Homemade Egg Rolls
Homemade Egg Rolls - Sounds difficult, but it isn't. Of course there are a lot
of steps involved, and I break the work up into sections so I don't burn out.
The Recipe -
3 - Meaty Spare Ribs
1 1/2 Each - White Onion
2 Each - Garlic Cloves
2 lbs - Uncooked Extra Large Shrimp
2 Each - Large Savoy Cabbages
5-Spice Powder
Kosher Salt
Fresh Cracked Pepper
Egg Roll Wrappers
Grape Seed Oil
The day before making the egg rolls, I cook the ribs. I rub kosher salt, fresh
cracked pepper, and 5-spice powder. Don't go over-board on the 5-spice powder -
Use just a sprinkling. Slice a clove of garlic and half a white onion and place
under and all around the ribs.
Fold the packet up and place into 250 degree oven for 3-4 hours. You want to
cook them long enough to melt the collagen and fat.
Let the packet cool for an hour and then place in the refrigerator for the
night. Bring it out the next day and open it up. Yes - it looked like a hot
mess, but hang in there - all will be good.
Pull the meat off the ribs and cut the fat off then chop into small pieces.
The bottom of the savoy cabbage has thicker flesh than the top. Slice the
bottom first and cook it first - because it needs to saute longer than the top
of the cabbage.
Cut the core our and cut the cabbage into thin slices.
Use a unflavored oil - I'm using grape seed oil. Sprinkle with a couple rasps
worth of garlic (Use a large garlic clove - parsed out throughout all of the
batches), salt, fresh cracked pepper and 5-spice powder. Saute until crisp
tender. Taste each batch for salt, pepper, and 5-spice powder - adjust. After
sauteing, put the batch into a colander that is placed over a bowl to drain.
This is important - there is nothing worse than moisture hitting the oil, when
you're cooking the egg rolls, and getting splattered. Drain everything before
putting into a large bowl for mixing - I let it drain while I'm cooking the next
batch. That gives it enough time.
Here's what was left in the bowl - that is a lot of dangerous moisture. Most of
it was from the shrimp - but there was quite a bit from the cabbage and onions.
Chop and saute 1/2 white onion using the same technique - garlic salt, pepper
and 5-spice powder.
Mix all the ingredients together and take taste of the mixture. This is your
last chance for tasting. Once the shrimp are in the mixture - you can't taste
any more.
Peel and de-vein the shrimp. Even if the package says that the shrimp is
de-veined, the tail end usually has some junk still. Cut the end and clean yuck
outta there.
With frozen shrimp - you never know what you're going to get. If they over
processed it with salt - you won't know until you try it. Saute a piece and
taste it to check.
The Tasting As You Go Stops Here!
Chop and saute the shrimp just enough to get the salt, pepper, and 5-spice
powder are distributed and the the moisture has cooked off for the most part.
The shrimp is basically raw - don't taste it. If you've seasoned every thing
else, your egg rolls will be great.
Time to roll the egg rolls. Place a scant 1/4 cup of the mixture into the
middle of the wrapper. The first fold is from the bottom up - pull the contents
of the egg roll with the wrapper to make sure there is a nice tight roll.
The second and third folds are from the sides - making sure that there are no
gaps at the bottom.
Roll carefully and tightly - put down on the seam side.
I use the same oil to saute the egg rolls. Start seam down to seal them.
Just turn and saute the egg rolls - turning 1/4 turn each time. If you do one
side and then the other side - you end up with flat egg rolls and you will have
a terrible time sauteing the sides.
Place the sauted egg rolls onto a paper towel to drain - sprinkle with salt
immediately. I use a fork and knife to eat these - biting into a hot egg roll
can be very painful. I love Chinese mustard, but there are some very good egg
rolls sauces you can purchase.
I make one package (20) of egg rolls at a time. I place them onto a parchment
lined cookie sheet. I place them into the freezer and allow them to freeze
separately before placing them into plastic bags.
I put them into a cardboard box and place it into the freezer so they don't get
damaged when someone is going through the freezer looking for something.
When I use them from the freezer, I use a lower temperature to cook them - just
under medium. I cover the saute pan, but I open the vent in the lid a little so
that the egg rolls thaw and cook yet get crisp.
A lot of work - maybe - but they are worth it.