Conference turris::cooks

    Ingredients:
    2 lb wonton skins (20 to 24 skins)
    3/4 lb Chinese roast pork, shredded
    1 c Chinese black mushrooms, soaked and shredded
    1 c fresh frozen shrimps, parboiled and cut into small pieces
    1 lb fresh bean sprouts
    1 small can bamboo shoots, shredded thin
    1 c celery, shredded thin
    3 c Chinese cabbage, shredded thin
    
    Seasonings:
    6 T oyster sauce
    1 t salt - I would leave this out
    1/2 t MSG - ditto
    2 T sesame oil
    4 T peanut oil
    
    1 beaten egg for sealing
    1 1/2 qt peanut oil, if deep-frying wok, more if using a pot
    
    Cooking:
    1.  Preheat wok and add oil to sizzle.
    2.  Add roast pork and mix well.
    3.  Add oyster sauce and mix well.
    4.  Add black mushrooms and mix well for 1 minute.
    5.  Add celery and mix well for one minute.
    6.  Add bean sprouts and mix well for two minutes.
    7.  Add bamboo shoots and celery cabbage and mix well for two minutes.
    8.  Add salt, MSG, and half of the sesame oil and mix well.
    9.  Let this mixture drain and cool in refrigerator for one hour
        or more until ready to roll.
    10.  Combine shrimp pieces and mixture and season again with a little
         salt if needed.
    11.  Add the rest of the sesame oil or more as needed, to taste.
    12.  Put 3 T or so of filling in each egg roll and seal with beaten
         egg.  The easiest way to form the rolls is like an envelope:
         fold the bottom corner up over the filling, fold the sides
         in, and roll up to the point, which has been painted with egg.
         Some cookbooks have you start with the skin in a square
         rather than in a diamond, but I find the diamond shape easier
         to seal.  Make sure that all the egg rolls are sealed up good
         so that the filling will not leak out, and make sure that the
         filling is well drained so it is not too runny.
    13.  Deep-fry the egg rolls sealed side down first, then turn over
         and fry until golden brown.  You should be able to cook 6 to
         8 at a time in a wok, and cooking should take 5 to 10 minutes.
         If the oil is not hot enough, the egg rolls will come out
         soggy.
    14.  Drain on paper towels.
    
    Each pound of egg rolls skins has about 12 skins.
    
    
    
    
    Sorry to take so long to type in this recipe.  I had forgotten that
    it was wanted until Paul Winalski replied to it.  Hope you haven't
    given up!

    
    This is my speciality!
    
    The recipe in .2 is the traditional egg-roll filling. You can
    experimentwith the ingrediants and try different fillings too.
    
    One big favorite in my house is to fill them with meat balls and
    italian sauce. The kids eat em faster than I can make em.
    
    You can also make home made skins. They cook much better than the
    store bought. In fact, last xmas I brought about 30 in for the office
    party and some people thought that they were'nt deep fried. the
    home made skins don't get oily at all. 
    To make home made skins;
    
    Add one beaten egg and about a tablespoon of water to a cup and
    a half of flour. Mix this till it's smooth. It helps if you have
    a pasta machine. Let sit for about twenty minutes. This will allow
    the wheat gluten to do it's stuff.
    After it's had some time to "glutinize" (I just made that up)
    roll it till very thin. This may take some practice as you don't
    want to tear or make any holes in it. After it's been rolled thin,
    cut into squares. 6"x"6 or 8"x8". Whatever size you want.
    The major difference between egg-roll skins and won-ton skins is
    the thickness. Won-ton skins are thinner than egg-roll skins.
    
    If you add more egg, you can cut this into thin strips and lo and
    behold, you have egg noodles. 
    
    
    One thing I didn't mention is you have to cover the surface your
    rolling on with flour or even corn starch to prevent the dough from
    sticking. 
    
    
    Rob

    Here's an excellent egg roll recipe
    
    1/4 lb chopped beef (I prefer chicken or shrimp)
    1/2 head of cabbage, thinly sliced
    2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
    1 oz. garlic powder
    1 tsp salt (optional)
    1/2 tsp sugar
    2 dash black pepper
    1/2 tsp sesame oil
    
    Heat wok with 1 tblsp oil. Add all ingredients except sesame oil.
    Stir fry for several minutes. Add sesame oil. Allow to cool until
    you can handle it. 
    
    Fill egg roll skins with mixture and seal with beaten egg. Fry in
    hot oil. They can be half fried and then refrigerated or frozen
    until you're ready to use them (just finish frying them). Don't
    let the egg rolls sit out more than 20 minutes when filling them.
    Make enough to fry and then fill some more.
    
    P.S. Depending on how much you make, there may be juices left from
    wok'ing the mixture. I like to heat and thicken this juice and serve
    as a condiment with the egg rolls.
    
    Happy eating,
    Pat

    I assume you want the filling recipe and will purchase egg roll
    wrappers?  And no, you don't need a wok...but thats half the fun.
    Of course a Cuisinart helps too but many good cooks prefer doing
    all the slicing by hand too.
    
    I have a proven recipe.  The key however to successful egg rolls
    is in the wrapper and how well you seal it.  If oil gets inside
    your egg roll its ruined.  I'd go the J Chen's in Acton.  They have
    several kinds.  Buy the fresh ones that are in a roll [@25 to a
    package].  Make a total batch.  You can freeze them.  But you should
    defrost [non-microwave] and re-fry.
    
    Home made egg roll are very light and crispy since they are fryed
    only once.  Some Oriental restaurants re-fry several times before
    they hit your plate like a lead weight.
    
