Sunday, February 10, 2013

Chinese Egg Rolls for The Year of the Snake


It's the start of Chinese New Year today - the Year of the Snake. The celebration starts today and goes through the Lantern Festival in 15 days.


To honor the new year, I decided to make homemade Chinese egg rolls. Something I've never attempted before.

I made my own Chinese BBQ pork or Char Siu, to add to the filling. I bought about a pound of 'country style' pork ribs and slow roasted them in the oven. I marinated the pork overnight and cooked the pork yesterday and proceeding with the rest of the egg roll recipe today. It's a process but so worth it! Also great for when the weather outside isn't so nice.


If you don't like pork, you could also add shrimp or chicken or even leave them vegetarian. The filling consists mainly of cabbage and carrots, green onions, re-hydrated mushrooms and fried egg.


After the filling is cooked and cooled, the egg rolls are wrapped. As you can see above, I placed about 1/4 cup of filling at the far end of the egg roll wrapper. An egg white wash is brushed on the two sides closest to you and then you start by wrapping from the far end toward you. Once you get half-way (keep tucking the filling in with your thumbs), bring the two side corners to the center and overlap them. I like to tug the edges together as in picture #5. Then you finish rolling toward you. The egg wash keeps the wrapper together beautifully.  I didn't have any break apart during deep-frying.



I deep-fried mine in my old Presto Fry Baby but you could also spray the outsides with cooking oil and roast them in a very hot oven. I haven't done that but when I share the link to the recipe there will be lots of comments telling you how.


My husband bought some Tsingtao beer for us to drink with our egg rolls tonight :) It came in a beautiful commemorative carrier. I served the egg rolls with purchased Duck Sauce and my favorite soy dipping sauce. I'll share the recipe at the end.

I read that the cooked egg rolls can be frozen very successfully and they reheat beautifully in the oven.



Happy Chinese New Year!

Chinese Egg Rolls

Adapted from Allrecipes
Printable Recipe

Notes: I purchased cole slaw mix as a time saver and added a little extra shredded carrot. Also, I did not use MSG and did not miss it. I used bean sprouts instead of bamboo shoots. My egg rolls cooked faster than the 5-7 minutes stated in the recipe so watch carefully.

4 teaspoons vegetable oil
3 eggs, beaten
1 medium head cabbage, finely shredded
1/2 carrot, julienned
1 (8 ounce) can shredded bamboo shoots or bean sprouts
1 cup dried Chinese mushrooms, rehydrated and sliced thin
1 pound Chinese barbequed or roasted pork, cut into matchsticks
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon monosodium glutamate

1 (14 ounce) package egg roll wrappers
1 egg white, beaten
4 cups oil for frying, or as needed

Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Pour in beaten eggs and cook, without stirring, until firmed. Flip the eggs over and cook for an additional 20 seconds to firm the other side. Set egg pancake aside to cool, then slice into thin strips.

Heat the remaining vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Stir in cabbage and carrot; cook for 2 minutes to wilt. Add bamboo, mushroom, pork, green onions, soy sauce, salt, sugar, and MSG (if using); continue cooking until the vegetables soften, about 6 minutes. Stir in sliced egg, then spread mixture out onto a baking sheet and refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.

To assemble the egg rolls, place a wrapper onto your work surface with one corner pointing towards you. Place about 3 tablespoons of cooled filling in a heap onto the bottom third of the wrapper. Brush a little beaten egg white onto the top two edges of the wrapper, then fold the bottom corner over the filling and roll firmly to the halfway point. Fold the left and right sides snugly over the egg roll, then continue rolling until the top corners seal the egg roll with the egg white. Repeat with remaining egg roll wrappers, covering finished egg rolls with plastic wrap to keep from drying out.

Heat about 6-inches of oil in a wok or deep-fryer to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Fry egg rolls 3 or 4 at a time until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain on paper towels

Char Siu (Chinese Barbecue Pork)
http://rasamalaysia.com/bbq-pork-recipe-char-siu/2

1 lb pork butt (cut into 4 pieces)
3 clove garlic (finely chopped)
1 1/2 tablespoons cooking oil

Char Siu (Char Siew) Sauce:

1 1/2 tablespoons maltose (I used Agave Syrup)
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese rose wine (I used Rice Wine mixed with a few drops of Rose Water)
3 dashes white pepper powder
3 drops red coloring (optional)
1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

Add all ingredients in the char siu sauce in a sauce pan, heat it up and stir-well until all blended and become slightly thickened and sticky. (It will yield 1/2 cup char siu sauce.) Transfer out and let cool.

