homemade eggrolls w/ ground chicken

ingredients:

1 lb of ground chicken

1 bell pepper, chopped fine

2 tsp of garlic, minced 

2/3 cup diced green onions

2 cups of shredded green cabbage

1 cup of matchstick carrots 

2 tbsps of low sodium soy sauce

2 tsps of sesame oil

1 tsp fish sauce

2 tsps of rice wine vinegar

1/2 tsp of ground ginger

1/2 tsp of chinese five spice

salt and pepper, to taste

10-20 egg roll wrappers 

1 egg, beaten

vegetable oil for frying (4 cups for a shallow fry, use more if deep frying)

sweet and sour sauce, for serving

supplies:

cast iron or sauté pan for cooking the filling

large plate

foil lined sheet pan

cast iron for frying

wire rack

directions:

Heat a 12-inch sauté pan or cast iron over medium high heat, and add ground chicken. Cook and crumble until cooked through. Transfer to a plate. Next, in the same pan, add the bell pepper and sauté for about 1 minute. Add green onions and garlic, and saute for about 30 seconds before adding in the cabbage and carrots. saute for about 2 minutes or until the cabbage has wilted some. Return the chicken to pan with vegetables, and add in the soy sauce, sesame oil, fish sauce, rice wine vinegar, and sprinkle in ground ginger and Chinese five spice. season with salt and pepper to taste. mix well then Toss mixture then transfer to a foil lined sheet pan to cool for about 10 minutes.

to fold the eggrolls: lay one egg roll wrap out on a clean work surface. Spread about 3 tbsps of the egg roll filling in center of wrap. Using your fingertip dab a little bit of the beaten egg on the upper corner and right and left corners of the egg roll (this will help the egg roll close). next, Fold the bottom corner up then fold right and left side corners in to enclose filling (making an envelop shape). Press filling snuggly down in using your fingertips then snuggly roll and wrap egg roll. repeat with remaining wraps and filling. depending how much filling you use, you can get 10 large eggrolls (pictured) or up to 20 smaller eggrolls.

to fry: heat vegetable oil in a large cast iron until it reaches about 375 degrees (or you can carefully drop a little water in the oil. if it fizzes, its ready). Fry egg rolls in batches until golden brown, turning once halfway through. It should take about 2 minutes per side, 3-4 minutes total. Transfer to a wire rack to drain.

to bake: place egg rolls on prepared baking sheet, brush both sides of egg rolls lightly with oil. Bake at 425 for 11 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Then turn over and continue to bake until golden brown and crisp, about 7 - 9 minutes longer.

notes: after cooking and cooling, eggrolls can be frozen. to re-heat, bake frozen on a sheet pan at 400 for about 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through and crispy.

the chicken can be substituted for ground turkey or ground pork.

be sure to wrap the eggrolls tight so the filling doesn’t fall out when frying or baking.