, black pepper and 2 eggs on hand in your kitchen. If not, you will need to purchase these, too. The Game Plan Day 1: Make the filling. Make the sweet and sour sauce. Make the mustard sauce.
Day 2: Wrap and fry the egg rolls. Make the boy choy salad.
Egg Rolls 24 rolls
7 Tbsp. soy sauce, divided
1 quart plus 6 Tbsp. canola oil, divided
2 Tbsp. vinegar
1 Tbsp. minced ginger
3 cups ground pork
2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup thinly sliced celery
2 to 3 tsp. kosher salt
6 cups thinly sliced Napa cabbage
4 cups mung beans
1 lb. shrimp, peeled, deveined and chopped
2 egg yolks
2 egg whites, beaten
1 package eggroll wrappers
? Day 1: In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons oil, the vinegar and ginger. Add the ground pork and mix thoroughly. Set aside.
? In a wok or heavy-bottomed sauce pan over high heat, add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is very hot, add the pork and stir, cooking until the meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Drain the pork mixture in a fine-mesh sieve and set aside.
? Return the wok to the stove over high heat and add another 2 tablespoons oil. Add the carrots and celery, season with 1 teaspoon salt and stir, keeping the vegetables spread evenly against the entire cooking surface until they soften and release their liquid, 3 to 5 minutes.
? Add the cabbage and the remaining 1 to 2 teaspoon salt and stir 5 to 7 minutes, until the cabbage has shrunk almost half. Add the mung beans and cook another 5 to 7 minutes. Return the pork mixture to the wok, add the shrimp and stir. Add the egg yolks and stir to incorporate.
? Drain the mixture in a large fine-mesh sieve, then transfer it to a large baking sheet to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate overnight.
? Day 2: To wrap egg rolls, place 1 wrapper on a clean work surface so it looks like a diamond. Use a finger to spread egg white on the outer ½-inch border of 1 egg roll wrapper. Place 2 heaping tablespoons filling in a line down the center of the wrapper from the top to the bottom corners. Fold the right corner over the filling tightly, pressing out any air, and secure it to the other side with egg white. Fold the top and bottom corners into the center, sealing them with egg white, then roll gently (as if rolling a burrito) to secure the final corner. Place the finished roll on a rack and cover with plastic wrap to keep from drying out.
? Fill a large deep skillet with the remaining 1 quart canola oil and heat over medium-high until it reaches 350 degrees.
? Working in batches, fry a few egg rolls at a time, turning occasionally, until they are golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove and place on the baking rack to drain.
? Place on a baking rack or several paper towels to drain. Serve with Sweet and Sour Sauce, Dijon Mustard Sauce and Bok Choy Salad. Leftover egg rolls will keep, covered and refrigerated, up to 1 week.
Sweet and Sour Sauce ¾ cup sauce
½ cup honey
2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. sambal
? Day 1: Whisk the ingredients together in a small bowl. Serve with Egg Rolls.
Dijon Mustard Sauce ½ cup sauce
2 Tbsp. whole-grain mustard
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. spicy Asian mustard
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise (preferably Kewpie mayonnaise )
1 Tbsp. canola or sesame oil
2 scallions, sliced very thin.
? Day 1: Whisk the ingredients in a small bowl. Serve with Egg Rolls.
Bok Choy Salad 6 to 8 servings
6 to 8 cups baby bok choy, torn into bite sized pieces
½ cup sliced scallions
3 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp. gochujang
1 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1 to 2 tsp. dark soy sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
? Day 2: In a large mixing bowl, toss together the bok choy and scallions. Set aside.
? In a small bowl, whisk together the sesame oil,gochujang, vinegar and soy sauce until the gochujang has dissolved. Toss the salad with the dressing, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve.
This article appears in August 2015.