    The other tip is that the filling should be as dry as possible.
    Set in a colander and paper towels are good.  Getting the wrapper
    wet from the inside causes it to weaken and potentially burst open
    when it hits the hot oil.
    
    Be prepared for a 4-5 lesson.  But the result is fantastic.  
    I'll send the recipe over the next day or so.
    
    Bill

    Nancy.   JC's is on 2A the same rd as the Rusty Scupper and the
    same side.  If you were traveling from the Littleton side of Acton
    toward Maynard it would be on your left.  Its in a small shopping
    center [2-3 stores] Its the corner store.  You have to look carefully.
    I go there 6-8 times a year and seem to miss it.
    
    Bill

Any pan or skillet would work instead of a wok, a deep frier or deep sided pan 
does really well cause it cuts down on splatter (if don't put too much oil in 
it).

By the way, I think the Joyce Chen in Acton is in the middle of the shopping 
plaza now.  It used to be on the corner, but they built on a bunch of new 
stores.  The plaza has a Circle Furniture store in it.  There is a Red Barn on 
one side and apartments on the other.

We've made eggrolls in the past with all sorts of adulterated recipies.
Usually it's been assorted chopped veggies (sprouts, bamboo shoots, water
chestnuts, chinese cabbage, green peppers, and whatever) seasoned with
soy/ginger/whatever, and sauteed or stir fried until they soften slightly. 
Then drained (squeezed even) to get out the juice.  (If the water hits the oil
you get a mess with potential burns!)  We mixed the basic veggies with a
variety of meats to make several different kinds of rolls.  Left overs, or any
precooked meats worked great!  We've used DEC turkey, pot roast, hamburg, hot
eyetalian sausage, or pork roast. 

Once the ingredients were ready, we had rolling a party.  We put the mixes out 
around the table, placed the wrappers in easy reach, with a few small bowls of 
raw scrambled egg with a couple of drops of water.  (Have 1 towel per person)

Process:
1 Put a wrapper in a plate in front of you with a corner pointing 
	towards you
2 Reach into the mix and grab a good sized handful, giving it a good squeeze 
	to remove the last bit of excess water.
3 Put it on the wrapper (see picture, imagine it being a square)

			    /\
			   /  \
			  /    \
			 /      \
			 \ **** /
			  \    /
			   \  /
  			    \/

4 Fold bottom corner over mix, give it half a roll, and fold in side corners,
	using some egg for "glue"
5 "Glue" top flap with more egg, and roll to seal. 

You could also roll it so the last seam is straight instead of pointed, but we 
found this method yielded bulkier rolls with fewer leaks.

As these are made, one person takes them, and inspects for leaks, which can be 
sealed with a scrap of wrapper and some egg glue.  If it is OK, it gets placed 
gently into the frier.

Hints: Don't stack uncooked rolls, or leave them for long.  Don't fry too many 
at once, as it cools off the oil.  Have many layers of paper towel ready to 
drain the rolls.  If you are making so many that you won't eat them right 
away, put them in a 200 degree oven to keep after draining.

						     
							- JP

    This is beginning to sound like fun! What effect does freezing the
    eggrolls really have? Though I doubt I will need to ...I will be
    cooking them on a sunday morning to serve at 3:00 approx.   How do
    I handle keeping them fresh and crispy till then? I plan to serve
    them in a long heated tray.  I will also be creating a Garden salad
    and loaf of pepperoni bread and a punch! so I will want to 
    do the egg rolls first!  Thanks for all the suggestions! 
    Nancy  

    Nancy,
    
    Instead of buying the egg roll wrappers, I would suggest that you
    opt to buy spring roll wrappers.  There is a big difference!  If
    you have ever had dim sum at a Chinese resaurant, they serve spring
    rolls and the wrapper is "smooth" and crispy vs. the egg rolls that
    you can get at any Chinese-American restaurant where the wrapper
    is "bumpy" and chewy.  Also, another thing to remember when using
    spring roll skins is to cook them as soon as possible since the
    skins are very thin and will dry out if left out for a period of
    time.
    
    Also, I do not have a wok, so I use a big pot to deep fry the spring
    rolls.  Just make sure that the oil is hot.  Once the oil is heated,
    lower the heat a bit since the spring roll skins may get a little
    burned.  (The skin's coloring should have a consistency of a golden
    tan, not brown.)
    
    Also, since you have never made any egg rolls before, I would 
    experiment with the recipe so on the day of your party, you will
    be happy with the results.  (I did this about a week or two before
    one of my parties and I'm glad I did.  It allowed time for me to
    experiment with the recipe.)
    
                                                                          
    

	 A trick:  I  use a potato ricer (a useful item for many purposes -
    get  a  stainless  one,  they're  cheap  enough) to get the filling dry
    enough  to  roll  without  waiting  for  it  to drain.  I've heard some
    chinese restaurants use cider presses for this.

	 I've also  had great results making my own wrappers with the pasta
    machine (cf.  94.3) but used nothing but flour and water for the dough,
    with corn starch to keep them from sticking.

	 When you  drain  them,  do  so  edge-up in a bowl lined with paper
    towels.   I've found they don't freeze too badly, but you should rewarm
    them in hot oil or in the oven after defrosting.

	 JJRitz

    Nancy,
    
    I compared my recipe to the other two mentioned in this conference.
    Its quite close to the 94.2 and I think given the fack you may/may
    not be using a wok will come out quite close to the same.  Why not
    try 94.2.
    
