Egg Rolls with Sweet and Sour Dipping Sauce
Ingredients
Serves 12-14
Egg Rolls
1 pound ground pork
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
1 bunch of green onions, sliced very thin
1 carrot, shredded
1/4 head napa cabbage, shredded
3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
Pepper
1 egg
1 package egg roll wrappers
3-5 cups vegetable oil for frying
Sweet and Sour Dipping Sauce
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons corn starch
2-3 drops red food coloring
Directions
In a large saute pan, over medium heat, add the toasted sesame oil. Then add the green onions, garlic, and ginger and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the carrots and napa cabbage. Saute until the cabbage wilts and cooks down, 2-3 minutes.
Add the ground pork, soy sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper to the saute pan and simmer until the pork is fully cooked through, about 7-8 minutes.
Remove the pork mixture from the heat and pour it through a strainer to remove any juices. This keeps the egg rolls from getting soggy.
Spread the pork mixture out on a sheet pan and set aside to cool, about 15 minutes.
Whisk the egg yolk in a small bowl and set aside.
Remove the egg rolls from the package and carefully peel off one wrapper. Lay the wrapper with one corner towards your body and one corner pointing straight in front of you. (Watch me do this here)
Spoon 1/4 cup of the cooled pork mixture onto the bottom part of the wrapper. Wrap the bottom corner over the filling and tuck it under, like folding a burrito.
Using a pastry brush or your fingers, brush the egg yolk along the edges of the exposed wrapper. This will be a glue to hold the wrapper shut while frying.
Continue to roll the wrapper forward about 1/4 a turn. Then fold both left and right sides to the center (again think burrito making!)
Roll the wrapper the rest of the way until the top point is sealed onto the wrapper.
Lay the egg roll on a sheet pan and finish with the remaining wrappers and pork mixture.
In a large sauce pan, heat the vegetable oil to 350 degrees.
Using tongs, slowly and carefully lower in three egg rolls at a time.
Fry until all sides are a deep golden brown.
Remove them from the oil and let them drain for a few minutes on a paper towel lined plate or sheet pan. Do not keep the egg rolls on the paper towels as they will be sitting in their own oil. Move them to a serving tray or clean plate until its time to eat.
To make the sweet and sour dipping sauce, add the water, vinegar, and sugar to a medium sauce pan. Whisk to dissolve the sugar and bring to a simmer.
Whisk in the cornstarch and bring back to a simmer. The mixture will thicken as it heats up. Once it thickens, remove it from the heat and add the red food coloring. Serve warm.
