How To Fold Egg Rolls That Are Better Than Takeout

When it comes to Chinese food, there's one staple side you're sure to find on your local takeout menu: the egg roll. This dish consists of crunchy wheat-based wrappers fried to a golden crisp and jam-packed with tasty fillings including cabbage, seasoning, and usually pork.

If you want to make egg rolls at home, you have to master folding them — and that can be tricky. Folding these treats correctly is key, because if you don't, the filling can wind up spilling out as they cook. This can lead to meat and veggies awkwardly cooked on the outside of the roll, as well as a mess to clean up later — not to mention the fact that they just don't look as pretty.

Want to avoid these pitfalls and make egg rolls that look good enough to make your local Chinese restaurant owner proud? Then you need to know which corners to fold at what point in the rolling process. At the same time, you need to make sure you maintain the right amount of tightness to keep the ingredients from spilling out as you go. It's a little complicated, but we're here to explain it all.

To get started with folding your egg rolls, turn your egg roll wrapper so that the bottom corner is facing you, like a diamond. Make sure that you're working on a flat surface as well, as this will make your job easier and help you pack the filling in tightly. From here, it's time to pile on the filling. Place a scoop of filling on the third of the egg roll wrapper that's closest to you, just slightly below the two outer corners of the diamond.

With these steps out of the way, it's time to get down to the actual rolling. To start, fold the point of the diamond closest to you over the filling. Use the wrapper to tighten the filling in place and press down with your finger to seal the dough in place.

Next, fold the two points of the diamond pointing outward into the middle, once again tightening them against the filling. From here, you're going to want to make a bit of egg wash and brush it over the roll. The egg wash will help seal the dough in place and prevent your mixture from leaking out. To finish, simply roll the egg roll upwards towards the top tip of the diamond. You can brush more egg wash on the pastry if needed to help seal it. Make sure to roll it tightly. Voilá! You now have perfectly shaped egg rolls.

There are a couple of other tips to keep in mind as you fold the perfect egg roll. For one thing, you should know that that egg wash is going to be your best friend. Because you'll be folding the snacks tightly to keep the filling packed in, rips and tears can sometimes happen. Don't panic! To fix these, use the corner of another wrapper and a dab of egg wash to patch the holes so you can keep rolling.

Another thing to note is that the consistency of your pastry is key. Perfecting it will ultimately help prevent the aforementioned rips and tears as you work. To ensure your dough is easy to roll and work with without cracking or breaking, make sure that the pastry is moist. Folding the wrappers one by one and leaving the ones you're not working with covered can help prevent them from drying out.

Finally, it pays to note that once these snacks are rolled, you're best off frying them fairly soon. Otherwise, the filling can cause the dough to become too moist, leading to soggy egg rolls. With all those tips in mind, you're ready to get in the kitchen and start putting the perfect homemade twist on your favorite takeout side.