new and improved egg rolls

i've been making eggrolls for years. as tasty as we've always thought they were, they were never quite "right". i finally found out from the owner of the local asian food market, what was wrong. i've always bought the eggroll wrappers you generally find in the local grocery store and they're not like the ones you might find in a chinese restaurant. that and a few ingredient changes really made all the difference in the world. another secret is the oil you fry them in. since learning to render lard and tallow, we've found that eggrolls taste the best fried in animal fat in the deep fryer. once you've tasted one of these, you'll never go back to peanut or corn oil or anything resembling crisco.



1 lb ground beef or pork raw (may substitute or add shrimp if desired)
2-4 cups shredded cabbage (coleslaw mix works well)
1 large (yellow or white) onion diced
1 to 2 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon sugar
1 Tablespoon black pepper
ground red pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons fish sauce (soy sauce may be substituted)
3 eggs
2.5 to 4 oz mung bean threads
50 to 60 spring roll wrappers

1. soften bean threads in hot water. drain. with kitchen scissors, cut threads into 1-3 inch lengths.

2. mix threads and all other ingredients (except wrappers) in a large bowl. i use my hands and knead the mixture as if making a meatloaf.

3. place 1 to 2 Tablespoons of mixture into each wrapper and roll.
(learn how to roll an eggroll here. because these have raw meat in them, you'll want to roll these smaller than my previous recipe--no larger around than a quarter. if this concerns you, you may cook the meat ahead, but it really does taste better if prepared raw and cooked only once.)

4. fry in deep fryer at approximately 365^o for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

5. drain and serve with dipping sauce and rice.
(our favorite dipping sauce is equal parts soy sauce and white vinegar with a few sprinkles of toasted sesame seeds thrown in.)


mung bean threads, also known as vermicelli are usually found at the local asian markets with the rice noodles. these don't carry alot of their own flavor but they absorb flavors well and add a unique texture to eggrolls that cabbage alone just doesn't have.






spring roll wrappers (left), also called eggroll wrappers. these are made with wheat flour and should not be confused with spring roll wrappers (right) which are sometimes called rice paper which are made with rice flour. the wrappers you want are square and soft (like filo or pie crust); whereas, rice paper is generally round and stiff (more like plastic) and must be moistened before using and are generally eaten without frying. i use a particular brand (TYJ) which is made with coconut oil and is very stretchy before it's cooked. these make an excellent eggroll and to date, we've not found anything better.



fish sauce is a sauce used in asian cooking (i use it in kimchi too) which basically adds a salty flavor. it comes in many varieties, shapes, sizes, etc. if you can't find it or if you don't like it, soy sauce and/or salt may be substituted. i generally use the 3 crabs brand.

kimchi

also gimchi, kimchee, or kim chee

a traditional condiment in Korea. thanks to the heritage of my mother-in-law, i was introduced to this wonderfully healthy food many years ago and with some perserverance and practice, i've come to perfect my own recipe which tastes 'almost as good as mom's' according to my adoring husband (and children).

most of this is done by taste and site, but i've attempted to put measurements on everything to help you get started. if you're just not sure how it should taste, drop by the Asian market and pick up a small jar and try it. most often these are already sour, but good. we like ours fresh through sour and thus enjoy making our own.

you'll need:

*large bowl with sealable lid
*1 gallon GLASS jar
(fermented foods should never be stored in plastic or metal containers.)

*3 small to medium heads nappa (baechu/Chinese) cabbage (5 lbs)
*5-10 chopped scallions
*sea salt (table or pickling may be substituted)

*1/2 cup of Korean red pepper flakes (kochu karu)
--may substitute the cheap ground red pepper from the Walmart. i've known some to substitute cayenne, but it's a different flavor and it's much hotter, so the amounts would be significantly less.

*3 tablespoons minced garlic
*½ - 1 tablespoon sugar

*1 tablespoon kimchi sauce (also called fish sauce/nuoc mam) optional

*½ tablespoon
*minced ginger root (very strong flavor – i leave this out)

*surgical type gloves to protect hands from hot pepper (spoon may be used)



~cut cabbage into 1-2 inch squares.
(this is preference, many cut in strips or leave heads intact and merely slice them lengthwise like a banana peel.)

