Food

Deep-fried morsels are a wonderful part of Asian cuisine. I wasn’t the only one who thought featuring that for the magazine was a good idea.

“Let’s have an eggroll party.”

That’s what Kelli, our test kitchen cook, said when she heard we were doing an Asian theme for our next issue.

And so the plan was in place-she would supply the ingredients and I would bring dessert…and my bottomless pit of a husband, David. I brought banana splits. That goes with egg rolls, right?

Kelli is a fabulous cook. And clever with her resources. She set up a little Asian cuisine station in her garage complete with a cache cooker and a giant Dutch oven full of oil for frying.

When I got to her house, Kelli was in her beautiful vaulted ceiling kitchen with her family, mixing the eggroll fillings in a couple of large mixing bowls. The smell of steamy vegetables and cooked shrimp made my mouth water.

David and I helped Kelli wrap the eggrolls into their little parcels. The first few were a bit sloppy but it didn’t take long for us to get the hang of it. “It’s just like a diaper,” Kelli joked. I guess it was good practice for David and I…

Kelli explained that if you dab a little water on the corner of the eggroll wrapper it will stick to the rest of the roll nicely and it won’t fall apart.

Because her sons aren’t huge fans of egg rolls, Kelli also whipped up some Tonkatsu pork. She put her kids to work pounding the pork into thin patties and covering them with panko.

We also experimented with dessert wontons. The best ones were filled with Bavarian Cream and raspberry filling and dusted with cinnamon and sugar. They were scrumptious.

After torturing everyone by doing an eggroll photo shoot before we could eat, we finally sat down to our Asian-inspired meal of deep-fried goodness.

My favorites were the pork and shrimp egg rolls dipped in sweet chili sauce.

It was a great night, chatting over our scrumptious creations with new friends. We talked and joked and Kelli’s daughter watched in awe as her boyfriend used chopsticks to tackle a plate teetering with a pile of eggrolls.

The best part about the meal? It was easy. We used pre-made eggroll and wonton wrappers, which made putting these Asian delights together a snap. You can find the wrappers in the produce section of most grocery stores.

With summer coming, and bringing on its heat, turning on your oven is no fun. It is the perfect time to think about putting on an eggroll party.

How to Make Egg Rolls

Egg rolls are easy to make. You buy the wraps at your grocery, you cook the filling, you fold the wrap around the filling, and you deep-fry the egg rolls.

1.Place the egg roll wrap in front of you. Since it is a square, turn it so that the corner is facing you (see the pictures below).

2.Put 1/2 cup of filling onto the center of the egg roll wrap. Press the filling together so that it is shaped into a long rectangle horizontally leaving an inch and a half of wrap on each side of the filling.

3.With a little water on your finger, brush over the edges of the wrap.

4.Take the corner away from you and fold it over the filling. Pinch and fold in each side one at a time so that the filling stays together. Gently roll the egg roll up.

5.Pick up the egg roll and look at it smoothing all the sides to make sure the filling will stay intact. If there is a loose edge, glue it down with a little water. Repeat with subsequent egg rolls.

6.The wraps are often found in the grocery store in the produce section but sometimes in an ethnic foods section. In our stores, they come 20 to a package for about $3 (about 15 cents each.) Egg rolls are usually economical to make. No special equipment is needed though a food processor to cut and chop the vegetables is handy.

Beef Egg Rolls

Ingredients

1 pound ground turkey or beef

2 Tablespoons freshly grated ginger

1/4 teaspoon salt

3-4 carrots, finely shredded

1 medium head of cabbage, finely shredded

1/2 medium onion, chopped

3 or 4 stalks of celery chopped

1 Tablespoon hoisin sauce

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

egg roll wrappers

vegetable oil for frying

Mandarin Orange Sauce, Thai Peanut Sauce, Thai Sweet Chili, or another Asian sauce for dipping

Directions

1.Brown the meat and add the 1/4 teaspoon salt and fresh ginger for seasoning. Remove the meat from the pan and set aside.

2.

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Cook the cabbage, onion, and celery until it is wilted and crisp-tender. Add the seasoned cooked meat. Stir in the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

3.Place a mound of filling on the center of egg roll wrappers. Fold the left corner across the filling then roll the filing. Turn the top and bottom corners up and down respectively. Roll to wrap the egg roll into a tight cylinder.

