Project Food Challenge: Egg Rolls

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Egg rolls that aren't made from fresh ingredients (e.g. frozen egg rolls) taste that way: not fresh and manufactured.  I've never been a huge fan of egg rolls , and the reason is that I never really had one that was that fresh or made correctly.  This past weekend I tried my hand at making these fried rolls of goodness, and I must say, they were delicious.  They have been something that has always been on my culinary 'to-do' list for quite some time now.  I've always been somewhat intimidated by the huge list of ingredients and all the steps involved.  But as I completed this task, I learned that I don't really have any reason to fear this crispy side dish.  I will explain every step so that you too can make egg rolls that are savory and packed with so much flavor that you'll never settle for frozen again.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups shredded pork roast 
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 2 cups shredded green cabbage 
• 2 grated carrots
• 1/2 cup bean sprouts
• 4 baby bella mushrooms, minced
• 3 green onions, finely sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon greek yogurt
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
• 2 packages egg roll wrappers (these can be found in the produce section, in the refrigerated part where all the pepper and stuff is)
• 1 egg, beaten

Steps:

Heat the oil in a skillet.

Add the garlic to the heated oil, and cook for a minute or two.

Cut the pork roast up into 1" cubes.

Add the pork to the skillet.

Cook the pork until it is done.

Remove the pork from the pan, and place it on a cutting board.

Add the shredded cabbage and the green onions to the hot pan, and cook it for 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes add the carrots, the bean sprouts, grated and the minced mushrooms.  Cook for 3 minutes.

Stir in the salt, pepper, and the soy sauce.

Remove the veggies from the pan and put it into a large bowl (such as a pyrex glass bowl.)

Add a few cubes of the pork to a blender.  Use the shred feature to shred the meat into small pieces.  Repeat until all the meat is ground up.  I would suggest only doing a few pieces of meat at a time.

Add the shredded pork and the greek yogurt to the vegetable mixture, and mix well.

That looks so delicious, I could just dig in right now!  But resist the temptation.  Ok, one little sample won't hurt.

You can either start making egg rolls right away, or refrigerate the filling until you plan to make the egg rolls.

Beat the egg in a small bowl and set aside.

Place one wrapper on a plate so that it looks like a diamond.

Spoon about 2 tablespoons of filling into the center of the wrapper.

Fold the bottom corner of the wrapper up around the filling as tight as you can without tearing the wrapper.  If you are able to, roll once.

Then fold each side over like an envelope.  Seal each side with a dab of egg.

Fold over the top and secure it with a dab of egg.

Heat up the oil in your frier (these can be done on the stove top as well) to 350 degrees F.

Once the oil is hot, fry the egg rolls spring rolls, 2 at a time, for 4 minutes (2 minutes per side) or until golden brown.

Once fried and delicious looking, place on a paper towel lined baking dish and let excess grease drip off.  Allow egg rolls to cool for 5 minutes before digging in.

Serve with you favorite asian dish, or eat as a yummy snack!

**Enjoy these treats in more than one way.

When I was at the store, I picked up some rice paper spring roll wrappers, Banh Trang, at the store, and I rolled some up with my egg roll filling stuffed inside.  All I can say is, yummy!  This healthier, but still very tasty, version makes a great little lunch or pick-me-up snack.  I found these wraps located in the isle where all of the asian items are (e.g. soy sauce.)  These wraps are hard and brittle when you first take them out of the package.  To soften them up, using a basting brush, brush both sides with water, and let sit for about 30 seconds to a minute.  I would suggest only softening up as many as you plan on using.  Fill with your filling, roll it up, and eat it up.  Quick and easy (and delicious.)

Enjoy!