We like to dismantle our food here at Skillet. This includes taking pigs from blankets AND deconstruct the cheese balls. In the spirit of deconstruction, I took the wrap apart. It turns out that separating the filling from the shell is an excellent way to get the flavors and textures of this appetizer without any rolling skills or the hassle of a deep fryer. Put down the takeout menu. This tantalizing egg and gravy roll can be yours in just 15 minutes.
I have an embarrassing chef confession to make. Not always set up before cooking at home. But I did it today, and you should too. Once the pan has heated up, the ingredients go one after the other and the prawn stuffing is done in a flash. Coarsely chop some raw shrimp into small pieces, about the size of edamame or lima beans. Put the minced prawns in a bowl with the soy sauce to marinate for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, brush a little vegetable oil on both sides of two or three egg rolls. Cut each of the wrappers into 8 rectangles. I cut the center lengthwise and then widthwise into four equal strips. Arrange them in a single layer in the air fryer set to 300°F on the “air fry” setting. Let them cook for 5-8 minutes. Check occasionally after the 5 minute mark to see if you like the color. These will be your fries.
Finely slice a stalk of celery and prepare a mixture of chopped cabbage and carrot. I used a couple cups of plain coleslaw mix. To make the “sauce,” add the oil to a large skillet, wok, or shallow pot over high heat. Add the shrimp with the marinade and swirl the pan quickly to get the shrimp going. Add the celery, cabbage and carrot mixture, followed by the sesame oil, salt, sugar and white pepper. Quickly mix and stir the ingredients until the shrimp are cooked through and the vegetables are just softening. Remove from heat and let cool slightly before serving.
Serve the shrimp and cabbage mixture in a bowl with the chips and a small bowl of sweet chilli sauce, or you can finally use those bags of duck sauce you’ve been “saving” in the fridge. My perfect bite includes some chili sauce on the patty with a mound of shrimp filling on top. The filling is salty and flavorful, with a slight build-up heat from the white pepper. The chips, however, are a real hero underdog. They get incredibly crispy in the air fryer, in a way they can’t be wrapped around veggies that release tons of steam as they cook.
This recipe uses shrimp, but you can use other ground beef, tofu, or mushrooms. If you decide to use meat, cook it first to make sure it’s cooked through. Vegetables cook in no time and you don’t want to risk undercooking the meat. (For more chips and salsa, try deconstructed empanadas.)
Deconstructed Egg Roll Chips and Salsa
Ingredients:
8 large raw shrimp, roughly chopped 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 teaspoon vegetable oil 2 cups mixed cabbage and carrot coleslaw 1 celery stalk, finely sliced ¼ teaspoon sesame oil ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon sugar ⅛ teaspoon white pepper 2 or 3 egg rolls Oil for brushing Sweet chili sauce (optional)
Marinate the minced prawns in a small bowl with the soy sauce for about 10 minutes.
Brush a thin layer of vegetable oil on both sides of each egg roll wrapper. Cut the wraps into potato chip-sized rectangles and air fry them for 5 to 8 minutes at 300°F on the “air fry” setting.
Heat a teaspoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet, wok, or skillet over high heat. Add the prawns with the marinade. Shake the pan quickly to sauté the shrimp. Add the cabbage and carrot mix, celery, sesame oil, salt, sugar and white pepper. Shake and mix the ingredients until the shrimp are cooked through and the vegetables begin to soften, about one to three minutes. Remove the mixture from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes before serving. Serve the shrimp and cabbage in a bowl along with the sweet chili sauce and fries.
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