    Another tip:  A wok gets the oil up to very high temperatures. 450+
    degrees.  A deep fryer may do the same.  But cooking in a fry pan
    will not so your cooking times will vary based upon wok cooking.
    
    One of the benefits of wok cooking is how fast it sears meats and
    fish sealing in the juices and flavors.  Once you get to the frying
    stage of the egg roll itself I guess it would'nt matter other than
    it will take longer so follow the tip on the # of roll you fry.
    
    One last comment. REF Spring roll wrappers.  There is def a difference
    but unless you are experienced with them you'll find them more
    difficult to work with and more apt to break open.  Although they
    do produce a great result.  I prefer egg roll wrappers for egg rolls,
    spring roll wrappers for spring rolls.
    
    Good luck cooking.  Whens the party?
    
    Bill
 

    I have a Vietnamese spring roll recipe someplace which I will type in
    if I can locate it (uses bean-thread noodles).
    
    Ingredients:
    2 lb wonton skins (about 24)
    3/4 lb Chinese roast pork, shredded
    1 c Chinese black mushrooms, soaked and then shredded (discard stems)
    1 c shrimp, boiled and chopped
    1 lb fresh bean sprouts
    1 small can bamboo shoots, shredded
    1 c celery, shredded
    3 c Chinese celery cabbage, shredded
    
    1 beaten egg for sealing
    
    Seasonings:
    6 T oyster sauce
    (1 t salt - I don't use)
    (1/2 t MSG - I don't use)
    2 T sesame oil
    4 T peanut oil
    
    1 1/2 qt peanut oil for deep-frying (need more if not using a wok)
    
    Heat wok and add peanut oil.  Stir-fry roast pork.  Add oyster sauce. 
    Add black mushrooms.  Add celery.  Add bean spouts.  Add bamboo shoots
    and celery cabbage.  Add (salt and MSG and) half of sesame oil.
    
    Let cool in refrigerator for an hour or until ready to make rolls.
    
    Mix in shrimp and the rest of the sesame oil.
    
    Make sure filling is drained well.  Use about 3 T filling for egg roll,
    depending on the size of the skin.  Fold the egg roll up like an
    envelope, folding the bottom corner up, the sides in, and then rolling
    up, sealing the end with the egg.  Make sure that the sides are well
    sealed so the filling will not leak out.
    
    To cook egg rolls, deep-fry sealed side down first and then turn over,
    until golden brown.  In a wok, you should be able to cook 6 to 8 rolls
    at once, and they should take 5-10 minutes.  Make sure oil is very hot,
    or egg rolls will be soggy.  Drain on paper towels.
    
    
    Should make about 24 egg rolls.

   There is  a  Vietnamese/Chinese restaurant in Houston (Kim Son) which has
   both  "spring  rolls" and "Vietnamese Egg Rolls." I've seen the egg rolls
   called  Imperial  Rolls  at  other Vietnamese restaurants, but the spring
   rolls there are unique.  I would love a recipe for either.

   The spring  rolls  were served cold, and did not seem to be cooked in any
   way  (although  some  of  the  ingredients  were  pre-cooked).  They each
   consisted of (at least) some kind of rice noodles (probably mei fun), two
   jumbo  shrimps,  some mint leaves, and a scallion, all wrapped in a thick
   and  slightly  chewy  rice  paper.  They were served with a thick reddish
   sauce which was a little sweet, not at all hot, and had some kind of nuts
   almost as a garnish.

   The vietnamese  egg  rolls were small, about 1" long by 1/2" in diameter,
   and  had  some kind of meat filling. They were wrapped in thin rice paper
   and  fried. The sauce was clear, about the color and consistency of cider
   vinegar,  but  sweet. There seemed to be thin carrot shavings floating in
   it.  I  don't  think  they  were just a garnish, because I have seen that
   sauce with the same kind of shavings (really more like very small strips)
   at other Vietnamese restaurants.

   I'd appreciate any recipes.

   - Brad

 
 Small nit: The Vietnamese don't use [Chines] Wanton skins as roll wrappers
 - they use rice paper...
 
 Here is my wife's Thai recipe. Use Chinese Spring Roll wrappers, or (smaller,
 thinner) Wanton wrappers.
 
 Stuffing (makes 6 - 8 rolls)
 
         2 cup finely ground pork
         1/4 cup chopped or sliced shrimp
         1/2 cup finely ground chicken
         1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce (or fish sauce if available)
         1/2 tablespoon sugar
         1 medium egg
         2 oz bean sprouts
         2 oz bean thread noodles
         pinch black pepper.                                           
         
         1 beaten egg to seal wrappers.
         
 Method
         
         Soak noodles in tepid water until soft. Drain. Chop into 1" pieces.
         
         Mix all ingredients except bean sprouts thoroughly by hand or
         in a very slow speed food processor. You can leave some shrimp
         whole if you prefer, adding a couple to each roll.
         
         Put a few bean sprouts on a wrapper - put 2-2 1/2 tablespoons
         of the mixture on the bean sprouts - add some more beansprouts
         and roll the wrapper to form the usual pouch, sealing with brushed
         on egg.
         
         To cook get oil very hot then reduce heat to low and drop in rolls.
         They are cooked when light golden brown. Drain off excess oil.
         
 Dipping Sauce ingredients
                                                                       
         1/2 cup sugar
         1/2 teaspoon vinegar
         pinch salt.
         
 Method
         
         dissolve the sugar in just enough cold water to do so. add the
         pinch of salt and the vinegar and bring to a boil, then gently
         simmer until reduced somewhat. 
         
