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Last week spring rolls, this week egg rolls. I have yet to see ready-made, gluten-free egg roll wrappers but I found a great substitute! Rudi’s Gluten-Free Plain Tortillas. They have a nice neutral flavor and they fry up nice and crispy. And a bonus? They have 5 grams of fiber in one tortilla and a good portion of the flour in them is whole grain.
I have provided a recipe for a dipping sauce that resembles Chinese restaurant duck sauce but you can use gluten-free hoisin sauce or any prepared gluten-free Asian sauce.
Ingredients
8 Rudi’s Gluten-Free Plain Tortillas
toothpicks
1 egg, beaten
vegetable oil for frying-I use safflower or canola
Filling
1/2 lb ground meat, pork, turkey, beef or any combination, I use 1/2 turkey, 1/2 pork
2 cloves garlic, grated on a microplane
1/4 cup finely diced red bell pepper
2 Tbsp finely chopped green onion
1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger, use a microplane to grate
2 Tbsp coconut or brown sugar or 1 1/2 Tbsp agave
1 Tbsp wheat free tamari or soy sauce
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 cup finely shredded Napa cabbage
Dipping Sauce
1/4 c peach or apricot jam
1 Tbsp rice vinegar (you can substitute any other vinegar if you don’t have rice)
2 tsps coconut aminos or 1 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp mustard powder
1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
2 pinches salt
Pre-heat the oven to 250°
Line a baking sheet with paper towels and fit with a wire rack.
Whisk all the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.
Place all the filling ingredients, except the cabbage, in a mixing bowl and mix with a fork or even better with your fingers.
Heat a non-stick skillet over high heat. Add the meat mixture and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spatula. Once it is almost fully cooked and broken into small pieces add the shredded cabbage. Cook for another 2 minutes, until the cabbage is softened.
Remove the pan from the heat. Blot some of the excess moisture from the bottom of the pan with a paper towel. Too much moisture in the egg roll will make it soggy.
Dampen 2 paper towels and squeeze out any excess water. Place the stack of 8 tortillas in between the paper towels and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds. Leave them wrapped in the paper towels. This will make them pliable for rolling.
Take out one tortilla and place about 1/4 cup of filling about 1/3 of the way from the top.
Roll it halfway down, then fold the sides in towards the middle and roll the rest of the way. Brush a little egg on the inner flap to help seal, then poke a toothpick through the roll. Set it aside and form the rest of the rolls.
Heat 1/4 inch of oil in a heavy sauce pan or skillet. I like to use a large, 9″ sauce pan as it means less oil splattering all over the cook top and counter.
Use a pair of tongs to place a roll into the oil seam side down and hold onto it for a few seconds until it sets closed. I cooked 3 at a time so as not to crowd the pan and cool down the oil too much. When the bottom is golden brown use the tongs to roll. Cook until it is evenly browned all the way around. Drain on the wire rack and keep warm in the oven while cooking the remaining rolls.
About Chef Janet:
When food allergies led me to become gluten-free more than 10 years ago, I was faced with limited and sometimes unappetizing gluten-free options. More recently, the number of gluten-free products has expanded to the point of confusion! If you live gluten-free, you have probably experienced the same reality. I was inspired to become a chef, and studied Culinary Arts at Le Cordon Bleu College. I apply my culinary knowledge to creating gluten-free dishes that rival your all your favorites and will satisfy even the fussiest eaters.
I’m a Certified Culinarian with the American Culinary Federation and am ServSafe® Certified with the National Restaurant Association. I have a Master’s Degree in Education from UCLA and more than 20 years as a teacher and trainer. I combine my skills as a teacher and chef to design customized gluten-free recipes and menus and then teach you to prepare them for your family and friends.
Visit Chef Janet’s Facebook page and website!