4.Cook the egg rolls in hot oil until the outsides are brown.

Baker’s note: These can be cooked in hot oil in a saucepan on the stove top. Make sure that the oil is about two-inches deep and 350 to 375 degrees. If the first egg roll does not cook rapidly enough, turn the heat up. (Slow cooked egg rolls will be greasy).

Shrimp and Pork Eggrolls

Ingredients

1/2 pound ground pork

2 Tablespoons freshly grated ginger

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 medium head of cabbage, finely shredded

5 or 6 green onions, chopped

3 or 4 large carrots, grated

3 or 4 stalks of celery chopped

1 cup of mushrooms chopped

1/2 pound cooked salad shrimp or 1 cup fresh shrimp, chopped

3 Tablespoon hoisin sauce

3 Tablespoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

egg roll wrappers

vegetable oil for frying

Mandarin Orange Sauce Thai Peanut Sauce, Thai Sweet Chili, or another Asian sauce for dipping

Directions

 1.Brown the pork and add the 1/4 teaspoon salt and fresh ginger for seasoning. Remove the meat from the pan and set aside.

2.Cook the cabbage, green onion, carrot and celery until it is wilted and crisp-tender. Add the seasoned cooked meat, shrimp, and mushrooms. Stir in the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

3.Place a mound of filling on the center of egg roll wrappers. Fold the left corner across the filling then roll the filing. Turn the top and bottom corners up and down respectively. Roll to wrap the egg roll into a tight cylinder.

4.Cook the egg rolls in hot oil until the outsides are brown.

 Vegetarian Eggrolls

Ingredients

 

2 Tablespoons freshly grated ginger

2 cloves garlic

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 medium head of cabbage, finely shredded

5 or 6 green onions, chopped

3 or 4 carrots, grated

3 or 4 stalks of celery chopped

1 can water chestnuts, chopped

1 can bamboo shoots, chopped

1 cup mushrooms chopped

1 Tablespoon hoisin sauce

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

egg roll wrappers

vegetable oil for frying

Mandarin Orange Sauce, Thai Peanut Sauce, Thai Sweet Chili, or another Asian sauce for dipping

Directions

1.Heat a little oil in the pan and season the oil with the ginger and salt. Stir fry the cabbage, green onions, carrots, and celery until it is wilted and crisp-tender. Add the water chestnuts, bamboo shoots and mushrooms. Stir in the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

2.Place a mound of filling on the center of egg roll wrappers. Fold the left corner across the filling then roll the filing. Turn the top and bottom corners up and down respectively.  Roll to wrap the egg roll into a tight cylinder.

3.Cook the egg rolls in hot oil until the outsides are brown.

 

Tonkatsu Pork

Tonkatsu is a thin, breaded pork cutlet, crisp on the outside but tender on the inside. It is super easy and quick, they take just three minutes to fry. It is often served with steamed rice and steamed cabbage.

Ingredients

4 half-inch boneless pork chops

2 eggs

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup panko <a href="https://www.<hr class='system-pagebreak' />preparedpantry.

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com/panko-japanese-bread-crumbs.aspx”>bread crumbs

Tonkatsu or other dipping sauce, as needed.

Directions

1.Heat 1 to 2 inches of oil in a heavy saucepan or deep fryer to 350 degrees.

2.Pound the pork chops with the textured side of a meet hammer until they are about 1/4 inch thick.

3.Lay out 3 large plates. Put the flour on the first plate. Put the egg on the second plate. Put the panko crumbs on the last plate. Whisk the eggs slightly.

4.With your first pork chop, coat with flour, then the egg, and then the panko. Carefully place the breaded pork chop into the hot oil. Let it cook for 3 minutes on each side. It will be golden brown.

5.Cut into strips and serve with Tonkatsu or other dipping sauce. We think Sweet Thai Chili tastes great with these.

6.Repeat with remaining cutlets.

Cream Cheese Wontons

Ingredients

1 eight ounce package cream cheese

3 green onions, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

1 package of wonton wrappers (usually 40-50)

Directions

 1.Using a stand mixer or a hand mixer beat the eight ounce package of cream cheese until light and fluffy.

