I was browsing through my recipes and Asian food appealed to me but my cupboard is bare of soy sauce and my ginger root has dried out. I need to visit the Chinese grocery store. The store we shop at is tucked away in a small strip mall. When you walk in the door, you are blasted with the smell of fresh and frying fish. The fish/meat counter is fascinating as they deal with some cuts of meat I'm not familiar with and the sodden wood boxes of fish stare at you as you walk past. Believe it or not, in spite of the small size of the store, it is loaded with all the unique items many Asian recipes call for but you aren't likely to find in the regular grocery stores and the prices are more than reasonable. If I can get over to this store today, my family is likely to see one or two of the following recipes on the table this weekend.
Egg Rolls
1 package egg or spring roll wrappers (usually in the refrigerated section)
1 egg, scrambled
½ cup shredded cabbage (you don’t need any special type)
1 cup cooked, shredded meat. (Keep an eye on your leftovers for this!)
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1-2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Chinese barbeque sauce or paste, optional but a great flavor enhancement
1 egg, uncooked
Salt and pepper to taste
1 egg, beaten
Combine the cooked egg, cabbage, meat, garlic, soy sauce, barbeque sauce, raw egg and salt and pepper to taste. Take one sheet of egg roll wrapper. Place a tablespoon or so on the narrower edge closest to you. Brush the beaten egg on the other three edges. Fold the long sides over about an inch on each side. Roll the egg roll up, securing the end with a little more or your egg ‘glue’. Set aside on waxed paper until ready to cook. While you complete your egg rolls, heat a deep pot of vegetable oil or use a fryer if you have one. Deep fry each egg roll until golden. Drain on paper towels. After they have all cooled a bit, deep fry them again until deeper brown. This is what insures a crisp egg roll. If you have a delay in serving, they will keep pretty well in a 350 degree oven for five or ten minutes. Serve as soon as possible.
The wonton wrapper are a third of the size of the spring roll wrapper. These can be used to make small, appetizer-sized egg rolls. They are made the same as the egg rolls only you end up with miniature egg rolls that even the children will exclaim over.
If you have a handful of chicken or roast beef left over, save it and you can make Wonton Soup. The filling is up to your tastes, however, I can give you a few ideas to get you started.
Filled Wonton for Soup
Approximately one cup of finely chopped cooked chicken or beef.
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
Dash soy sauce
½ teaspoon Sesame Oil
1 green onion, finely chopped
1 sliver fresh ginger (found in vegetable section), peeled and diced
1 raw egg
Salt and pepper to taste
1 egg, well beaten
Chicken broth, fresh or canned
Combine all ingredients in a bowl except for beaten egg and broth. Mix thoroughly. Take one wonton skin, brush entire surface with beaten egg. Place a teaspoon of filling in the middle. Fold over to form a triangle. Press edges together firmly. The egg ‘glue’ should keep them together. Set aside on waxed paper until all of them are ready.
These filled wonton can be boiled in a simple chicken broth and served piping hot as a starter to dinner. You can make the soup a bit heartier with the addition of diced vegetables, some Chinese pea pods, bamboo shoots or water chestnuts. What sounds good to you today?
Basic Chicken Broth
Save your chicken wings, necks and backs for this!
2 green onions
1 brown onion, quartered
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 thin slices of fresh ginger
2 ribs of celery
1 carrot
2 cloves fresh garlic, smashed
Water to cover ingredients
Place all of the above in a large cooking pot. Very slowly bring to a simmer and keep it cooking two hours. Cool down and strain out all the solids and discard. You may be able to salvage bits of chicken from the bones and that can only add to your creation. Add vegetables of choice, bring to a boil and gently toss in your filled wonton. Cook until they are just hot through. Serve in bowls with a sprinkling of minced green onion, parsley and, perhaps, a teaspoon of toasted Sesame seeds.
The egg roll and wonton wrappers are not limited to savory meal time offerings. They can also be used with sweet fillings for coffee time or interesting desserts.
Walnut-Wonton Treats
Won Ton skins
3/4 cup almost ground walnuts
Zest of one lemon
2 tablespoons honey or lemon juice and 1/4 cup dark, brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Thoroughly combine all ingredients. Fill wonton skins as previously instructed. Deep fry once until very golden brown. Drain on paper towel, arrange on a platter and dust with powdered sugar.
Spicy Apple-Filled Egg Rolls-
3-4 green apples, coarsely chopped
½ cup granulated sugar, more if you like it sweeter
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Zest of one lemon
Sprinkling of lemon juice
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Use only a bit of lemon juice to flavor not soak! Wrap the egg rolls according to previous recipes using the raw egg to seal. Deep fry until pale golden. As before, when they are slightly cool, deep fry again until deep gold and crisp. Drain and serve with a dusting of powdered sugar, whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
If you need a quick sweet, try cutting either the wonton or egg roll wrappers into wide strips and deep fry until golden. Drain, pile on an attractive platter and dust with powdered sugar.
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