Lets start with the egg rolls! I have had this recipe for years and was always too nervous to try them. They sound so intimidating! This evening with the girls was a great motivator and they were delish and way easier than I expected. Here's the recipe:
Homemade Egg Rolls
1 pack of egg roll skins (got them at Safeway and saw them at Sunflower Market...ask if you can't find)
1 lb ground turkey
2 jalapeno peppers
1/2 bell pepper (I used red for the color contrast but it's up to your preference)
1/2 yellow onion
1 bunch green onion
2 cups spinach leaves
1/2 cup shredded carrots
Bean sprouts
1 tbsp Soy Sauce
1 tsp Ground ginger
Salt and pepper to taste
I once again used my Vidalia Onion Chopper for the veggies.
Brown ground turkey with all ingredients. Add soy sauce, ground ginger, salt and pepper to taste. Drain pan if needed. Add enough green onion, spinach and bean sprouts to spread throughout mixutre or to personal liking. I am not a huge fan of bean sprouts so I bought one bag from the store and ended up using about 3/4 of the bag. Look how yummy the filling is!
Follow directions on egg roll skins package to roll egg rolls. Fill each egg roll with one or two spoonfuls of mixture. Roll tightly so filling will not fall out when frying.
Heat a deep frying pan to medium/high heat with vegetable oil or use an electric fryer. If pan frying, do not over fill with oil and turn each egg roll to cook on all sides. I used a deep fryer in order to ensure that they cooked evenly. Drop a few egg rolls in at a time and cook until brown. Drain on paper towels.
And now the main dish!!! Mongolian beef is always a fave when I eat out at Chinese restaurants and I had no idea how easy it is to make at home! Once you have the ingredients, you are good to make this recipe over and over again and it has always been a crowd pleaser. I have even passed it on to my mom and dad who have made it for family. Yummy!
Mongolian Beef
2 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon ginger, ground
1 teaspoon garlic, ground
As mentioned in a previous blog, I do both the ginger and garlic on a cheese grater.
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 tbsp vegetable oil for frying
1 lb steak for stir fry or flank steak that would need to be cut up
1 bunch green onions cut into one inch strips
I marinate the meat in the marinade recipe from the Fried Rice blog.
Cook one cup of white or brown rice to serve with meat. Heat the vegetable oil for frying in a large skillet and brown meat until no pink is showing. Meat will cook through when liquid mixture is added. Drain.
To make the sauce:
Add 2 tsp oil with the ginger and garlic to a small saucepan over medium/low heat. Heat until fragrant but do not let the ginger and garlic scorch. Add the soy sauce immediately to avoid burning the garlic. Add the water and soy sauce. Dissolve brown sugar in the sauce, then raise the heat to medium and boil the sauce for 2-3 minutes or until it thickens.
Add the sauce to the meat pan and cook for a few minutes on low heat. Add the green onions and cook, covered, for another two minutes. Serve!
Once you find the courage to try Asian cooking at home, you won't be able to stop! It is so easy and so delicious.
As a side note, I was enjoying a Harry Potter marathon while making these delicious treats!
Good eatin',
Deedles
