Homemade Egg Rolls with Sweet and Sour Sauce

I love homemade egg rolls more than the take-out version.  Maybe it is because I control the ingredients and know exactly what is in them. I also make a homemade sweet and sour sauce for dipping.    When I make egg rolls, I typically will make another dish to go with them because I already have so many ingredients out in the first place.  These go great with a fried rice or stir fry.   

I just updated this  recipe after recently preparing a baked egg roll recipe from  Amy's Cooking Adventures in the Surprise Recipe Swap. I adapted it a little based on my previous post.    I added the water chestnuts and already cooked pork. Check out the original recipe on her blog for a lovely tutorial. The recipe instructions are for baking, but you may fry them if you want.  I have included instructions for both methods.
Egg Roll Ingredients

• ¼ cup reduced sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar or red or white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• ½ tbsp ground ginger
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 1 nappa or green  cabbage, shredded; about 4 cups shredded
• 2 medium carrots, grated; about 1 cup grated
• 1 small can of water chestnuts, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced; about ½ tbsp minced
• Salt & pepper
• 1 lb cooked pork or chicken ( I used 4 leftover pork chops and shredded them in the food processor)
• 5-6 green onions, thinly sliced
• Egg roll wrappers, about 21
• 1 large egg, beaten
• Oil if frying

Sweet & Sour Sauce Ingredients

• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 2/3 cup warm water
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Egg Roll Filling Directions

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, and ground ginger.  Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat.  Add the cabbage, water chestnuts and carrots.  Season lightly with salt and pepper and cook for 3-5 minutes or until slightly tender.
3. Add the garlic, pork, and soy sauce mixture.  Cook until  the liquid is absorbed.  
4. Stir in the green onions and set aside.
5. Place 2-3 tablespoons of filling mixture slightly off center in the egg roll wrapper (click here to see a beautiful photo tutorial from Amy).  Tuck the nearest corner around the filling.  Then bring the two short corners in toward the center. 
6. Brush the remaining corner with the beaten egg.  Then roll the egg roll tightly, sealing the wrapper with the egg washed corner.  Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling.
7. At this point, the egg rolls can be frozen.  Place the egg rolls in a single layer in a freezer bag and freeze until ready to use.
8.  To bake, brush the egg rolls with the remaining beaten egg 
9. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and bake for 15 minutes (up to 20 if frozen) or until golden brown. 
10. Serve with sweet & sour sauce (recipe below)

 
For Frying 
In a skillet set over moderately high heat, heat about 1/2 cup oil and saute the egg rolls until golden brown on all sides, using tongs to turn them

Sweet & Sour Sauce

Directions

1. Place the sugar, vinegar,  soy sauce, and  ketchup in a medium saucepan, and bring to a slight boil. 
2. Meanwhile, mix water and cornstarch together to make a slurry.  
3. Add slurry to sugar mixture.
4. Stir continuously until the mixture has thickened. 
5. Serve warm or at room temperature.