Marinate the pork butt pieces with 2/3 of the char siu sauce and the chopped garlic overnight. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons cooking oil into the remaining char siu sauce. Keep in the fridge.

The next day, heat the oven to 375 degree F and roast the char siu for 15 minutes (shake off the excess char siu sauce before roasting). Transfer them out of the oven and thread the char siu pieces on metal skewers and grill them over fire (I used my stove top). Brush the remaining char siu sauce while grilling until the char siu are perfectly charred. Slice the char siu into bite-size pieces, drizzle the remaining char siu sauce over and serve immediately with steamed white rice.

My Note:  I slow-roasted 'country style' ribs in a covered enameled cast iron pot for about 90 minutes.  I then placed them on a baking sheet, brushed them with the remaining sauce and broiled them until nicely charred.

Soy  Dipping Sauce 

1/4 cup soy sauce
1/8 cup rice wine vinegar (or red wine or black)
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 small clove minced garlic
1 minced green onion
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Stir until blended and serve







50 comments:

  1. I do love a good egg roll or Spring roll, You havw me longing for Chinese food...hey I can order in:D

    ReplyDelete
  2. I have been in this mood:) Our daughter gave us 4 of her Costco spring rolls:) To add to my fried rice..and they didn't taste the way they did yrs ago for some reason..as if cinnamon had been added?
    The fact that you even made your Char Sui beforehand amazes me:)
    I always used shrimp or chicken:)This is such a flavorful idea Susan.

    I made a Char Sui from a blogger w/ a premade sauce bought at a specialty Korean shop.. as he recommended..and it left much to be desired..the sauce tasted artificial..much better making our own:)

    We are not mix people:)
    I bet these were worthy of such special beverages:) How cute was that?
    I love different bottles..and love Chinese food:)
    Happy New Year nana2:)You're so wise:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Monique! I realized I had forgotten to post the recipe for the Char Siu until your comment. I've fixed that now :)

      Delete
  3. Susan...Wow~ These are picture perfect and I love your gorgeous plates! Thanks so much for the wrapper tutorial! I love the commemorative carrier for the year of the snake. I'm the year of the Ox AND my astrological sign is Taurus~ can you say stubborn much? :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Mary. I'm Dog and Aries. A bull-headed, tail wagger :)

      Delete
  4. I'm very impressed! They look and sound delicious and I love the plates. I've made pot stickers (once) but never egg rolls. I'm tempted!

    Best,
    Bonnie

    ReplyDelete
  5. Susan I love your eggs rolls, look delicious, Happy chinese year!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Your egg rolls are beautiful Susan! I make them once a year in March when cabbage is about 9-19¢ a pound. We all look forward to that day:@)

    ReplyDelete
  7. They sound wonderful Susan! I made mini veggie egg rolls for the super bowl and we ate them ALL and skipped dinner. I'm impressed that you made your Char Sui.

    ReplyDelete
  8. My goodness they sound and look good! I don't know if I'd have the patience to try this recipe, but I certainly wish I'd bought egg rolls or spring rolls when I was in town today.

    ReplyDelete
  9. For the first time, they are beautiful. A Korean neighbor taught me how to make egg rolls 40 years ago. And yes, they do freeze nicely.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi Susan,
    The egg rolls look delicious! I haven't made these in ages. Can't wait to try your recipe-just printed it! Thanks.
    -Lynn

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thank you:-)
    Will look up maltose:-)
    You're good:-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I couldn't find maltose so I subbed Agave Syrup. I also couldn't find Chinese Rose Wine so I subbed Mirin with a few drops of Rose Water. It turned out great :)

      Delete
  12. Yum! I love a good egg roll and these sound and look so good! I have never attempted to make them myself.
    Have a great week.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hi Susan, I love your Chinese new year posting. Your egg roll look so good and appetizing. Very nice char siew too but I've never attempt to make at home cos can easily get from the shop.

    Wish you all the best in the snake year. May your dream come true. Have a lovely week ahead,regards.

