Egg Rolls with Shrimp and Pork
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INGREDIENTS THE FILLING
½ pound fresh bean sprouts
½ pound raw shrimp in their tails
3 tablespoons oil
½ pound lean boneless pork, finely ground
4 cups finely chopped celery
2 to 3 medium fresh mushrooms, cut into ¼-inch slices (about ½ cup)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine, or pale dry sherry
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons cold chicken stock, fresh or canned,
or cold water16 ready-made egg roll wrappers (or homemade if you prefer)
PREPARE AHEAD
Rinse the fresh bean sprouts in a pot of cold water and discard any husks that float to the surface. Drain and pat them dry with paper towels.
Shell the shrimp. With a small, sharp knife, devein them by making a shallow incision down their backs and lifting out the black or white intestinal vein with the point of the knife. Using a cleaver or large knife, cut the shrimp into fine dice.
TO MAKE THE FILLING
Set a 12-inch wok or 10-inch skillet over high heat for 30 seconds. Pour in 1 tablespoon of oil, swirl it around in the pan and heat for another 30 seconds, turning the heat down to moderate if the oil begins to smoke. Add the pork and stir-fry for 2 minutes, or until it loses its reddish color. Then add the wine, soy sauce, sugar, shrimp and mushrooms, and stir-fry for another minute, or until the shrimp turn pink. Transfer the entire contents of the pan to a bowl and set aside.
Pour the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil into the same wok or skillet, swirl it about in the pan and heat for 30 seconds, turning the heat down to moderate if it begins to smoke. Add the celery and stir-fry for 5 minutes, then add the salt and bean sprouts, and mix thoroughly together. Return the pork and shrimp mixture to the pan, and stir until all the ingredients are well combined. Cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until the liquid starts to boil.
There should be about 2 or 3 tablespoons of liquid remaining in the pan. If there is more, spoon it out and discard it. Give the cornstarch mixture a quick stir to recombine it, and add it, stirring until the cooking liquids have thickened slightly and coated the mixture with a light glaze. Transfer the entire contents of the pan to a bowl and let cool to room temperature before using.
TO ASSEMBLE
For each egg roll, shape about ¼ cup of filling with your hands into a cylinder about 4 inches long and 1 inch in diameter, and place it diagonally across the center of the wrapper. Lift the lower triangular flap over the filling and tuck the point under it, leaving the upper point of the wrapper exposed. Bring each of the two small end flaps, one at a time, up to the top of the enclosed filling and press the points firmly down. Brush the upper and exposed triangle of dough with lightly beaten egg and then roll the wrapper into a neat package. The beaten egg will seal the edges and keep the wrapper intact.
Place the filled egg rolls on a plate and cover them with a dry kitchen towel. If they must wait longer than about 30 minutes before being fried, cover them with plastic wrap and place them in the refrigerator.
TO COOK
Set a 12-inch wok or heavy deep-fryer over high heat, add 3 cups of oil and heat it until a haze forms above it or it reaches a temperature of 375 degrees on a deep-frying thermometer. Place 5 or 6 egg rolls in the hot oil and deep-fry them for 3 to 4 minutes, or until they have become golden brown and are crisp. Transfer the egg rolls to a double thickness of paper towels and let the oil drain off while you deep-fry another batch of 5 or 6.
Serve the rolls as soon as possible, arranged attractively on a large heated platter. If necessary, the egg rolls can be kept warm for an hour or so in a preheated 250 degree oven, or they can be reheated for about 10 minutes in a 450 degree oven.