I love Chinese food — it was always an exciting treat when we were kids, like receiving a little exotic gift from a faraway place. We’d order a variety of dishes so everyone could try small bites of different flavors. My step-grandparents kept a New Year’s Eve tradition of ordering from their favorite local Chinese restaurant, and it was always a fun way to welcome the new year. We’d laugh trying to use chopsticks and eagerly crack open the fortune cookies to see what wise or silly messages awaited.

My childhood favorites included sweet-and-sour chicken — basically chicken nuggets in a different batter with a sweet sauce, served with rice — but egg rolls were always my true love. Whether appetizer or main, I could have eaten a dozen after a long day of play. The crisp fried wrapper filled with sweet cabbage, crunchy bean sprouts, savory soy sauce, and tender pork is comforting and fun.

Recently I decided to make pork egg rolls at home. Many people worry they’re difficult, but I found them surprisingly easy and enjoyable to prepare. With a straightforward filling and a few simple rolling techniques, you can make restaurant-style egg rolls at home.

The filling comes together quickly and is packed with flavor. I included familiar favorites — savory pork, sesame, soy, garlic, and a touch of hoisin and sriracha — and it tasted fantastic. Below I show the rolling steps that made assembly effortless for me.

When filling the wrapper, only about 2 tablespoons are needed per roll. Place the filling across the center and shape it into a small log. For the initial fold I recommend folding the bottom point up, then pulling the wrapper back slightly and rolling forward to tuck a bit underneath — this keeps the roll snug and secure.

After tucking the bottom, fold the left and right corners toward the center like an envelope. Brush beaten egg on the top flap to seal, then finish rolling. The result is a neat, tightly sealed egg roll ready for frying.

Fry the rolls in hot oil (about 2–3 inches deep) at roughly 350°F. Start seam-side down, turning after about a minute, then continue turning often for even browning. Total fry time is about 4–5 minutes until a deep golden brown. Drain the cooked egg rolls standing vertically in a paper towel–lined container — this helps keep them crisp rather than soggy.

These came out beautifully — my first batch was uniform and crisp. A helpful tip: stand them up to drain so the bottoms stay crisp. They’re delicious served with a variety of dipping sauces — soy, plum, Chinese hot mustard, hoisin, sweet-and-sour, or even a warmed jam like peach or apricot for contrast.

We enjoyed these with homemade beef lo mein and made a satisfying meal from scratch without fillers, preservatives, or MSG — and at a much lower cost than takeout.

Don’t be intimidated. From a few simple ingredients I made 17 egg rolls, and you can freeze any leftovers after frying and cooling: freeze on a tray then transfer to a zipper bag for quick future meals. If you prefer, these can be made with shrimp, beef, or chicken instead of pork. If using a shredded cole slaw mix, chopping it smaller will make rolling easier. Adjust soy or salt to taste, especially if you use low-sodium soy sauce.

Hope spring brings its first blooms and a robin finds a place to stay in your yard. Let’s enjoy a great spring and summer!

Yield: 16-18 egg rolls

Take-Out Style Authentic Pork Egg Rolls

Ingredients

• 16–18 egg roll wrappers (about 5½” x 6″)
• 1/2 lb. finely diced pork loin (or ground pork)
• 2 tsp. canola oil
• 3 tsp. sesame oil, divided
• 3½–4 cups chopped cole slaw mix with carrots (or Asian blend)
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce, more to taste
• 1/2 tsp. very finely chopped or grated fresh ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, minced (about 1½ tsp.)
• 1/2 tsp. hoisin sauce
• 1/2 tsp. dark brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. sriracha sauce
• 1/4 tsp. coarse ground black pepper
• 1/4–1/2 tsp. salt, to taste
• 1/2 of a 14 oz. can bean sprouts, drained
• 2 green onions, finely snipped (about 1/8 cup)
• 1 egg, beaten with 1 tsp. water
• Oil for frying
• Dipping sauce options: soy, plum, Chinese hot mustard, hoisin, garlic-chili, sweet-and-sour, warmed jam (peach/apricot), sriracha, or jalapeño jelly

Instructions

1. Finely dice pork loin (about 1/4″), trimming any fat.
2. Brown pork in a large skillet or wok with canola oil and 1 tsp sesame oil until cooked through. Drain any excess grease. Stir in the cole slaw mix, ginger, garlic, and remaining 2 tsp sesame oil; sauté 3–5 minutes.
3. In a small bowl, mix hoisin, dark brown sugar, sriracha, black pepper, soy sauce, and salt to taste. Add to the pork mixture and combine well.
4. Fold in bean sprouts and green onions. Adjust seasoning and let the filling cool.
5. Place an egg roll wrapper so a corner points toward you, forming a diamond.
6. Place 2 tablespoons of filling across the center horizontally.
7. Fold the bottom corner up over the filling snugly, back-roll slightly, then roll forward to tuck a bit underneath to hold it tight.
8. Fold in the left and right corners toward the center.
9. Brush the top flap with beaten egg, finish rolling, and seal.
10. Repeat until all wrappers are filled (yields about 16–18; I made 17).
11. Heat 2–3 inches of oil in a large pan to about 350°F.
12. Fry a few egg rolls at a time, starting seam-side down. Turn after about 1 minute and continue turning often for even browning, frying 4–5 minutes total until deep golden brown.
13. Drain on a paper towel–lined container, standing rolls upright to prevent sogginess.
14. Serve hot with your choice of dipping sauce.

Notes

You can substitute cooked shrimp, beef, or chicken if preferred. If using a typical shredded cole slaw mix, chop it finer for easier rolling. I used regular soy sauce; if you use low-sodium soy, you may need to add more soy or salt to suit your taste.