    ReplyDelete
  14. These egg roles look ridiculously delicious :D

    Cheers
    CCU

    ReplyDelete
  15. wow...this is such a festive post! The egg rolls look very appetizing!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Love that you made it all from scratch... maltose is new to me... the dish looks deadly delicious! I "should have" posted mine closer to this date, too.
    :)
    V

    ReplyDelete
  17. Oh fantastic! Char Siu egg rolls sounds great :) Yes they egg rolls and dumpling in general always freeze awesomely - can't wait to give these a shot! At any big family dinner we always serve at least one dish that's either egg rolls/spring rolls/wontons/siu mai, etc. and I'm always on the lookout for a new variation.

    ReplyDelete
  18. fun they look so good and love the red plate too :)

    ReplyDelete
  19. Susan, there is absolutely nothing I don't like about Egg Rolls. And those look so good and crispy!

    I've never tried making my own. And I'm afraid that if I ever attempted it, I'd be putting my local Chinese restaurant out of business.

    ReplyDelete
  20. I adore everything about egg rolls and especially the cabbage! Yours look amazing and I'm thinking I need to get with it and celebrate the year of the Snake! Great post Susan...I love your blog.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Oh, Susan, this meal looks so good! The pork alone is fabulous and the egg rolls so crispy fantastic!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Wow Susan - Everything about this meal sounds fantastic and the finished product looks perfect.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Oh, YUM! The egg rolls and barbecued ribs look sooo good. I'm bookmarking your dipping sauce recipe,too. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Such a fabulous and delicious cooking project, love that your husband came home with the TsingTao ;-) My family would go nuts if I made this recipe-possible Sunday afternoon meal-thanks for your inspiration and recipe;-)

    ReplyDelete
  25. Susan, they look sooo yummy! The kids and I like to make various renditions of egg rolls Yours looks so good with the ribs, I usually use ground pork. Joni

    ReplyDelete
  26. So impressed Susan by your cultural sensitivity! Love the dish, the props and the recipes; Wish I had the patience (maybe some day) to undertake making this because everyone loves it here and good Chinese is not common here.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. These are well worth the effort, Joumana! These are better than any egg roll I've ever had and we can get good Chinese food here. My husband devoured them :)

      Delete
  27. These egg rolls look absolutely perfect! I totally want to make my own!

    Sues

    ReplyDelete
  28. I love egg rolls Susan and Chinese in general! They look absolutely mouthwatering! Happy Year of the Snake!

    ReplyDelete
  29. What a wonderful recipe Susan. I admire your technique, pictures and yumminess!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Chinese food is so much work but worth it. Your recipes look wonderful. What a great way too celebrate the Chinese new year!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Everything looks so delicious! I have tried Tsing Tao and it goes so well with Chinese food. Happy Chinese New Year!

    ReplyDelete
  32. Gong Hei Fat Choi!
    Yummm... I miss good char siu! I think it's about time for me to make my own. Love this recipe and the egg rolls. Perfect for Chinese New Year!

    ReplyDelete
  33. Oh Susan! Your egg rolls and the char siu look fabulous...you indeed did celebrate the Chinese New Year with pizazz...beautifully done :)
    Enjoy the rest of your week!

    ReplyDelete
  34. Susan, this seems to be perfect egg rolls. Was searching for this recipe since a very long time.. sure to hit the kitchen to make this today!

    ReplyDelete
  35. Oh the flavor in these egg rolls! You did a fantastic job.

    Happy Chinese New Year!

    Velva

    ReplyDelete
  36. SWEET SUSAN, Gorgeous egg rolls, they look absolutely appetizing!!! And I love that cute step by step wrapper tutorial! Wishing you a Happy Valentine's Day full of smiles, hugs and lots of love!

    ReplyDelete
  37. Your egg rolls are perfect! First of all, WAY better than takeout! ANd just so delicious!

    ReplyDelete
  38. I haven't set foot in a Chinese restaurant since I did a movie using a Chinese restaurant as a location. Because of that, if I have Chinese food, I make it. I haven't had an egg roll in YEARS! I miss them (and the duck sauce I dunk them in). Thanks for the recipe and the inspiration... what a great dish.

    ReplyDelete
  39. These look absolutely delicious. My Thai neighbor makes homemade egg rolls and we always enjoy them.

    ReplyDelete
  40. Eu Adooooooro a comida oriental :0)
    Beijos Márcia (Rio de Janeiro)

    http://decolherpracolher.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  41. My husband's co-worker had a Chinese new year party and made 160 of these! I love all the photos you took -- very clear insructions, and your red dishes are so beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  42. Beautiful egg rolls and dishes! I haven't made them in awhile, I don't use the msg either. Yours look perfect!

    ReplyDelete

I appreciate your comment!