Ever make your own Asian egg rolls? It’s not as hard as you think. Our contributor and vegan chef paid a visit to the Asian Pacific Market and found just the right ingredients for authentic and vegan vegetable egg rolls. Read about her experience at the market in “Enter the Asian Pacific Market.” It’s worth a trip for the cultural variety, especially if you’re a foodie looking for real-deal ingredients. Here’s a sneak peek from JL Fields’ upcoming book The Vegan Air Fryer: The Healthier Way to Enjoy Deep-Fried Flavors by JL Fields. Watch for its release in June, 2017, from Vegan Heritage Press.
Vegetable Egg Rolls
Egg rolls don’t sound very vegan, do they? Surprisingly, vegetable egg rolls at restaurants actually can be vegan, because the wrappers do not contain egg. But finding egg-free wrappers at mainstream grocery stores can be challenging. I found vegan spring and egg roll wrappers at the Asian Pacific Market.
No-Oil Option: Use vegetable broth instead of canola oil or dry-saute the vegetables.
Ingredients
1 to 2 teaspoons canola oil
1 cup shredded cabbage
1 cup grated carrots
1 cup bean sprouts
1/2 cup finely chopped mushrooms (any type)
1/2 cup sliced scallions
2 teaspoons chili paste
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
2 teaspoons potato starch
8 vegan egg roll wrappers
Instructions
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the cabbage, carrots, bean sprouts, mushrooms, scallions, chili paste and ginger. Saute for 3 minutes.
In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the soy sauce and potato starch. Pour this mixture into the skillet and combine with the vegetables.
Lay the egg roll wrappers out on a work surface. Lightly brush the edges with water. Place 1/4 cup of the filling at one end of the wrapper. Begin rolling the wrapper over the vegetables, tucking in the ends after the first roll. Repeat this process with the remaining wrappers and filling.
Transfer the egg rolls to the air fryer basket. Cook at 360°F for 6 minutes, shaking halfway through the cooking time.
Makes 8 eggrolls
From The Vegan Air Fryer: The Healthier Way to Enjoy Deep-Fried Flavors by JL Fields (June 2017, Vegan Heritage Press).
What the Heck Is Air Frying?
Air-frying is essentially convection cooking—very hot air quickly circulating around the food—that delivers a crisp cooked result with little or no oil. From homemade French fries to roasted Brussels sprouts to crunchy eggrolls, you can make traditionally fried foods oil-free and in a matter of minutes.
