Pork Egg Rolls
A prepackaged vegetable mix takes the work out of shredding cabbage and carrots in this recipe. To speed up the process even further, feel free to use barbecued pork from the Asian market.
INGREDIENTS | YIELDS 18 to 20 egg rolls
- Oil for deep-frying
- 1 pound lean pork
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch, divided
- 3 tablespoons water, divided
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 3½ tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic, divided
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger, divided
- 2 cups prepackaged shredded cabbage and carrot mix
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar, or to taste
- 1 cup mung bean sprouts
- 1 tablespoon water, optional
- 2 green onions, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 package egg roll wrappers
Fill a deep-fat fryer, wok, or heavy deep-sided skillet with enough oil to cover the rolls and heat to 375°F.
Julienne the pork. Place the pork in a bowl and add the dark soy sauce, rice wine or sherry, and 2 teaspoons cornstarch. Marinate the pork for 15 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons water with the oyster sauce. In a separate small bowl, combine the remainder of the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water to make a paste.
Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat until it is nearly smoking. Add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add half the garlic and ginger. Stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the pork. Stir-fry until the pork is no longer pink and is nearly cooked. Remove and drain in a colander or on paper towels.
Heat 1½ tablespoons oil in the wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, add the remainder of the garlic and ginger. Stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the shredded cabbage mixture. Stir-fry, sprinkling with the salt and sugar, for 2 minutes. Stir in the mung bean sprouts and stir-fry briefly (30 seconds to 1 minute). Add 1 tablespoon water if the vegetables begin to dry out during stir-frying.
Add the oyster sauce mixture. Add the pork back into the pan. Stir in the green onions. Stir-fry for 1 to 2 more minutes to blend all the ingredients together. Remove from the heat and stir in the sesame oil. Allow the filling to cool.
To make the egg rolls, take an egg roll wrapper and lay it out in front of you. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the filling in the middle of the wrapper. Dip your finger in the cornstarch paste and trace the edges of the wrapper. Lift the bottom of the wrapper up and over the filling, fold the left and right sides over, and roll up the egg roll. Press down firmly on the edges to seal.
To deep-fry the egg rolls, slide the rolls into the hot oil and deep-fry until they are golden brown and crispy (about 4 minutes). Remove the rolls with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Don't stack the rolls before or after cooking.
