Egg Rolls
I am celebrating New Years Eve tonight, Chinese New Year, that is. Chinese New Year, aka Lunar New Year, is a significant holiday in many Asian countries. In China, the whole country shuts down for about two weeks, so people can travel back home and spend time with their family. There’s always lots of food, lots of mahjong and, if you are a lucky kid, lots of red envelops stuffed with cash for good luck.
During the holiday, Chinese people like to eat foods that are symbolic of good fortune. Noodles are symbolic of long life. Fish, because of its pronunciation, symbolizes abundance. These potstickers I made last year are symbolic of gold nuggets.
Egg rolls, because of their golden crust, symbolizes gold bars. In America, egg rolls are filled with everything from vegetables to cream cheese. In China, they are usually filled with a stir-fry that has an assortment of vegetables and meats. In this recipe, I used napa cabbage, mushrooms and chicken. This is how my family has made it for years, and I stuck with it even though it’s not vegetarian.
Frying things at home can be messy, but this is worth the effort. The outside is golden and crispy. The inside is juicy and tender. This recipe makes about half a dozen, but you can double it for more people. You can dip this in some hot sauce, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce or rice vinegar. I think it’s great all by itself. You can serve this as an appetizer or with a simple salad for lunch. Just make sure you eat it while it’s piping hot, so the outside doesn’t get soggy.
Since we are on the topic of China, this seems like an appropriate time to share that Nick and I are going to spend three months in Beijing starting March. Nick, who is a college teacher, will be taking a group of study-abroad students to China. I lived in Beijing for two years when I was 10 and went back there for my honeymoon three years ago. The city has grown tremendously. I can’t wait to get to know it again. And of course, I can’t wait for all the great food!
Egg Rolls
- Chicken breast (I like organic, free-range), 4 ounces, julienned and seasoned with salt and pepper
- Napa cabbage, 1 small head, thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
- Shiitake mushrooms, 10, julienned
- Egg roll wrappers, 6
- Vegetable oil, for stir frying and deep frying
Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a wok or large saucepan. Add chicken and cook until opaque. Remove chicken and set aside. In the same pan, add napa cabbage and mushrooms. Saute until vegetables for about 5 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of water to the pan and cover with a lid. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft. Remove the lid, add the chicken and toss to mix. Put the stir-fry in a bowl, drain off the liquid and set aside to cool completely.
To make the egg rolls, lay a wrapper diagonally. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of filling in the center. Fold the left and right sides towards the center. Fold the bottom side up and continue to roll upward, tucking the sides in. Dip your fingers in some water and moisten the final top corner. Finish up the roll and seal.
In a deep pot, pour enough oil so it covers about half of the pot’s depth. Heat oil to 350 degrees F. Slowly drop in egg rolls and fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Don’t overcrowd the pot. You will need to fry the eggs rolls in batches if your pot is small.
Serve immediately. Makes 6.
Egg rolls are one of my favorite things to eat. I’ve never tried to make them. I hope it comes out as good as it looks in your pictures. Can’t wait to try them! Thanks for the recipe Erica.
Thanks, Erica, for the recipe, the great pics, and the personal touch, sounds wonderful to be able to revisit China. I often make egg rolls at the end of the garden season when I have lots of cabbage. To me, as long as I am making some, it’s worth it to make LOTS! They seem to freeze okay, as long as I seperate them with saran wrap. And oh so Delicious!