Easy Egg Rolls — The River Fry That Made Kai’s Birthday Complete

Kai's birthday. He turned six in May, which I am writing about in late April because I had his party last weekend and the actual birthday is May 11th. He wanted a fishing birthday. He wanted to go to the river for his birthday, which I told him was the best birthday idea I had heard in six years, which is how long I have been assessing his birthday ideas. So we went. Me and Kai and Caleb and Luna, to the Arkansas River, the same landing, the same catfish water.

Kai can fish now. He is six and he can actually fish — he baited his own hook, cast without help, watched the line with the patience of a person who has been told several times that the fish choose when to bite and that waiting is the whole skill. He caught two catfish: one about a pound, one about two pounds. He pulled them in without help, which he had been working toward. He held them up and said "wado" to each fish, which I did not teach him but which is correct — you thank the thing that fed you — and he set them in the cooler and he looked at me with the look of a person who has done something that matters. He has. He is six. He will be fishing this river in thirty years and thinking about today.

Caleb taught him to clean the first fish. I watched. Caleb has good hands — steady, careful, patient with instruction. He showed Kai the knife angle, the motion, the way to not waste anything. This is Danny's teaching in Caleb's hands in Kai's hands on a riverbank in April, which is the longest chain of knowledge I have witnessed in my own family and one of the best things I have seen anywhere.

We fried catfish at home that evening. Four fish between four people. It was perfect. There was no better birthday.

We came home from the river with cooler fish and four people who had earned their supper, and the mood in that kitchen was the kind you want to stretch out as long as possible — Kai still telling the story of the two-pound fish, Caleb still steady, Luna setting the table without being asked. The catfish was the centerpiece, but we needed something alongside it that kept the oil hot and the hands busy, something everyone could pull apart and dip and eat standing at the counter while the rest of the meal came together. These easy egg rolls have become that thing for us: simple enough that Kai can help roll them, satisfying enough that they disappear before dinner is even fully plated.

Easy Egg Rolls

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Total Time: 35 min | Servings: 6 (about 12 egg rolls)

Ingredients

• 12 egg roll wrappers
• 2 cups shredded green cabbage
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1/2 cup bean sprouts
• 1/2 cup finely diced celery
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 lb ground pork (or cooked shredded chicken)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 egg, beaten (for sealing)
• Vegetable oil, for frying (about 3–4 cups)
• Sweet chili sauce or soy sauce, for serving

Instructions

1. Cook the filling. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground pork, breaking it up as it cooks, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Stir in the cabbage, carrots, bean sprouts, celery, and green onions. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are just softened, about 3–4 minutes.
2. Season. Add the soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, and black pepper. Stir well to combine. Remove from heat and let the filling cool for 5 minutes. Do not skip cooling — a hot filling will make the wrappers tear.
3. Roll. Lay an egg roll wrapper on a clean surface in a diamond orientation. Place about 3 tablespoons of filling in the lower third of the wrapper. Fold the bottom corner up over the filling, then fold in the two side corners snugly. Roll upward tightly toward the top corner. Brush the top corner with beaten egg and press to seal. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling.
4. Heat the oil. Pour 3–4 inches of vegetable oil into a heavy pot or Dutch oven. Heat over medium-high to 350°F. Use a thermometer if you have one — temperature control is what gives you a crispy shell without a greasy one.
5. Fry. Working in batches of 3–4, carefully lower egg rolls into the hot oil. Fry, turning once, until deep golden brown on all sides, about 3–4 minutes per batch. Do not crowd the pot or the oil temperature will drop.
6. Drain and serve. Transfer fried egg rolls to a wire rack set over a baking sheet, or to a plate lined with paper towels. Let rest 2 minutes before serving. Serve with sweet chili sauce or soy sauce for dipping.

Nutrition (per serving, 2 egg rolls)

Calories: 290 | Protein: 13g | Fat: 14g | Carbs: 28g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 480mg