FOOD NEWS
15 Tips You Need To Make Egg Rolls Like Your Favorite Takeout Spot
BY ALICE RICH
Make Your Wrappers
Egg roll wrappers only require four ingredients: wheat flour, salt, eggs, and cornstarch. So, you can easily ditch the store-bought ones and make them on a whim.
You can make them in less than an hour. Be sure to sprinkle cornstarch between the wrappers or separate them with parchment paper to keep them from sticking together.
Get Creative
Egg rolls have infinite creative culinary potential. Classic egg rolls mainly call for roast pork, shredded vegetables, and seasonings, but you need not stop there.
You can make a crispy Philly cheesesteak egg roll, a Reuben egg roll, or an egg roll with stuffed fried pickles. You can even make a vegetarian egg roll with mushrooms.
Try Gluten-Free
You can substitute regular flour for a 1 to 1/3 blend of gluten-free and sweet rice flour to prepare gluten-free egg roll wrappers.
As for the fillings, plain meat and veggies are gluten-free but some seasonings, like shoyu variety of soya sauce, aren't. You can substitute them for tamari or liquid aminos.
Add MSG
Despite widespread, unproven claims that MSG negatively affects health, the FDA deems it safe. It's a key ingredient in popular food items like ramen and chicken bouillon.
Chicken bouillon is commonly used by Chinese takeout restaurants to create tasty egg rolls. Try sprinkling it into your vegetable mix to add that coveted umami flavor.
Drain Veggies
Biting into a mushy egg roll kills the whole egg roll experience. It's crucial not to rush the preparation process, especially the vegetable components of the filling.
Veggies have a high water content, so draining before and after cooking for at least an hour will remove excess water, meaning it's less likely to mess with that sacred crunch.