Recipe - Low In Fat Baked Egg Rolls

Perfect egg rolls – much easier to make than you’d think and even better than Chinese take-out (because homemade is always best right?). You get an amazingly crisp and flaky, fried roll filled with hearty ground turkey or pork and fresh sautéed vegetables. They’re the perfect appetizer or even main dish.

Egg rolls might seem like an intimidating dish but by following a few simple steps you’ll see they’re really are a straightforward, easy to make recipe.

Here you’ll learn how to deep fry in oil or bake in the oven for a lighter alternative. Both options are delicious but nothing beats that deep fried texture.

Ingredients

1 lb 93% lean ground turkey
1 1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil
Salt
3/4 cup chopped bell pepper
2 tsp minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp peeled and minced ginger
2/3 cup diced green onions
2 cups shredded green cabbage (8 oz)
1 cup matchstick carrots (2 oz)
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp Chinese five spice
20 egg roll wrappers (1 lb pkg. such as Nasoya)
1 egg, beaten
Vegetable oil for frying (about 6 - 8 cups)
Sweet and sour sauce or other asian dipping sauce, (such as La Choy brand) for serving (optional)

Method

* Cook ground turkey: Heat 1/2 Tbsp oil in a 12-inch saute pan or deep skillet. Add turkey and cook and crumble until cooked through. Transfer to a plate.

* Saute vegetables: Heat remaining 1 Tbsp oil in now empty pan over medium high heat, add bell pepper and saute 1 minute. Add green onions, garlic and ginger and saute 30 seconds. Add cabbage and carrots and saute until just wilted, about 1 - 2 minutes.

* Season egg roll filling: Return turkey to pan with vegetables, pour in soy sauce, sesame oil and sprinkle in Chinese five spice. Toss mixture then transfer to a long sheet of foil to cool about 10 minutes.

* Add oil to a pot (it should come up about 1 1/2 - 2 inches) and heat to 370 degrees, or if baking egg rolls preheat oven to 425 degrees and grease an 18 by 13 - inch baking sheet.

* Wrap egg rolls while oil is heating: lay one egg roll wrap out on a clean work surface. Spread a horizontal row of a scant 1/4 cup of the egg roll filling in center of wrap. Using your fingertip dab a little bit of the beaten egg on the upper corner and right and left corners of the egg roll (this will act as the glue).

* Fold bottom corner up then fold right and left side corners in to enclose filling (making an envelop style shape). Press filling snuggly down in using your fingertips then snuggly roll and wrap egg roll. Repeat with remaining wraps and filling.

* To fry egg rolls: fry egg rolls in batches, 5 at a time, until golden brown, turning once halfway through. It should take about 2 - 3 minutes total. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

* To bake egg rolls: place egg rolls on prepared baking sheet, brush both sides of egg rolls with 1 1/2 Tbsp oil total. Bake in preheated oven 11 minutes or until golden brown, turn and continue to bake until golden brown and crisp, about 7 - 9 minutes longer.

* Let egg rolls cool slightly (they'll be very hot for the first few minutes) then serve warm with sweet and sour sauce.