Back in 1917, an egg roll was literally wrapped in a sheet of egg. Fast forward a few decades and egg rolls had become one of the most beloved parts of Chinese takeout, from restaurant combo plates to the frozen food aisle. So how did we get from that to the golden, crunchy tubes of perfection we know today?
This is a take on a Chicago-style egg roll, loaded with pork, shrimp, and a secret ingredient you probably weren't expecting: peanut butter. We're double-frying these bad boys for that signature crunch and making three sauces from scratch: sweet and sour, duck sauce, and my personal favorite, Chinese hot mustard. Because sauce is not optional.
INGREDIENTS
- 4 celery stalks, thinly sliced
- 2 large carrots, thinly sliced
- ½ head green cabbage, thinly sliced
- 2 pounds ground chicken thigh or pork
- 1 cup raw shrimp, chopped
- 3 Tbsp Shaoxing cooking wine
- 2 tsp oyster sauce
- 2 tsp light soy sauce, plus more to taste
- 1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp Peanut butter
- Egg roll wrappers, as needed
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 1 egg
- 1 Tbsp water
- Neutral oil, for cooking and frying
DIRECTIONS
- Heat a splash of neutral oil in a wok over high heat. Add the celery, carrots, cabbage and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables soften and most of their moisture evaporates, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a strainer set over a bowl and let drain.
- Add the chicken to the same wok and break it up. Cook until browned and cooked through. Add the peanut butter then deglaze with the Shaoxing wine. Cook until the liquid evaporates. Stir in the oyster sauce, soy sauce, five-spice powder, white pepper and sugar. Taste and adjust with more soy sauce if needed.
- Transfer the drained vegetables and chicken to a large bowl. Toss together and let the filling cool completely before wrapping.
- Beat the egg with 1 Tbsp water. Lay a wrapper on your work surface with a corner pointing toward you. Add about ⅓ cup filling just below the center. Fold the bottom corner over the filling, fold in the sides, then roll snugly toward the top. Brush the final corner with egg wash and seal. Repeat with the remaining filling, keeping unused wrappers covered with a barely damp towel.
- Heat a few inches of neutral oil in a heavy pot to 300°F. Fry the egg rolls in batches until lightly golden, 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and repeat with the remaining rolls.
- Increase the oil temperature to 375°F. Fry the egg rolls again in batches until deeply golden and crisp, about 1-2 minutes. Drain on a wire rack and serve with spicy mustard, sweet & sour sauce and duck sauce.
Notes
Wet filling is the enemy here. Drain the vegetables well and let everything cool before wrapping. The first fry cooks and sets the wrapper. The second fry brings the crunch. Make the sauces while the filling cools.
