As I’ve mentioned a few times: my husband loves Asian food. Thai, Vietnamese, Malaysian, Indian, Chinese…the list could go on. I, however, have had to warm up to bowls of rice and noodles to fish sauce and soy. Because my taste buds tend to gravitate towards cuisines that center around bread (cue Parisian music).
But I’m thankful Ryan and I have slightly different food preferences because it means we both get to learn and explore and grow. We visited Paris two years ago, so I imagine Vietnam or Malaysia might be next on our list.
Pork Egg Rolls
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 pound ground pork
1 inch grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 carrot, cut into julienne strips
1 small red pepper, cut into julienne strips
1 cup napa cabbage
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar or honey
1 to 2 tablespoons sesame oil
20 egg roll or wonton wrappers, covered loosely with a damp paper towl to prevent drying
In a large wok, cook ground pork in 1/2 tablespoon oil until no longer pink. Remove to paper towels to drain and season with salt and pepper. In the same wok, stir-fry the ginger and garlic in 2 tablespoons oil until fragrent, about 30 seconds, then add the scallions, carrots and red pepper. Stir fry over high heat for two to three minutes.
In a large pot, combine chicken broth, soy sauce, and sugar. Add the napa cabbage and bring to a boil. Simmer for five minutes. Add the other vegetables and sesame oil and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Fold in the ground pork.
Fill and roll the egg roll wrappers with 1 tablespoon of filling for each roll (DON’T OVERFILL). Working with one wrapper at a time, place a heaping tablespoon of filling near the bottom corner of the diamond. Lift the bottom corner up and roll until you reach halfway up. Fold over the left side and then the right side towards the center. Continue folding with a tuck-roll-tuck-roll pattern. Finish up the roll, seal and place seam side down. Cover rolls with plastic wrap to prevent drying.
To fry the egg rolls, fill wok with two inches of high-heat cooking oil. Heat the oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit or until a cube of bread fries to golden brown within in ten seconds. Gently slide in or lower the egg rolls, frying 4 at a time, turning until golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes. Place on a wire rack to drain and cool. Enjoy warm!
