Hawaiian Egg Rolls

Work has been good. Q4 is always strong and this year is no exception — restaurants gearing up for the holidays, equipment orders coming in, my phone ringing with consultations. Debra told me I'm on pace to close out the year as the top regional seller, which hasn't happened in six years. I said, "Grandfatherhood is good for productivity." She said, "Bobby, you're productive because you're good at your job." She's right, but I'm also telling you: the energy of a new grandchild is a real thing. I walk into consultations with a spring in my step that wasn't there three months ago.

Lily asked me to meet for coffee on Saturday. Not at my house, not at her place — at a coffee shop in Montrose, near the Westheimer space she and James have been eyeing. She was nervous, which Lily doesn't do. She ordered her coffee, I ordered mine (Vietnamese iced, always), and she said, "Dad, James and I want to ask you something." I said, "Okay." She said, "We need an investor." I said, "I know." She said, "We want it to be you."

I'd been expecting this for months. The answer was already formed in my head. But I let the moment sit for a second, because this was important and important things shouldn't be rushed. I said, "How much?" She said, "Forty thousand." I did the math. That was roughly my entire savings minus a safety margin. It was everything I'd built over thirty years of selling restaurant equipment. It was irresponsible. It was crazy.

I said, "Let me think about it." She said, "Okay." But I could see in her eyes that she'd expected me to say yes on the spot, and the "let me think about it" had landed like a punch. I didn't mean it to. I meant it as respect — respect for the money, respect for the risk, respect for the fact that this decision would change both our lives. I will say yes. I know I will say yes. But I want to sit with it first, the way I sit with a brisket in the cooler before I slice it. The resting period matters.

Went home and cooked a simple dinner: fried rice with leftover brisket, scallions, and a fried egg. The simplest food for the most complicated decision. I sat at the kitchen table and ate and thought about forty thousand dollars and a restaurant on Westheimer and my daughter's dream and the fact that dreams have a price and the price is always more than money.

That night, standing at the stove with forty thousand dollars sitting in my head, I needed food that didn’t ask anything of me — something familiar, satisfying, and done in under thirty minutes. I’d been rolling this recipe for years: leftover pork, a little sweetness from pineapple, cabbage for crunch, wrapped up tight and fried until golden. Hawaiian egg rolls. You eat them with your hands, which is exactly what a man needs when he’s thinking about the biggest check he’s ever written. The resting period matters — for brisket and for decisions both — but good food keeps you company while you wait.

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Total Time: 35 min | Servings: 4 (makes 12 egg rolls)

Ingredients

12 egg roll wrappers
1 1/2 cups pulled pork (or chopped leftover brisket), warmed
3/4 cup crushed pineapple, well drained
1 1/2 cups coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrot)
3 scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 egg, beaten (for sealing)
Vegetable oil, for frying (about 2 inches deep)
Sweet chili sauce or teriyaki glaze, for serving

Instructions

Make the filling. In a large bowl, combine the pulled pork, drained pineapple, coleslaw mix, scallions, teriyaki sauce, sesame oil, garlic powder, and black pepper. Toss well to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Roll the egg rolls. Lay one egg roll wrapper on a clean surface in a diamond orientation. Place about 3 tablespoons of filling across the center. Fold the bottom corner up over the filling, fold in the two side corners, then roll tightly toward the top corner. Brush the top corner with beaten egg to seal. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling.
Heat the oil. Pour vegetable oil into a heavy-bottomed pot or deep skillet to a depth of about 2 inches. Heat over medium-high until it reaches 350°F. If you don’t have a thermometer, drop a small piece of wrapper into the oil — it should sizzle immediately and float.
Fry in batches. Working in batches of 3—4, carefully lower egg rolls into the hot oil seam-side down. Fry for 3—4 minutes, turning once, until deep golden brown and crispy on all sides. Do not crowd the pot.
Drain and rest. Remove with a slotted spoon or spider and transfer to a wire rack or paper-towel-lined plate. Let rest 2—3 minutes before serving.
Serve. Arrange on a platter and serve hot with sweet chili sauce or teriyaki glaze alongside for dipping.

Nutrition (per serving, 3 egg rolls)

Hawaiian Egg Rolls — Simple Food for a Heavy Decision