Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Thai Spring Rolls and Sweet Chili Sauce

This is the ultimate hands-on food. I haven't met anyone who doesn't like this recipe from my friend Wendy J. When I make it, I like to prep it in the morning and then put the filling in the fridge. The girls and I roll them just before dinner and fry them up. We like to eat the sauce hot, so I make it while the rolls are frying.

You will need:
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Carrots
Green Onions
2 Chicken Breasts, cooked and chopped (I like mine marinated in soy or teriyaki)
Cabbage or prepared Mung Bean thread for the adventurous
3 eggs, scrambled
Garlic, Soy Sauce to season
1-2 pkgs of Egg Roll Wrappers (usually found in the produce section)

For the Sauce:
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/4 Sweet Chili Sauce

First, get out your largest skillet. Heat to medium and pour 1/2 - 1 cup water in the bottom. Chop all the vegetables. I like to use my Food Chopper from Pampered Chef. Add cauliflower and broccoli:

Add carrots:

Add green onion and chicken breasts:

Stir it up, put the lid on. If you are using cabbage, it makes a nice flavor - add it now. I usually add either mung beand thread or cabbage, but not both. It just makes too much filling. Cook until veggies are steamed. Add soy sauce till you get a flavor you like. Scramble up your eggs and throw them in at the end. Now you can put your filling in the fridge or start rolling.

Place about 1/4 cup of filling on the upper part of the roll:

Pull the bottom of the wrapper up and tuck under the filling:

Fold the sides up like a present (see how the bottom edges line up?):

Moisten the top edge with water:

Roll up tightly and seal (repeat about 20 times per pkg):

Heat your oil. Cook about 1-2 minutes per side. Keep a close eye on it. They should be nice and golden brown.

Or else, you'll have burnt offerings:

Combine all the ingredients for the sauce and boil:

It will be quite thin, you can add corn starch. We like to put the sauce in little bowls on each person's plate. Usually we pour the sauce over the eggroll. Bite, pour, bite, pour - like that. It's just not the same if you use a knife and fork; to really enjoy this meal, you need to use your hands. It's like the Thai version of pizza.