~spread a layer in large bowl and sprinkle with sea salt.
~continue layers of cabbage and salt until all cabbage is in bowl.
~put lid on bowl and let cure for about until cabbage is limp and will not snap when you try to break it in two (about 2-3 hours).
~rinse 3-4 times thoroughly and drain DO NOT SQUEEZE.
~taste and if too salty, rinse and drain again.
~salt again to taste (if needed).
~add all other ingredients and mix with gloved hand.

NOTE: add hot pepper a little at a time until desired hot. i've practiced with this and we like 1/2 cup but you might like a little less. if you don't add enough, when the cabbage sours, "sour" is all you will taste.

~put in smallest jar possible and cover.
~refrigerate and serve.

NOTE: flavor is best after at least 24 hours to allow flavors to mix. refrigeration is not necessary for preservation if veggies were cured correctly (if it molds, revisit your curing/salting methods); however, leaving it out at temps above that of your fridge will speed up fermentation and thus will make it sour much more quickly. we prefer to eat it fresh and at all stages of fermentation until it just gets too sour to stand the smell. at this point, we grind it up and throw it in the mondu (recipe to be posted later) or we cook it with some chicken.

cucumber kimchi

cucumber (oisobagi) kimchi

*6 small cucumbers peeled and sliced (keep seeds)
--peeling is optional, but my husband prefers it peeled.

*4-8 green onions chopped
*sea salt (may substitute table or pickling salt)
*6 cloves minced garlic
*1 tablespoon Korean hot sauce (see this post for more info)
-- may substitute smaller amount Korean red pepper flakes (kochu karu) or the cheap ground red pepper from the Walmart. i've known some to substitute cayenne, but it's a different flavor and it's much hotter, so the amounts would be significantly less.

*1 tablespoon white vinegar
*roasted sesame seeds (see this post for how to roast your own)
*surgical type gloves to protect hands from hot pepper (may use spoon, but hands work best)

~sprinkle cucumber slices with salt and mix thoroughly. let stand until cucumbers are limp and will not snap when you try to break it in two..(approx 15-45 minutes).
~rinse well, squeeze, drain, repeat.
~taste to make sure not too salty. if still salty rinse and drain again.
~mix in all other ingredients with gloved hand thoroughly (salt to taste).

NOTE: if using hot pepper instead of paste add 1/2 teaspoon at a time until kimchee reaches desired hot (light orange color).

~put in smallest glass jar possible and cover.
~refrigerate and serve.

NOTE: flavor is best after at least 24 hours to allow flavors to mix. refrigeration is not necessary for preservation if veggies were cured correctly (if it molds, revisit your curing/salting methods); however, leaving it out at temps above that of your fridge will speed up fermentation and thus will make it sour much more quickly. we prefer to eat it fresh and at all stages of fermentation until it just gets too sour to stand the smell. at this point, we grind it up and throw it in the mondu (recipe to be posted later).

makes about 1 quart.

bulgogi (pulgogi)

All ingredients are approximate (traditionally made by tasting hands after mixing *wink*)

2 lbs beef roast sliced thinly
¼ - ¾ cup soy sauce
roasted sesame seeds (see how below)
3 cloves minced garlic
6-10 chopped green onions
approx ¼ cup sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
black pepper

marinate overnight in smallest bowl possible. cook in sauce pan, fry pan, broiler or grill until brown. serve with rice and kimchee.

NOTE: this recipe is often used on beef ribs but ribs are very difficult to marinate in the same fashion as boneless meat. when marinating ribs, i often make enough marinade for both the ribs and a roast and i surround the ribs in the marinating bowl with the juices and the other pieces of meat for maximum coverage.




how to roast your own sesame seeds

1) pour sesame seeds into a bowl of water where the level rises above the seeds.
2) stir gently with your hands to find rocks and odd bits of debris.
3) rinse and strain well.
4) put in a medium hot skillet (i always use iron for a great flavor)
5) constantly stirring to prevent burning, continue to heat until the overall color changes to desired doneness (careful, they pop)


6) remove from heat and place in adequate sized bowl and pop (not crush) the seeds with a pestle to maximize flavor.

regarding pestles: the expensive marble varieties often used for herbs and pharmaceuticals will work, but if you don't have one of these, you can get a nice (effective) wooden pestle at most any Asian food marts. they resemble a billy club or small baseball bat. i just use one of these and a large ceramic cake mixing bowl. i call it my 'squisher'.



