Wontons, Spring Rolls and Fried Rice

Now that I am actually cooking more (i.e. no longer living off of boxed pasta in my good ‘ol college days), I've started making things that I've helped my parents make on multiple occasions. My dad and I used to make wontons quite often, aka every time I visited…they’re delicious. If you think this is difficult, think again. Really the only thing is that it takes a little time to assemble if you are doing it alone. I also made some fried rice - this is based on how my mom makes it. The spring rolls are a recent experiment that has turned out to be a go to staple of mine as of late.

First, you will need to find wonton wrappers. I didn’t bother looking at the ‘regular’ grocery store, I tend to not find less common things at places like Shaws or Hannaford. I went straight to Whole Foods, for the first time ever, and found them almost immediately (FYI, they live by the tofu/veg meat area). Rice spring roll wrappers are in the International aisle of grocery stores.

Pork Won Tons:

Won ton wrappers

½ lb ground pork

1 green onion, chopped (both green & white parts)

2 Tbs soy sauce

Mix all ingredients (except wrappers obviously) in a bowl and begin to form small balls. Lay out won ton wrappers, wet the sides of the wrappers with water and place a ball in the center. 

Fold over to make triangle and seal together (press out air) then wrap ends together at the center. Place in a steamer for 10-15 min (will turn somewhat translucent). 

Heat a little oil in a pan and fry wontons until slightly browned, 1-2 minutes. Pat with a paper towel to remove some excess oil. Serve with soy sauce.

Spring Rolls:

Rice spring roll wrappers

Whatever ingredients you want, here are some I’ve done:

Sliced carrot, celery and bean sprouts

Brussel sprouts, red pepper, carrot

Asparagus, bacon, scallions

Lettuce, cucumber, rice vermicelli

Sesame Ginger Sauce:

2 Tbs soy sauce

1 Tbs tomato paste

2 tsp fresh grated ginger

1 garlic clove

1 Tbs sesame seeds

If you have a mortar and pestle, grind ginger and garlic together until well incorporated or paste-like. Alternatively, this can probably be done in a small food processor or by hand. Mix in soy sauce and tomato paste. Taste test and add more of any ingredient you so desire. Add sesame seeds last.

Before you begin to assemble your spring rolls, you will need to soak the rice wrappers in warm water for 15-20 seconds. I do them separately but you may be able to do them all at once. Just be aware that they tend to curl up when you first put them in the water. The best way I have found to soften them is to use a large bowl filled up with lukewarm water, then place a rice wrapper on the surface while holding the sides down. It only takes 15-20 seconds for them to soften. Gently remove from the water, place on a plate and blot with a paper towel. You can then place your ingredients in the center and roll up! I’ve done it where I leave the veggies peeking out one side and put the sauce on top and putting the sauce on the inside and rolling it all up. I recommend the latter for ease of consumption.

Fried Rice:

2 cups cooked rice, I use brown rice

1 green onion, chopped (both green & white parts)

1 medium carrot, chopped

3/4 c frozen peas

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 Tbs sesame oil

2 Tbs soy sauce

Throw onions, carrots and peas into a skillet with some oil and sauté for several minutes on medium heat. Add egg and scramble. Turn heat down slightly and add rice, sesame oil and soy sauce. The latter two ingredients can be added to taste. Cover and let cook together for several minutes.

Everything together!

Nom away!

Koober Jr.

Eggs Benedict

Otherwise known as the greatest breakfast out there. And possibly the worst for you. But really, who cares about that?

I have to admit, I did not get on the ‘bene’ bandwagon until I moved to Portland and now I order it 9 out of 10 times I go out to brunch. SO GOOD. Clearly there comes a point when you need to learn how to make it yourself, not that my waistband particularly needs it, but my wallet does.

So here we are. Let the artery clogging ensue…

Hollandaise Sauce:

3 egg yolks

1 ½ sticks butter, melted

1-2 tsp fresh lemon juice

~1 tsp salt

1 tsp cayenne (optional)

You can choose to do this in a blender, I did it by hand as it is a little easier to control and keep track of the consistency. First, lightly beat the egg yolks before adding any of the butter. When you do start adding the butter, do so VERY SLOWLY, a couple drips at a time and whisk vigorously. Doing by hand will also ensure that you burn a few of the calories you are about to consume. Once the butter has been well incorporated, add a couple more drops, etc. After a couple minutes, you can start adding the butter a little more at a time (slow but steady stream). Once you have added about ¾ of the butter, you can start taste testing and decide whether you want to add it all or not. Add the lemon juice, salt and spices at the end. If you are not using immediately, it will set up a little upon standing. If you want it a little more runny, you can whisk in a little warm water. You should use hollandaise within a couple hours of making it.

Eggs Benedict:

The beauty of eggs bene is that you can add whatever you want to them in terms of meats, veggies, cheeses, bread, whatever your heart desires. For this one, I did bacon and spinach on an English muffin.

  

Fry up your bacon! I hope you all know how this is done. Bacon + pan + heat.

Same with the spinach. Only note here in case you haven’t cooked spinach before, it shrinks A LOT, so throw a solid amount into the pan.

Now to poach eggs, which is now my favorite way to take my eggs. Yes, because of eggs benedict (I may be slightly obsessed). Fill a pan with an inch or so of water and heat until it is lightly boiling. You do not want it at a heavy boil. Before it starts to boil, add 1-2 tsp of vinegar (I usually use rice vinegar) or you can use lemon juice. The acidity will help keep the egg whites from spreading out. Now to add the eggs – it helps if you put the eggs in a small bowl or dish (one at a time) and gently dip them into the water slowly. They will not take long to cook (matter of minutes). You can use a spoon to spoon hot water over the yolks if it looks like the tops are peeking out of the water. Once they look done (whites cooked, yolks still smooshy), take them out of the water using a strainer spoon.

Toast your English muffin and layer everything on top! Top with your hollandaise and enjoy.

Other Bene Ideas:

For healthier, but still delicious versions, don't make the hollandaise. 

Avocado with white cheddar!!

Spinach, sweet/regular potato hash browns and brie.

Nom Nom.

Koober Jr.