Vegetable and Pork Egg Rolls

It seems to be an Asian inspired few weeks for me and today I looked at the meat and poultry I had purchased from http://www.hopcottmeats.ca ,my terrific local fresh butcher, and I had a pound of ground pork. Besides making wonderfully moist patties for the barbecue or meat loaf or added to spaghetti sauce, ground pork lends itself so well to Asian dishes. I had a package of egg roll wrappers in the fridge and was able to round up the other ingredients. I am reminded it makes sense to plan menus for the week and always have a well stocked kitchen.

Chinese Egg Rolls (Pork)
Ingredients:
1 lb ground pork or chicken or very fine strips of meat
2 cloves minced garlic
2 T minced ginger
2T soya sauce
2T sugar
2T rice wine vinegar or sherry
3T green onion chopped
2 tsp cornstarch
5-6 cups shredded cabbage and carrots (small bag of coleslaw mix substitute)
3 cups bean sprouts
1/2 cup chopped water chestnuts
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp black pepper
dash 5 spice powder
dash sesame oil
add soya to moisten if too dry
salt to taste after adding soya sauce
egg roll wrappers
small bowl with water and dash cornstarch (or use egg and water wash to moisten edge of egg roll before frying)
veg oil for frying

Fry ground meat with garlic and ginger until no longer pink. Add next 5 ingredients. Mix well.
Steam-fry shredded veg until wilted. Add sprouts and chestnuts. Add next 4 ingredients.
Mix meat and veg mixtures together.
Add soya sauce if mixture is too dry. Mine was fine at this point and I didn't want it to be too wet and weep through the wrappers. I abhor splattering oil in my kitchen!
On a clean surface put 1 wrapper with a point facing you. Put about 1/3 cup filling on the bottom 1/3 of the wrapper and fold away from you, wrapping one side in and then the other. It should look like an open envelope now. Before making the final turn moisten the edges with the water or egg mix and lay it folded edge down and proceed to make as many rolls as you will be using right away. If you make them all up, you can freeze them and deep fry later.
I made 6 which gave us 3 each and that was very filling!
Fry in about 1 inch of veg oil at 350 degrees until brown on 1 side, turn and repeat. Drain on paper towels.
Serve with plum or sweet and sour sauce or honey mustard or rice wine and ginger threads.
I made a quick sweet and sour sauce with 1/4 c ketchup, 1/4 c soya sauce, 1/4 c rice wine, 1/4 c sugar and 1/4 c pineapple juice mixed with 1 T cornstarch and 1/4 c water to thin. Heat until thickened and thin if necessary with water.

Ground Pork, Ginger and Garlic

Veg, Sprouts, Water Chestnuts, Pork Mix, Spices

Egg Roll Wrapper facing you

Filling on bottom 1/3 of wrapper

Final roll, brush with water or egg mixture and lay facing down

Ready to Fry

Sweet and Sour Sauce

Hot and Tasty!

Snow Day February...need hot food!

I'm a little old for school but love the 'snow day' idea. However, as the snowdrops and crocus come into bloom I am less than enthusiastic about the white coating covering everything outside. The chickens are eyeballing the heavens with dislike as well. They hide under the bamboo and dash for the warm water bucket occasionally. It's bitterly cold outside as I dig for small clumps of grass to feed the girls.

I'm thankful I cooked up a big pot of spaghetti sauce last night. Not my usual sauce loaded with cumin and cinnamon but my brother-in-laws sauce with pork and beef cubed and simmered for 6 hours in tomatoes, spiced with oregano, garlic, onion and bay leaves. I tossed in chili flakes and basil with some fresh parsley. If I added beans it could be served over rice but I will likely serve with pasta and garlic bread. Oh wait, I have garlic naan so will use that. How international! Smells wonderful as I enter the house after being in the frigid cold yard. Actually, once inside again, I can appreciate how lovely falling snow really is.

Pakoras.......finally! and Ribs too.

Just when I thought we would never get together to make pakoras, we found a break in the action this past Saturday morning. Although I am not used to eating spicy deep fried appetizers for breakfast, I could hardly wait to bite into the little darlings. It has been sooooooo long since my wonderful friend and I donned aprons and prepared to feast! This recipe came over from England by way of India with my friend and her family in the 70's, where she knew pakoras as philoories, and that is what I'm sticking with!

Pakoras (don't mess with me, Philoories!)
heat about 6 inches veg oil in a med saucepan over med-high heat
Chop fairly fine:
1 onion, 3 slices fresh ginger, 3 cloves garlic, 1 chili pepper (we used 3 small thin red chili peppers, my friend is a fire blower, lol) and add
a few small florets of cauliflower, chopped celery and red pepper
3 c Dhall flour ( we used Chana flour)
1 tsp turmeric, cumin, salt, red chili powder
1 beaten egg and 1 small container plain yogurt
Mix all together and add enough water to make a med thick batter about 1/2 cup (see picture)
Drop batter by large tablespoons into hot oil about 4 at a time.
Cook until golden, about 5 minutes, drain on paper towels.

We gobbled several right away. 
Rated: Five fiery stars, not really too hot, just bursting with spice and flavor. 
Thank you, thank you, thank you, friend! 
Now I know why I was driving you crazy all these years to make these again. (hugs)

It was a rainy day and I was wanting to get in the garden but seems like Spring is fading away in a puddle! But just when I was feeling sorry for myself we spotted a mother deer at the back of the house and there was a little Bambi scampering ( I exaggerate, barely able to stand Bambi baby) beside her mother. Then I lost sight of Bambi. I went outside with my camera and the little sweetie was lying very very still with her nose under a log. My first thought was that the log had rolled on her. (gasp) I went over, mother watching me cautiously. I snapped a picture, picked up a stick and gently stroked her back and she let out a huge breath. I left but was upset, worried that she was hurt. Let nature take her course, calm down, wait. About an hour later, I ventured down the hill and she was gone. Whew!

In the evening instead of heading to barbeque, it was just too wet and windy. I decided to do the ribs in the house my old way, a very good old way. This sauce is wonderful, rich and works on country style ribs as well.
Ribs- Oven Baked
set oven to 250 degrees and bake 3 hours in shallow roasting pan, uncovered
2-3 lbs pork spareribs
1/2 c dark brown sugar packed
1/2 c ketchup
1/2 c white vinegar
2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
2 tsp chili powder ( 1 regular and 1 ancho for some heat!)
1/4 c water
Mix sauce ingredients together and pour over ribs which you can cut in serving chunks.
My husband likes his ribs with rice and baked beans and I prefer a fully loaded baked potato and salad.

 It was a satisfying weekend!