Equipment
Ingredients
Filling Base
- 450 g ground pork, fatty blend preferred (80/20)
- 300 g green cabbage, finely shredded
- 100 g carrot, julienned or grated
- 50 g dry vermicelli rice noodles, dry weight
- 3 scallions, chopped
Aromatics & Seasoning
- 15 g ginger, fresh, minced
- 3 garlic, cloves, minced
- 30 ml soy sauce
- 30 ml oyster sauce
- 10 ml sesame oil
- 15 ml shaoxing wine
- 5 g sugar
- 2 g white pepper
Wrappers & Frying
- 12 egg roll wrappers
- 10 g cornstarch
- 1000 ml neutral oil
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 243 kcal
- Protein
- 11 g
- Carbohydrates
- 29 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 446 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 30 mg
- Potassium
- 266 mg
- Calcium
- 55 mg
- Iron
- 1.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 22 mg
- Phosphorus
- 125 mg
- Zinc
- 1.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 77 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 14 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 17 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.46 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.22 mg
- Niacin
- 3.5 mg
- Folate
- 35 mcg
- Water
- 75 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
- Caffeine
- 0 mg
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Soak the rice noodles in hot water for 10 minutes until pliable. Drain thoroughly and use kitchen shears to cut them into short 2-3cm lengths. Set aside.
Heat a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground pork and stir-fry, breaking it up into small crumbles, until cooked through and fat has rendered.
Add the minced ginger and garlic to the pork, cooking for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the cabbage and carrots. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until vegetables are wilted but still retain crunch.
Reduce heat to medium. Add the noodles, scallions, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, Shaoxing wine, sugar, and white pepper. Toss well to combine everything uniformly. Remove from heat.
Transfer the filling to a large baking sheet and spread it out. Prop up one end of the sheet slightly to allow excess liquid to drain away from the solids. Let cool completely to room temperature. This prevents soggy rolls.
Place an egg roll wrapper in a diamond shape. Place about 3 tablespoons (approx 70g) of filling in the center. Fold the bottom corner up over the filling, tucking it tightly. Fold the left and right corners in towards the center (like an envelope). Brush the top corner with the cornstarch slurry, then roll tightly upwards to seal.
Heat oil in a Dutch oven or heavy pot to 175°C/350°F. Fry egg rolls in batches of 3-4, ensuring they are not crowded. Cook for 3-5 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and blistered.
Remove egg rolls and place on a wire rack to drain. Ensure internal temperature reaches 74°C/165°F. Serve warm.
Chef's Notes
- The secret to the 'chewy' interior layer is the interaction between the hot filling and the inner wrapper dough; do not over-dry the filling, but ensure no standing liquid remains.
- For the classic bubbly skin, ensure you are using wheat-flour 'Egg Roll' wrappers, not the thin rice-paper 'Spring Roll' wrappers or translucent wrappers.
- If preparing for a party, you can par-fry these for 2 minutes until pale gold, drain, and then finish frying for 2 minutes right before serving.
- Serve with duck sauce, hot mustard, or a mixture of soy sauce and rice vinegar.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in airtight container; reheating required for texture.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze raw on a baking sheet, then bag. Fry directly from frozen (add 2-3 minutes to cook time).
Reheating: Reheat in oven or air fryer at 175°C/350°F for 10-15 minutes to restore crispiness. Do not microwave.
Troubleshooting
Egg rolls burst open during frying
Cause: Wrapper was wrapped too loosely or the filling was too wet/hot
Fix: Cannot fix burst rolls; ensure oil is clean before frying the next batch
Prevention: Cool filling completely, drain excess liquid, and wrap tightly without air pockets
Wrapper is greasy and not crispy
Cause: Oil temperature was too low
Fix: Increase heat and re-fry briefly (double fry) to drive out oil
Prevention: Use a thermometer to maintain oil at 175°C/350°F between batches
Cultural Context
While spring rolls exist across Asia, the thick-skinned 'Egg Roll' is a distinct staple of Chinese-American cuisine, likely popularized in New York in the early 20th century. It is heavier and heartier than its delicate mainland Chinese counterparts, designed to be a substantial finger food.