7) store in airtight container.
NOTE: i've actually had these mold once (rare) so i often keep mine in the freezer.

korean hot pork

2-3 lbs pork shoulders or pork loin roast (or any pork chop) sliced to bite-size with bone and most of the fat removed
1 tsp sugar or honey
black pepper
6-10 chopped scallion onions
3 cloves minced garlic
2-4 tbsp korean hot sauce (see pictures below)

Mix thoroughly (may marinate overnight if desired). Simmer in fry or sauce pan until pork is cooked and tender (about 1/2 hour). Serve with rice.



Korean hot bean paste/hot pepper paste/fermented hot bean paste:

(click to enlarge photos)

how to make eggrolls

I got a new camera for Christmas last year and it's been fun using it. I love to make eggrolls and my family loves to eat them, so I decided to dig out the new camera and share with you how I do it around this kitchen.

NOTE: i no longer use the recipe below. i use the same tips, tricks and methods, but i've since learned a few new tricks and i only use this recipe now.

I normally make smaller batches, but I came by a large amount of cabbage, so I went for broke and made extras for the freezer. I'll be basing my recipe on the BIG batch.

4-6 lbs of cabbage shredded
4 lbs of ground pork (not sausage)
1-2 large yellow (or white) onions
6-10 cloves of fresh garlic
black pepper

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(click on images to enlarge)

1) Chop onions and garlic fine and brown in skillet or large pot with the pork until done through. (do not drain)
2) Shred cabbage either by hand or in food processor (slice setting seems to work best).

3) Put cabbage in large pot or bowl and poor pork with fat into the cabbage.
4) Add pepper and mix well.
5) Allow to sit for a few minutes on the counter and the hot pork fat will begin to soften the cabbage to make it easier to work with.

6) Lay eggroll wrappers flat on table diagonally.
7) Place a small handful (maybe 1/3 cup) into the lower center of the eggroll wrapper.



8) Fold sides towards the middle like an envelope.









9) Pull the bottom corner up to the top and press and pull back to pull the filling towards you and help contain it in the wrapper.







10) Dip fingers in a small bowl of water and wet the top corner of the wrappers.

11) Crimp any ends that might be loose or flopping and roll away from you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tears & Holes (they happen)

Don't panic! I do this all the time. If your eggroll gets a little too wet or stretched, it might tear. Do the best you can to roll it up without damaging it further. Then tear a small corner off another wrapper (you won't even miss it). Wet this small piece and slap it over the hole like a bandaid. This will either fry solid in the fryer or freeze dry in the freezer.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

12) If you intend to freeze, lay them on a cookie sheet in a single layer NOT touching.
13) Place in freezer until frozen.
14) Remove from freezer and cookie sheet and put in freezer-safe container and return to freezer until you are ready to use.


15) Heat fryer to 400 degrees.
16) Place eggrolls in fryer for 8 minutes. They tend to float, so I recommend you place your basket on top of the eggrolls and put the lid on top of the basket to keep them fully submerged. This will ensure that all sides are equally cooked without extra fuss.









17) Remove from fryer and drain.











18) For a tasty dipping sauce, mix 1/2 white vinegar and 1/2 real soy sauce and throw in some toasted sesame seeds if you have them.






19) Serve with rice and enjoy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Below is a video on how to roll up the eggroll. This mine and hubby's first movie. Hope you like it. It's rated "B" for beginners.

korean birthday wishes

And he made them a feast, and they did eat and drink.
~Genesis 26:30

Update on the party: It was a hit. My daughter had a blast with her cousins and her little friends. We had strawberry cake with purple icing and rainbow sprinkles. My daughter decorated the cake herself and all of the sprinkles were in one spot. I just love my mother-in-law.

She brought kimchi chicken

turnip kimchi

and bulgogi .

I made shrimp

and hot pork

and rice .

We had hot Korean food coming out our ears and mom let us keep all the leftovers (even the extra pot of rice she brought—just in case). We'll be eatin' Korean for days and I won't even have to cook. Hooray!

Thanks for all the birthday wishes and lovely comments. I appreciate them all.

May God be blessed and praised! I love my family and friends!...and I'm so thankful for my dishwasher!