         This sweet and sour sauce may be used "as is". The method used in a 
         Thai household however is to put it on the table in a jug, and each
         diner has a small bowl: pour in some sweet sauce then add something
         to taste. The usual additive is "Vietnam sauce", a red chili in
         oil product common throughout Indo-China, though if this isn't 
         available you can use Sambal Oelek, though this is somewhat milder.
         I also like to use Indian Lime Chutney instead. Feel free to
         experiment.                    
         
                                   /. Ian & Ann .\

My spring roll recipe:

wrappers:

2 cups strong white flour ( I often use Brown flour with most of the
bran sifted out and it works quite well! )
4 TBS barley flour (optional)
1 egg
1 cups hand warm water
1 tsp salt

Place the flour in a bowl and make a well in the centre.  Add the egg, salt
and about a 1/4 cup water.  Mix this well.  Gradually add the remaining water
until you have a batter that resembles pancake batter.  Beat this well with a 
whisk.

Heat a flat round griddle (cast iron works best) on the stove until very hot.
Brush with oil.  Using several layers of paper towel wipe the oil from the
griddle using a little salt as an abrasive.  If you do not have a well 
seasoned griddle do this several times until your griddle is shiny and smooth.

Now using a wide brush (I use the 3 inch BBQ brush I have) quickly 'paint'
onto the griddle your batter.  Paint quickly until you have covered it 
completely keeping it as thin as you can.  With a little practice you'll
get quite good at this.  Your wrapper will turn an opaque white very quickly,
when it does slide a pancake turner under it to loosen the edges and pick
it up and turn it over (I use my fingers to pick it up once I have loosened
the edges).  Cook on the other side just seconds.  Place the wrapper on 
the counter and continue on to paint the next one.  As you take them off
the griddle pile them on top of one another.  This softens them as they
cool.  Do not worry if your wrappers seem a bit crispy as they soften in
the pile.  I have quite a large griddle so I usually get about 9 to 11 wrappers.

With a well seasoned griddle you should be able to do all the wrappers without
re-oiling the griddle.  If you do need to re-oil repeat the seasoning process 
wiping the oil off the pan before proceeding.. if the griddle is oily you 
can not paint the wrappers on correctly.

Filling:

I stir fry shredded cabbage, soaked and chopped dried mushrooms, bean sprouts,
shredded carrots, shredded bell pepper and onion.  I season this will a good
dark soy sauce, some ginger, a pinch of garlic powder, a sprinkling of 
dried red chilli flakes and a dash of Chinese 5 spice powder.  When the 
veg is tender I bind it with a bit of vegetable stock with a pinch of 
corn starch dissolved in it.  (I guess about 1/3 cup stock to 1 tsp corn
starch)  I sometimes add a dash or two of sesame oil to the filling
if I have it on hand.  Cook this well in the wok so it is not runny at all.

To assemble:

Turn your stack of wrappers over and work from the bottom of the pile.  These
will be nice and soft and easy to roll.  Place your filling in the wrapper
slightly off centre towards you.  Fold over the end closest to you and then
the ends up.  Now just roll it away from you.  Roll them tight and neat.

Cooking:

When all your rolls are ready deep fry them in hot oil.  Fry until a nice
golden brown.  These homemade wrappers always make tender, crispy and light
spring rolls.  Drain them on newspaper or paper towel and keep warm on a 
wrack over a roasting pan in the oven.

gailann 

    
    
     Rep .3
    
     The "egg rolls" are really called Nem. They are really easy to
    make but I don't have a set recipe. My friend <Vietnamese> who taught
    me how to make them just added this and that until he got what he
    wanted. Here's my best attempt at a recipe.
    
    
    1 lb finely ground pork loin 
    6-8 dried black mushrooms soaked in hot water until soft
        and then finely minced.
    2 shredded carrots
    1 large finely minced onion
    1 2oz package of rice noodles <clear kind> soaked in hot 
    	  water until soft and then cut into 1-2" pieces with
    	  a pair of scissors.
    1 8oz package/can of crab meat broken up
    2 eggs
    2-3 Tbsp of light soy sauce
    2 Tbsp Hoisin sauce
    
    
    Mix all of the above in a large bowl. Then take a sheet of rice
    paper <availible at joyce chen's in circles about 6" across> and
    dip it in cold water. This should soften the rice paper enough
    to roll it. Place about one heaping tablespoon of the stuffing
    on the rice paper at one end, then roll the paper over the the
    stuffing covering it with one layer of the paper. Then fold both
    sides over the stuffing and then roll the whole thing towards the
    free end adding a drop of water at the edge to seal the finished
    "roll". It sounds complicated but it really isn't after you get
    the hang of it. Deep fry the Nem until golden brown and serve on
    leaf of loose head lettuce with fresh mint leaves, bean sprouts,
    julienne slices of cukes. Roll the lettuce leaf around the Nem and
    the veggies and dip into the sauce which follows.
    
    Nem sauce.
    
    1/2 C fresh lemon juice
    1/2 C Nuc Man <Thai fish sauce also from joyce chen's> sauce
    3-6 Tbsp brown sugar
    1 Tbsp shredded carrots and onions.
    
    Mix all of the above if you like a sweeter sauce add sugar to taste.
    You also can add some sambal to taste if you like it hot.
    
    I also like another sauce of my own creation which is
    
    1/2 C Ketap <sweeten Indonesian soy sauce again joyce chen's>
    1/3 C cider or black vingear
    1-2 Tbsp sesame oil
    3-4 Tbsp chili oil
    
    Again mix all of the above and serve with the Nems.
    
    
    enjoy
    
    -mike
         
    

    reg: .5
    
    This is the dipping sauce we use for our spring rolls... This stuff
    is heaven!
    
