I love Oriental food! And most of the stir-fry and rice dishes are fast and easy to make. But, every once in a while I like to spend some time really making something fun and special. Like egg rolls!

Easy Egg Rolls

* 1 pound ground beef, cooked and drained
* 1 package (16 ounces) coleslaw mix
* 2 tablespoons soy sauce
* 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
* Onion powder to taste
* 40 egg roll wrappers
* 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
* Vegetable oil for frying

In a small bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Place a heaping tablespoonful of beef mixture in the center of one egg roll wrapper. (Keep remaining wrappers covered with a damp paper towel until ready to use.) Fold bottom corner over filling. Fold sides toward center over filling.

In a small bowl, combine flour and enough water to make a paste. Moisten top corner with paste; roll up tightly to seal. Repeat. In an electric skillet, heat 1 in. of oil to 375°. Fry egg rolls for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown.

Will make about 40 egg rolls.

Egg Rolls

1/2 lb. lean pork, diced (or lean ground pork)
1/2 lb. peeled and deveined shrimp, diced
2 cups bean sprouts
3 tablespoons oil
8 green onions, finely chopped
1 8-ounce can water chestnuts, finely chopped
1 8-ounce can bamboo shoots, finely chopped
4 slices fresh ginger, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sherry
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 package egg roll wrappers
Oil for deep frying

Prep. Note: The filling portion of this egg roll recipe should be made ahead of time and cooled completely before assembling the egg rolls.

•Rinse the bean sprouts in a colander under cold running water and set aside to drain.

•Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok or large pot. Add pork and stir fry for about 2 minutes, until the meat loses all traces of pink. Add shrimp and stir fry for another minute. Remove from the wok.

•Pour the remaining tablespoon of oil into the wok. When hot, add the ginger root, green onions, bamboo shoots, and water chestnuts. Stir fry for 1 minute, then return the pork and shrimp to the wok.

•Add salt, soy sauce, sherry, and bean sprouts. Heat through and steam for a minute or two with the lid on, until the bean sprouts become transparent. Cool the entire mixture in a colander.

Assembling the Egg Rolls:

•When cooled, place a heaping spoonful of the pork mixture in the center of an egg roll wrapper. Pull one corner up over the filling, fold in the sides, burrito style, and roll tightly. Seal with a dab of the beaten egg. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.

•Deep fry in 3 inches of very hot oil until golden brown on both sides. (They cook very quickly.) Drain on paper towels.

•Cut each egg roll in half crosswise and arrange on a platter. Serve warm, with homemade plum sauce. (Or you can find plum sauce in the Asian section of any well-stocked market.)

Makes about 20 egg rolls, 40 hors d’oeuvres

Egg Rolls

3/4 pound bulk pork sausage
2 cups coleslaw mix
1 can (8 ounces) sliced water chestnuts, drained
1/4 cup chopped green onion
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
14 egg roll wrappers
1 egg, lightly beaten
Oil for deep-fat frying
Sweet-and-sour sauce

Directions:
In a large nonstick skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain well. Stir in the coleslaw mix, water chestnuts, onions, soy sauce, garlic powder, ginger, salt and pepper. Sauté until cabbage is crisp-tender.
Position an egg roll wrapper with one point toward you. Place about 1/4 cup sausage mixture in the center. Fold bottom corner over filling; fold sides toward center over filling. Roll toward the remaining point. Moisten top corner with beaten egg; press to seal. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling.
In an electric skillet or deep-fat fryer, heat oil to 375°. Fry egg rolls, a few at a time, for 1-2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve with sweet-and-sour sauce. Yield: 14 egg rolls.

CHINESE EGG ROLLS

1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup water
2 mashed garlic cloves
juice from 1/4 lemon
1 quartered roasting chicken
2 lb lean pork tenderloin
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 finely sliced celery stalk
1 small head cabbage finely diced
3 large onions, finely diced
1 pkg (8-oz) finely diced fresh mushrooms
soy sauce to taste
salt and pepper
1 lb bean sprouts thoroughly cleaned
egg roll wrappers
1 lightly beaten egg white
vegetable oil for frying

Dipping Sauce:

1/2 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 teaspoon brown sugar

Mix together, soy sauce, water, garlic and lemon juice. Add the chicken and pork. Cover tightly and marinate overnight.
Roast the chicken and the pork together in a 350 degree oven until done. The chicken should be cooked in about 1 hour. The pork takes about an hour and a half.

When cool, cut into matchstick pieces and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a wok, or deep sided frying pan, heat the oil on medium heat. Stir in the celery, cabbage, onions and mushrooms. Stir fry until celery and onions are tender. Add chicken and pork.

Stir until heated through.

Add soy sauce, salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and stir in the bean sprouts.

When working with egg roll wrappers, be sure to cover them with a damp cloth to prevent them from drying out.

To fill each roll, mound about 2 heaping tablespoons of filling just below the center of the egg roll.

Fold bottom corner up over filling to cover, then fold in the two outside corners.

Roll closed, sealing shut with a bit of egg white.

Put oil in a wok or large pan to a depth of about 2 inches – deep enough to cover the egg rolls.

Over medium-high heat, warm the oil and carefully add the egg rolls, one at a time. Deep fry about 2-3 minutes, until golden brown on both sides, turning once.

May be kept warm in 200 degree oven until serving time.

Serve with dipping sauce.

DIPPING SAUCE: Combine soy sauce, mustard, garlic powder, vinegar and brown sugar.