You may have had gluten-wrapped egg rolls in restaurants before beginning a gluten-free diet. Not only can you have traditional gluten-free egg rolls, but you can have an even crispier, open-faced version. They thoroughly satisfy the need for crunch. The meat sauce turns people into ginger-lovers.
Note: This is another recipe from my upcoming cookbook, Carla’s Best 125 Gluten-Free Recipes.
If you don't mind eating tostada-style, you'll love these open-faced gluten free egg rolls. They are so crunchy, you can hear the shells break with every bite.
Ingredients:
- 4 x 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons gluten-free hoisin sauce (Dynasty)
- 1-1/2 teaspoons potato starch
- 2-1/2 teaspoons water
- 2 teaspoons gluten-free soy sauce - Kikkoman (or Tamari Sauce - San-J), or to taste
- 1 cup sparkling water, divided
- 1 large cold egg yolk
- 1/2 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup white or brown rice flour
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 cups neutral-flavored oil
- 4 round Three Ladies gluten-free rice papers
- 1-1/2 cups cooked rice (optional)
- 1-1/2 cups very thinly sliced or shredded napa cabbage or iceberg lettuce
- 1/2 carrot, shredded
- Gluten-free sweet chili sauce, store-bought or homemade, mild version, for garnish (optional)
Instructions:
- Add ginger and water to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Remove ginger and discard. Add brown sugar and hoisin sauce. Stir and simmer until sugar melts.
- Make a slurry by whisking together potato starch, water, and soy sauce. Increase the heat of ginger sauce to medium-high and bring to a boil. Whisk the slurry into the sauce and stir until thick. Remove from heat; set aside.
- Whisk together only 3/4 cup sparkling water, egg yolk, sugar, and salt. Stir in flour until smooth. Pour into a shallow plate. Set aside for 15 minutes.
- Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and drain off any excess fat. Pour in the sauce, stir, and set aside.
- Preheat oil in a deep pot over medium-high heat to 360°F. (You want a pot deep enough to prevent oil from splattering over your stove. A Dutch oven works well.) Lower heat to medium once the temperature is reached.
- Stir the batter. Thin with additional sparkling water, as needed. (You want it to be as thin as crepe batter. You should be able to swirl it around the plate or a frying pan.)
- Dip each side of one of the dry rice papers in the batter. Immediately add it to the hot oil. Fry on each side for about 1-1/2 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove from oil. Allow excess oil to drip back into the pan. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Add a shell to each serving plate. Top with a bit of rice, if using. Add some of the beef mixture. Top with shredded cabbage and carrots. Garnish with sweet chili sauce, if desired.
Tips
If you enjoy super-sweet chili sauce, make the homemade recipe. If you prefer heat, use a store-bought brand. I enjoy mixing in a little store-bought with the homemade.
If you cannot afford that much fresh ginger, use 4 teaspoons ground/powdered ginger and add it directly to the cooked beef with water, brown sugar, and hoisin sauce. Bring it to a boil and allow it to simmer for until thick. Do not use the potato starch and water mixture.