    In the blender place:
    
    1/3 cup soy sauce
    1/3 cup oil (use a light oil mixed with a bit of sesame oil)
    1/4 cup vinegar
    1-2 dried red chillies
    1/2 tsp mustard seeds
    2-4 garlic gloves
    1 inch cube of peeled ginger
    1/2 onion peeled and chopped
    1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds (this is the magic ingredient!!)
    pinch cinnamon
    1 TBS honey (or sugar)

    Whiz this until smooth and creamy.  Pour into a small bowl and
    let sit approx: 1 hr or so for flavours to meld.  This sauce is
    delicious!!  It tastes almost like a sweet/sour hot & nutty ketchup..
    it is incredible anyway!!
    
    gailann

    
    As it happens Madhur Jaffrey has just finished a BBC series on Far
    Eastern Cookery. This is from the book of the series (without
    permission). It was featured in the program on Viet Nam, and is
    a North Vietnamese (Hanoi) recipe.
    
                              Small Spring Rolls
    
              From Mrs Vuong at the Thuc Don Restaurant in Hanoi
    
    Called Nem Ran in North Vietnam and Cha Gio in South Vietnam, these
    delicious bite-sized crab-and-pork-filled spring rolls are usually
    wrapped in soft lettuce leaves and dipped into a sauce before being
    eaten. Fresh herbs such as mint and basil are put into the lettuce
    bundles as well.
    
    A word about the Vietnamese spring roll wrappers: unlike the Chinese
    spring roll skins, which are made of plain wheat flour, these are
    made from rice flour. When bought, they look like round translucent
    sheets of paper with the markings of the cross-woven mats on which
    they are dried firmly imprinted on them. The ideal size is 4" in
    diameter, but this size is hard to find in the West. Mrs Vuong,
    the chef at whose elbow I learned this recipe in Hanoi, used two
    very thin wrappers, one placed more or less on top of the other,
    to make each spring roll. Since the wrappers were stiff, she softened
    them by smearing the outside wrapper with a little caramel-flavoured
    water. I find that the wrappers I have managed to obtain at ethnic
    grocers' in the West are often much larger and coarser in texture,
    and need repeated brushings with caramel water to soften them. They
    may also need to be halved or quartered. As they crumble easily
    it is best to wet them first then cut them with a sharp knife. After
    they have been stuffed you will need a little flour paste to stick
    the last end of the wrapper down firmly in place.
    
    If you cannot obtain dried black fungus, increase the number of
    dried Chinese mushrooms from 8 to 14
    
                                 Ingredients
    
    2 tablespoons dried black fungus
    8 dried Chinese mushrooms
    1/2 oz cellophane noodles
    1/2 spring onion (scallion to the American readers)
    1 1/2 oz onion
    4 oz lean pork, minced
    4 oz cooked white crab meat, shredded
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    freshly ground black pepper
    1 large egg
    1 large head soft lettuce
    1 good-sized bunch fresh mint sprigs
    4 tablespoons caramel-water (see below)
    2 tablespoons plain flour
    oil for deep frying
    Vietnamese rice papers
    Fish sauce seasoned with lime juice (see below)
                                           
                                    Method
    
    Soak the black fungus in 10 fl oz of hot water for 30 minutes. Lift
    the fungus from the water and rinse under cold running water. Feel
    for the hard 'eyes' and cut them off. Chop the fungus very finely.
    You should now have about 4 tablespoons.
    
    Soak the dried mushrooms in a separate 10 fl oz of hot water for
    30 minutes or until soft. Lift them from the liquid and cut off
    the hard stems. Chop the caps finely.
    
    Soak the cellophane noodles in a large bowl of hot water for 15-30
    minutes or until they are soft. Drain and cut them into 1/2 inch
    lengths.
    
    Finely chop the spring onion. Peel the onion and chop it finely.
    In a bowl combine the pork, crab meat (making sure that it contains
    no fragments of shell), black fungus, mushrooms, cellophane noodles,
    spring onion, onion, salt, black pepper and egg. Mix well.
    
    Wash the lettuce, separating all the leaves, and drain it. Wash
    the mint, break it into very small sprigs, anbd drain it. Make the
    caramel water. Combine the flour with 3-3 1/2 tablespoons of water
    to make a paste.
    
    Add 1 pint (600ml - I guess this is an English pint :-) hot water
    to the caramel water, which should now be warm. Brush a piece of
    rice paper on both sides with the diluted caramel water. If it turns
    soft and pliable, stuff it, if not, brush it again [at this point
    the book contains detailed diagrams on stuffing the wrappers to
    make bite sized spring rolls, but I'll leave that to your imagination]
    
    Heat the oil in a wok or deep fat fryer over a medium heat. When
    the oil is hot, put in as many rolls as will forma single layer.
    Fry them until they are golden and then remove with a slotted spoon
    and drain on kitchen paper. Continue until all are cooked.
    
    Arrange the spring rolls on a plate. Arrange the lettuce and mint
    on another plate. Put a small bowl of Fish Sauce seasoned with Lime
    Juice near each diner. To eat take a lettuce leaf, or part of one,
    and put a spring roll and a few mint sprigs on it; roll it up and
    dip in the sauce.
    
    Makes about 50 bite sized pieces.
    
