Our hot lunch wagon presents a hot lunch you can take to work or school. Our recipes are quick, easy and less than 30 minutes to cook. Cook our recipes the night before, refrigerate and reheat the next day. Or, on the other hand, you can cook our meals and freeze them for next week’s lunch. Our special today is Baby Egg Rolls
HOT LUNCH WAGON: Baby Egg Rolls
You can find egg roll wrappers (and wonton wrappers) in the produce section of your supermarket, along with the tofu.
¼ cup minced scallions (green and white parts)
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup diced carrots
½ cup bean sprouts or diced celery
¼ cup chicken broth
½ cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
4 ounces soft or firm tofu
10 egg roll wrappers, each cut in half diagonally, or 20 wonton wrappers
- In a wok or skillet, saute’ the scallions and ginger in 2 tablespoons of the oil over low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or until the scallions are translucent and wilted.
- Add the carrots and bean sprouts or celery and pan fry over high heat for 2 minutes. Add the spinach, broth, soy sauce, and sugar; cook to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring intermittently, until the vegetables are tender. Cool for at least 15 minutes. Place the mixture in a food processor along with the tofu and grind to the desired texture.
- Stuff and roll the egg roll wrappers according to the diagram, using 1 tablespoon of stuffing for each roll. Pour the remaining 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil into a skillet and panfry the egg rolls over the slightly high heat until browned on all sides, using tongs to turn them. Pack them warm for lunch.
VARIATIONS: Substitute any kind of fresh or frozen vegetables for this recipe- simply make sure the volume adds up to the same as called for here. The craftiest thing to do is to use the vegetables your child won’t touch ordinarily.
Leftovers
Another extremely simple way to make egg roll stuffing is to use leftover Chinese food, either vegetables or a meat and vegetable combination. Grind it in the food processor with or without some tofu, and follow the stuffing and sautéing instuctions.
COOKING AHEAD OF TIME: You can make the stuffing up to 2 days ahead, and fill and panfry the egg rolls as you need them.
You can carry your hot lunch in a heated lunch tote.
HOT LUNCH CHEF