2.Add three chopped green onions, the salt and pepper to taste and stir until smooth.

3.Place a teaspoon of filling onto a wonton wrapper. Wet edges and fold as desired.

Crab Rangoon’s

 

Crab Rangoon literally means fried crab horn. Crab Rangoon has been on the menu of the “Polynesian-style” restaurant Trader Vic’s in San Francisco since at least 1957 (Wikipedia). Wontons and Crab Rangoon’s are delicious and make excellent appetizers or side dishes. Because of the presence of cream cheese, the Crab Rangoon’s are considered American-Chinese or Asian Fusion dishes. However, it is common for Chinese people to make and eat wontons. The wontons are usually boiled and served in soup and occasionally fried. Here, we present you with an authentic Chinese wonton, along with Asian fusion cream cheese wontons and Crab Rangoon’s.

Ingredients

1 eight ounce package cream cheese

1 pound package imitation crab meat, flaked

3 green onions, chopped

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 package of wonton wrappers (usually 40-50)

Directions

1.Using a stand mixer or a hand mixer, beat the eight ounce package of cream cheese until light and fluffy.

2.Add flaked imitation crab meat, three chopped green onions, the teaspoon minced garlic, the Tablespoon soy sauce and the teaspoon sesame oil to the fluffy cream cheese and stir until smooth.

3.Place a teaspoon of filling onto a wonton wrapper. Wet edges and fold as desired.

Dessert Wontons

Ingredients

About 1 cup Bavarian Cream filling (about 1 teaspoon for each wonton)

About 1 cup Raspberry filling (about 1 teaspoon for each wonton)

cup cinnamon and sugar, mixed

1 package of wonton wrappers

(usually 40-50)

Directions

1.Lay out your wonton wrapper on a flat surface. Squeeze about 1 teaspoon of Bavarian Cream into the middle of the wrapper. Repeat with raspberry filling in the same wrapper.

2.Fold in desired fashion (see below).

3.Fry wonton and while it is still warm, cover with cinnamon and sugar mixture.

 

Methods of Cooking Wontons

Boiling Method

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 10 wontons at a time (do not over-crowd the pan) and boil for 8-10 minutes or until the wontons float and the filling is cooked.

Frying Method

Bring a large pot of vegetable or canola oil to 350 degrees F. Add 6-7 wontons at a time (do not over-crowd pan) and cook for 6-7 minutes or until the wontons float and the filling is cooked for the meat-filled wontons, or the filling is warm for the Crab Rangoon’s.

What you’ll need

You’ll have most items, tools and ingredients, in your kitchen or find them readily in your grocery store.

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  There are a few unusual items or items that you may not be familiar with. We offer most on our web site.

Orange Sauce: You’ll need a good orange sauce to coat the chicken. Our orange sauce is perfect for orange chicken, the best that we have found. We have a selection of excellent Asian sauces for cooking and dipping.

Tempura Batter Mix: Tempura batter is used with seafood and vegetables. It gives food a thick or a thin smooth coating depending on the application. You’ll use this with your orange chicken.

A Thermometer: It is important to cook the chicken at the right temperature. If it is too hot, the chicken burns. If not hot enough, it is greasy. We use a simple candy thermometer that clips to the side of the pan.

A Wok, Stir Fry Pan, or Deep Nonstick Skillet: Woks and stir fry pans are shaped for stir frying and disperse heat up the sides of the pans and heat the food quickly and evenly. We love our stir fry pan.

 

Author Biography

Casey is a journalist who has experience working in the newspaper industry. She was trained in English and journalism at Brigham Young University-Idaho. She has works in marketing and loves writing about cooking and baking at The Prepared Pantry. Cooking has been a hobby of Casey’s since she was a little girl. She also enjoys cooking for her husband and trying new recipes.

She enjoys food photography and graphic design as she works as the editor of the “Country Home Kitchen“ magazine at The Prepared Pantry.

Casey lives in Rigby, Idaho with her husband, David. Not to mention an energetic but adorable chocolate lab, Copper.

To learn more about The Prepared Pantry, visit our website at www.preparedpantry.com