                                Caramel Water           
    
    Put 3 tablespoons of sugar in a small cast iron frying pan and let
    it warm up, without stirring, over low heat. The sugar will begin
    to caremise. Tilt the pan slowly back and forth to move the sugar,
    but do not stir it. When all the sugar has turned brownish, slowly
    pour in 5 fl oz warm water. It will bubble vigorously so be careful.
    Stir and mix. Pour the sauce into a bowl. Add another 5 fl oz boiling
    water and mix. Allow to cool, cover and refrigerate until needed.
    
    
                     Fish Sauce Seasoned with Lime Juice
    
    ingredients:
    
    	1 clove garlic
    	4 tablespoonns fish sauce
    	4 tablespoons lime juice
    	3 tablespoons sugar
    	4 hot rad or green chillies
    
    method:
    
    	Peel and crush the garlic. Combine it with the fish sauce, lime
    juice, sugar and four tablespoons water. Mix well and pour into
    4 individual bowls. Cut the chillies crossways into very thin rounds
    and divide equally between the bowls.
    
    serves 4

    
    "Fish Sauce" is the Indo-Chinese version of Soy sauce. Yes I have
    a recipe, but (a) it takes 10-12 weeks, and (b) it stinks to high
    heaven. You can buy it in Thai/Lao/Cambodian or Vietnamese grocers.
    You might even get it in Joyce Chen's. I've seen it in some Indian
    grocers. I don't know where you are located but either the Phnomh
    Penh or the "South-East Asian Import-Export" store in Lowell, Mass stock
    it.
    
    Failing all that you can use dark soy, mixed with a little oyster
    sauce (4 parts soy to 1 of oyster sauce). Both soy and oyster sauce
    can be obtained from Chinese grocers, and even many supermarkets.
       
    /. Ian .\                                                         

    re .9
    
    In the Nashua area you can find Fish Sauce at "Joyce Chens", Rt 101A
    in Amherst.
    
    mike

    Re: fish sauce - my Chinese cookbook says that the lighter the color,
    the better the quality.  I made the mistake of thinking that the
    darker bottle would have a richer flavor the first time - rich to
    the point of Yuck! It can also be used to make a light but rich
    sauce for shrimp with chicken broth, Chinese white wine and a little
    cornstarch water.  Add some scallions, too!

    When I used to make traditional egg rolls, I'd freeze some before
    frying, then just put in the oil still frozen, worked fine.  I just
    noticed an egg roll recipe on the side of a phyllo dough box and they are
    baked.  Has anyone tried baked vs. fried?  Do you know if the phyllo
    ones could be frozen, too, then baked later?  
    
    Thanks,
    
    Terry
    

    
    I haven't tried phyllo egg rolls, (is that a cross-cultural recipe, or
    what?!) but I've frozen many other unbaked phyllo items successfully. 
    
    Mike 

Since we always deep fry spring rolls they have to be thawed first (I learned
that the hard way - the hot oil "splashes a bit" if you don't).

They go soft but not seriously so - when cooked you can't tell...

As for using filo pastry - egg rolls have so many different wrappers in 
different cultures that I see nothing wrong with using filo per se (we've tried 
it and it seems OK).

An alternative is to use a light crepe batter: drop a little in a hot skillet
just long enough for it to "set" without disclouring, and then use it as a
wrapper (recomended by Anton Edelmann the head chef at London's Savoy!)

/. Ian .\

	Rep .0

 
  For spring rolls I just use the round rice paper wrappers found in
 most Chinese markets. You just soak the sheet in warm water for a few
 seconds and then let sit on a damp towel for a minute to soften.

  For the stuffing you can use just about anything you like but the usual
 mixture is shrimp, bean sprouts, shredded cabbage or lettuce, pork 
 strips, and black mushrooms. Wrap the stuffing in the soften rice paper
 and then deep fry until golden brown. You can also add things like
 grated carrot, crabmeat, soften bean thread noodles, mint, green 
 pepper strips, ...  be creative.

  I've also made fresh springs rolls from the rice paper wrappers. It
 is basically the same process except you use cooked meats and the raw
 veggies. I like to take the soften rice paper and then spread a tsp of
 plum sauce on it. Then layser in bbq pork strips, green pepper strips,
 bean sprouts, grated carrot, and fresh mint and just roll it up and 
 serve. They are great for this time of the year.


	-mike

RE: .0

Spring roll wrappers are non-trivial.  It's a process somewhat akin to making
crepes, as it involves batter and a skillet, but it's a lot trickier than
crepes.  I suggest sticking to store-bought wrappers.

--PSW

How do spring roll wrappers differ from egg roll wrappers?

-Jack

Egg roll wrappers are made from a very stiff pasta dough rolled out into a
sheet.

Spring roll wrappers are made from a very sticky batter.  You heat an unoiled
skillet or flat griddle and then wipe the surface with a handful of the
batter.  A thin coating of the batter sticks to the griddle and when you
peel this off, there's your spring roll wrapper.  This is why in an earlier
note I compared the process to making crepes.

--PSW

    I generally have a hankering for spring rolls every now and again.
    Problem is, I haven't the skills to make my own wrappers and I have a
    fair amount of difficulty getting the frozen wrappers from China town,
    plus Reading doesn't seem particularly well served with establishments
    selling dried spring roll wrappers. So imagine my pleasure when a
    couple of weeks ago I find some dried spring roll wrappers in Safeway,
    Bracknell, can't wait for the one just up the road to open tomorrow!
    They seemed a touch on the expensive side, but what the hell: I went
    and bought two packets, each had 8 wrappers in them. As luck would have
    it, we went to London weekend before (took my son to see the Dinosaurs
    in the Natural History museum) and I visited China town and found some
    dried spring roll wrappers, much cheaper than Safeways. So I bought a
    packet.
    
