Chicken & Vegetable Egg Rolls with dipping sauce recipe for Year of the Goat, Chinese New Year Feb 19th 2015

Getting  "a head start" for the Chinese New Year and also a great way to make pancakes/Spring Rolls from scratch without buying the wrappers, so you control the ingredients and can make them wholewheat!


This  recipe makes 12, very healthy filled, rolls.

The whole process takes 2 days but the results are fantastic

Filling
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced carrot
 2 stalks celery chopped
1 cup shredded cabbage
2-3 minced scallions (optional)

1 inch fresh ginger root chopped
2 cloves garlic

2tbsp soy sauce
1 cup cooked, chopped chicken (or ham, beef, white fish, salmon, 1 cup crumbled tempeh)

2 tbsp cilantro or parsley (optional) 
2tsp oil

Heat the oil in a skillet and saute the vegetables  for 3 mins, covered, (sweat).
Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Process with the cooked chicken,ginger root, cilantro  and raw garlic until fine.
Empty into a bowl
Add soy sauce and set aside/refrigerate.

Pancakes
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups wholewheat flour
1 tsp salt

wooden toothpicks

peanut or grape seed oil for frying

Beat the eggs until light and fluffy.
Add the water and beat for until foamy, then add the flour and salt and continue to beat  slowly until smooth batter is formed.

Allow this to rest for 1 hour.

Heat 8 inch skillets until smoking hot, adding 1 tsp peanut oil and 1/4 cup batter for each pancake .
Swirl around to make a smooth pancake and cook, until the top appears dry, remove to a cloth towel and allow to cool, stack between cotton towels, don't use paper as they stick.
And only cook one side of pancake.

When ready to fill.
Add 1/4 cup filling just off center on the cooked side of the pancake and fold short end over the filling. tuck in the sides, then roll up jelly roll fashion.
Secure the seam with wooden toothpicks and set in a shallow dish.
When all filled, cover and chill overnight.

next day cooking.

heat 2 inch oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven.
place 2-3 rolls in smoking hot oil and cook each side until golden.
Remove and drain on wire rack or paper towels.
These are very crisp rolls.
Keep rolls hot in oven  300f and when ready to serve, remove toothpicks an serve with a dipping sauce and or lemon-orange wedges



Dipping sauce

1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup plum jam or orange marmalade
2tsp soy sauce
1 tsp hot sauce( optional)
2tsp toasted sesame oil
whisk together well and store in sealed jar, shake well before serving.