Egg Rolls

Homemade egg rolls blow away anything from the freezer section. These Chinese-style rolls pack roasted pork, diced shrimp, bean sprouts, mushrooms, water chestnuts, and bamboo shoots into a tight wrapper, sealed with beaten egg and fried until the shell shatters at first bite.

Cooking the filling first and letting it cool completely before wrapping is crucial. Hot filling softens the egg roll skins and makes them impossible to roll tightly. Wet or warm filling also causes the oil to splatter dangerously when the rolls hit the fryer.

The bean sprouts get cooked fast over high heat to drive off moisture while keeping their crunch. This is important because waterlogged sprouts create steam inside the wrapper, leading to soggy, blown-out egg rolls instead of crisp, sealed ones.

Pro Tips

• Fold the two side flaps in first, then roll from the bottom. Seal the top edge with beaten egg for a tight closure.
• Don’t overstuff. Two tablespoons of filling per skin keeps them tight and fryable. Overfilled rolls burst open in the oil.
• Fry at a steady medium-high heat. Too hot and the skin burns before the inside heats through. Too low and they soak up oil.
• Turn them regularly for even browning on all sides.

Variations

• Use ground pork instead of roasted for a more traditional filling texture.
• Add shredded cabbage or napa cabbage for a bulkier, more vegetable-forward roll.
• Serve with sweet chili sauce, hot mustard, or a soy-vinegar dipping sauce.