    This past Saturday I decided to have a crack at making spring rolls.
    So I made up a filling (shredded pork, bean sprouts, shredded carrot)
    and let it cool down and then set to with the spring rolls.
    
    First mistake. I think the filling was a tinsy bit on the wet side. It
    wasn't dripping wet, but even with thickening with corn flour the sauce
    did flow a bit.
    Second mistake. I started heating a pan of oil, before I started making
    the spring rolls.
    
    Making the Spring rolls: I started off by using the wrappers I found in
    Safeways. This was the Suzi Wan brand and consisted of circular
    wrappers. The instructions said: Place a wrapper between damp cloths
    for a minute to soften. Ha! There is someone in the Suzi Wan empire who
    either has a very warped sense of humour or has no sense of time or is
    determined to wipe out the infidels by starving them to death. I placed
    a delicate, thin, crisp wrapper between a two halves of a very damp tea 
    towel. A minute later and the wrapper was no longer delicate and crisp, 
    but ever so slightly floppy, with the bendabilty of stiff cardboard.
    
    This would not do, I thought, and placed the wrapper back in the tea
    towel. All the while the oil was getting hotter. A minute later
    and...arrrrrrgh, it still wasn't soft enough to make a spring roll. In
    desparation, I grabbed the kettle and poured water on to the tea towel,
    which, of course, made it extremely soggy. All the while the oil was   
    getting hotter. After another minute I looked at the wrapper. It was
    now pliable enough, so I thought, for me to make a spring roll. I
    whipped it out of the tea towel, and bunged in another wrapper and set
    to on the spring roll. All the while the oil was getting hotter.
    
    I dumped in a little filling and folded over an edge of the wrapper: It
    sprang back. Sh*! I had another, more forceful fold. It behaved itself.
    Forewarned, I whipped over the opposing edge then rolled the thing. It
    rolled, but the wrapper was still so stiff it formed sticky out wings.
    SH*!, Bug%*&, Da*& I quickly unrolled it, slapped on flour paste and
    firmly rolled it up again. It sort of held. I then dumped the whole
    thing into the hot oil. Well, it sizzled and popped, but fried
    reasonably well.
    
    On to the next spring roll, but this time, before I put the third wrapper
    into the tea towel I emersed it in water and got it thoroughly soaked.
    I set to on the second wrapper . It was still a little stiff, but I
    persevered and made a roll and I let rest a little as I turned over the 
    one in the oil. I resoaked the wrapper, in the tea towel, by holding it
    under water again. The roll cooking looked done, so I whipped it out
    and dumped in the one I had prepared.
    
    Disaster!!! The wrapping was so stiff, the wings on one end popped open
    and disgorged its filling. The thing appeared jet propelled as it
    whizzed around the pan. I decided this one was a gonner and relagated
    it to the bin. In the meanwhile, the third wrapper, with all its
    soaking had become nice and soft. So I put together a roll, and it all
    held together beautifully. I placed it on a plate to rest a little and
    started on another roll, this time drenching the wrapper in water. All
    the while the oil was getting hotter. Unfortunately, being very
    delicate things had taken its toll on the wrapper and many had split.
    Trying to make a spring roll with a cracked and split wrapper is no
    feat. However, I eventually managed to get the thing patched up with
    bit of flour paste and pieces of broken wrappers. I formed a roll, but
    it was hard work as the wrappers still weren't pliable. All the while
    the oil was getting hotter.
    
    I now had two rolls to cook at once and I delicately  placed them in
    the hot oil. Spring roll number 3 quietly sizzled away, however, spring
    roll number 4 (the patch up job) promptly exploded; well, not so much
    exploded as split its skin.
    
    Boy was I fed up. With the air distinctly blue, the temper registering
    10 on the richter scale, and the cats sensibly staying out of the
    kitchen, hurled the Suzi Wan wrappers into the bin vowing never to
    touch the filthy rotten stuff again. I turned to the wrappers I bought
    in China town.
    
    These wrappers were about 6" (150mm) square, seemed alot thinner than
    the Suzi Wan wrappers, and also seemed a little more pliable when dry.
    Although there were one or two cracks, here and there, most of the (50
    or 100 wrappers) were unsplit.
    
    My homosapian heritage came to the fore (we never got where we are
    today without a little savvy, though I still can't understand what the
    dolphins are trying to tell me) and I immediately dunked the new
    wrapper into water, getting it thoroughly soaked: None of this damp tea
    towel nonsense for me. The thing was wonderful. Within a few seconds it
    was lovely and soft and extremely pliable. I dumped in some filling,
    folded over the corners and attempted to seal the edges with flour
    paste. It was at this stage I decided my foreboding about my flour
    paste was proven correct. I didn't think it was thick enough to do the
    old sticking job, in fact it was positively runny. I don't think it
    actually helped stick the wrappers together, more sort of wet them
    together like how sheets of wet paper stick together.
    
    Still, the oil was getting hot and I had formed something that
    resembled a spring roll, so in it went. Ahhhhh, perfection. The little
    roll kept its shape and sizzled away in the pan. This was IT! These
    wrappers were the ones! I quickly set too with another roll, only
    slightly concerned about how wet they seemed and whether this would
    have a detrimental affect on their cooking. No matter, the one cooking
    was looking cooked, so out it came and in went the wet one.
    
