New twist on an old egg roll

by Molly Gingell

Since it's a little slower this time of year (at times) in my shop, I found myself with some extra time to create a new recipe. I love Asian food so when I think about creating a new recipe I often go in that direction.

I decided to explore the possibilities of making up a recipe for egg rolls. Traditional egg rolls can really be fairly boring. I want to make something with a lot of different flavors, something that will make my palate shout - WOW!!

Hmmmm ... how about an egg roll with shrimp, chicken, serrano chili, shitake mushroom, red bell pepper, garlic, ginger and some crunchy bean sprouts and cabbage? Let's try it.

The Filling

All diced by hand:

1Ú2 pound raw shrimp (cleaned and deveined)

1Ú2 pound raw chicken (combination of breast and thigh)

6-8 shitake mushrooms (destemmed)

1 red bell pepper

1 large serrano chili (minced)

4 cloves garlic minced

1 inch piece of ginger minced

1 T. fresh cilantro

4 green onions

1Ú2 cup bean sprouts (cleaned)

v 2 cups shredded Napa cabbage

v 1 T. soy sauce

1 T. dry sherry

2 T. oyster sauce

2 T. garlic chili sauce

1 teaspoon salt

1Ú2 teaspoon sugar

1Ú2 teaspoon white pepper

1 T. cornstarch dissolved in 2 T. cold chicken stock, fresh or canned or cold water.

The wrappers

2 cups flour

1Ú2 teaspoon salt

1Ú8 teaspoon white pepper

1Ú4 cup sherry

1Ú2 cup cold water

1 egg lightly beaten

Note: 1 pound ready-made egg roll wrappers can be substituted for these homemade wrappers.

To make the filling:

For these fusion egg roles, I did not pre-cook any ingredients. I did dice most of the ingredients by hand, mincing the chili, garlic and ginger. Then I just mixed all of the filling ingredients together well, except for the Napa cabbage. I kept it separate to insure that it remained crunchy.

To make the wrappers:

Sift the flour, salt and pepper into a large mixing bowl. With a large spoon or your hands, gradually combine the flour, salt and pepper with the water, mixing until stiff dough is formed. Knead the dough in the bowl for 5 minutes or until smooth, then cover the bowl with a dampened cloth and let rest for 30 minutes.

Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and firmly roll it out until it is no more than 1/16th-inch thick. With a sharp knife, cut the dough into 7-inch squares. When you have finished, there should be 16 squares.

To assemble:

Shape about one-quarter cup of filling with your hand into a cylinder about 4 inches long and an inch in diameter. Place it diagonally across the center of the wrapper. Lift the lower triangular flat over the filling and tuck the point under it, leaving the upper point of the wrapper exposed. Bring each of the two small end flaps, one at a time, up to the top of the enclosed filling and press the points firmly down. Brush the upper, exposed triangle of dough with lightly beaten egg and then roll the wrapper into a neat package. The beaten egg will seal the edges and keep the wrapper intact. Place the filled egg rolls on a plate and cover them with a dry towel.

NOTE: They are best deep fried immediately after wrapping. If you must wait longer than 30 minutes before frying, cover them with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator.

To cook:

Set a 12-inch wok or deep fryer on high heat; add 3 cups canola oil and heat until it reaches 375 degrees on a deep-frying thermometer. Place 5 or 6 egg rolls in the hot oil and deep fry for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Transfer egg rolls to a double thickness of paper towels and let drain. Repeat until finished. Makes 16 egg rolls. ENJOY!!

If you need to reheat egg rolls, put them in a 450-degree oven for 10 minutes.

Dipping Sauce

To dip these flavorful egg rolls, I wanted a vinegar-based sauce.

2 T. soy sauce

2 T. distilled white vinegar

2 T. sesame oil

1 T. garlic chili sauce

1 teaspoon minced ginger

1 teaspoon minced cilantro

1 teaspoon minced green onions

Combine all ingredients. Mix well. Serve with freshly fried egg rolls.

As usual, I recommend that you "play around" with the filling. Try your own combinations. Try crab instead of shrimp or, if you don't like seafood, change the shrimp to pork, etc.

These really are not hard, and they make a great snack, first course or meal with soup or salad! They'll give you something to do on a cold winter's day.

Molly Gingell owns Molly's Gourmet Catering, takeout and cooking school at 220 W. John St.