    Hmmmmm, are they supposed to blow bubbles like that. I mean, it sort of
    bloated itself and this large bubble formed on the side of the roll and 
    the darn thing steadfastly floated on the surface of the oil with its
    bubble top side. I could see it was going to be difficult. I would have
    to persuade it to turn over at some stage to  cook its top and its bubble.
    
    No matter, I set to on another roll and took the luxury of trying out
    the successful roll. Not bad, not bad at all. Much buoyed by my
    success, I craftily turned over 'bubble' roll when it wasn't looking
    and made a couple of rolls to cook together. I fished out the now
    cooked bubble roll, and added the twin rolls.
    
    Arrgh! One of the ungrateful things promptly made a bubble and the
    other exploded; well it split itself and disgorged some of its innards.
    Well, nothing could be done and I pushed on with further rolls. There
    followed disaster after disaster. Rolls exploding, rolls forming
    bubbles and floating, and once I dropped a roll in and it promptly
    bonded with another roll!!!! The sticky flour paste providing the
    adhesive: Great, it sticks two rolls together, but doesn't seal the
    wrapper.
    
    As you can see, I had a few fun and games on saturday. The result was
    
    2 rolls that had a passable resemblance to those golden spring rolls
    4 ruptured rolls with varying degrees of cookness (pasty white with
      golden bits)
    6 bubble rolls, with varying degress of cookness
    1 holey roll which wasn't very cooked at all
    1 exploded roll, buried in dustbin.
    
    I ate them all, bar the one in the bin. My son had a nibble of one,
    while my wife (who loves spring rolls) wouldn't touch'em with a barge
    pole.
    
    I've read every reply in this topic, and I have several pointers as to
    where I went wrong.
    
    One day I'll screw up enough fortitude to try again
    Angus

    
    I made some egg rolls last night and they came out wonderfully looking
    but tasted awful!
    
    I had added roast pork, bamboo shoots, sprouts, cabbage, celery, fresh
    ginger, mushrooms, rice vinegar and cayenne pepper.  This mixture was 
    very flavorful.
    
    The spring roll wrappers I bought from Joyce Chen (along with above
    ingredients).  I had no problem wrapping and frying.  Everything stayed
    together and they browned lightly in about 10 minutes.
    
    I believe it was the oil or the wrappers that had this awful after
    taste that made them unedible.  I was so dissapointed after seeing
    great they came out.
    
    I used Wesson Veg. Oil.  Is this what went wrong?  Any other ideas?
    
    Thanks,
    cj

    Could the wrappers have been rancid?  They need to be refrigerated, and
    do have an expiration date.  Do you have any left over that you can
    taste?   I had one of those "just unfold and bake" type pie crusts that
    went bad on me, even though the expiration date was a few weeks off.  
    Sometimes you can tell by the smell.
    Sarah

    
    I'm not sure about the wrappers.  I am beginning to think that maybe
    the oil was not hot enough and it soaked in too much because it seemed
    like there was a definate oil taste.  However, they were crunchy and
    well sealed.
    
    

re:                     <<< Note 1676.33 by CHORDZ::WALTER >>>

> I am beginning to think that maybe the oil was not hot enough and it
> soaked in too much because it seemed like there was a definate oil taste.

That was my first thought when you mentioned 10 minutes frying time. Anytime
I've made eggrolls, I'd say that three minutes was the max. You oil should
be hot enough so that a bread cube browns within ten seconds or so, or a
small drop of water spatters loudly.

    You may have burned the oil.  I'm not sure which sort of vegetable oil
    you used, but some of them can't take as high a temperature as you need
    to cook spring rolls without having them get soggy, and the oil tastes
    pretty bad if it starts to brown.  Canola oil, for example, can't take
    the temperature.  Best bet is peanut oil.
    
    /Charlotte

    I used Wesson Vegetable Oil.
    
    The rolls came out so crispy its hard to believe that I had them in the
    oil so long that the wrappers soaked oil into them.  They were hard and
    crunchy and only lightly browned after being in the oil I would say
    7 minutes.  They did not spatter when I put them in the wok however.  I
    also did not cover the wok when frying.
    
    cj

Wesson Oil wouldn't have been my first choice, but it should work fine.
Although it does have a pronounced flavor, so maybe the oil-not-hot-enough
theory might be a good one.  Was the oil new?  Oil can get rancid with age.

Also, if you're going to deep fry in a wok it might be a good idea to invest
in a deep-fry thermometer.  They don't cost very much, and usually have a clip
for attaching them to the edge of the pan.  You really want to make sure the
oil's at least 325-350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Another thing to watch for is if
you have to cook more than one batch.  After removing the first batch, give
the oil time to get back up to temperature before putting the next batch in.

-Hal

re: .35

I'd second the caution about canola oil. I've found that it is one of the
best for not browning/discoloring, but one of the worst for developing a
bad taste. One time it ended up tasting almost like linseed oil on me.

    Does anyone know if you can freeze egg rolls without losing any 
    of the quality of the egg roll? 
    
    
    Thanks,
    Pam

    
    	I don't think it's possible. It'll be soggy moist from having been
    	frozen. The only trick that might work is spraying the outside with
    	a sugar-water solution before freezing and then frying them after
    	they come out of the freezer. I've never tried it myself but it
    	works for McDonald's frozen french fries.
    
    	-Erik

   I've frozen eggrolls before.  I warm them up in the oven at 325 to retain
   the crispness.


   							Terza

When I make wonton (which is fried) I freeze them in single layers	
between pieces of wax paper in an airtight rubbermaid type container.
I would think this would work for eggrolls.