The First Barking at the Moon Original Recipe

It was bound to happen. I couldn't get an original knitting design up and going, but I finally have something original to eat.

Unchicken Eggless Rolls

Eggless Roll Wrapper
2 c unbleached white flour
1 cup warm water
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda


Filling
2 ribs of celery, chopped
2" piece of ginger, finely grated
1 shallot bulb, chopped (about 1/3- 1/2 c. OK to substitute onion)
1 baby bok choy, chopped
1 cup of shitake mushrooms, sliced, stems removed
1/4 head, small green cabbed, chopped
1 carrot, matchstick cut
1 cup of sliced unchicken of your choice (this time I used Trader Joe's Chickenless strips)
2 tbs peanut oil (or other high heat oil)
1-2 tbs. soy sauce
toasted sesame oil
2 tsp rice vinegar
mirin (optional)
Hoisin sauce


Wrappers: First make the wrappers. Sift the flour, salt and baking soda into a bowl. Add the water and knead in the bowl for about 5 minutes. It will get exceedingly sticky. Place a damp towel over the bowl and wait for 10 minutes. This is a good time to prep your veggies if you haven't already.


After 10 minutes or so, cut your dough in half with a knife. Put one half back in the bowel with the towel. Take a large tablespoon size of dough and using a rolling pin, roll out on a very well floured board. Keep extra flour on hand to sprinkle on dough as it is very ornery and likes to stick to the pin. Roll out, not too thin, or the mixture will soak through and break the dough. The thickness is art, not science; I'm still experimenting with the correct size. You can roll out to a 5" square or circle. I'm pretty miserable at this part - but manage to make it work, regardless. Sprinkle some flour and stack them on a piece of waxed paper.

Filling: In a wok or large cast iron pan, heat the peanut oil until a drop of water makes it pop. Add the shallots, celery and carrots and ginger. Stir over high heat for approximately 5-7 minutes. Then add mushrooms, cabbage, and bok choy and continue stirring. At this time, you can add the soy sauce, rice vinegar and a splash of mirin if you like.


Continue cooking until the mixture reduces a bit, approximately 5 minutes. Feel free to add more soy sauce if desired. Add the unchicken a couple of minutes before you finish, just to heat through. Right before you turn off the heat, toss some toasted sesame oil in the mix (about 2 tsp. or so) for flavoring. Sesame oil does not like heat so add towards the end.


Assembly:  Grab one of your geometrically perfect squares or circles (ha!) and 


Frying: I do not own a deep fryer, as that would be the end of life as I know it. So I opt for frying in probably an unhealthy amount of healthy oil in a cast iron pan. For this, use safflower, sunflower or refined canola oil - anything that stands up to heat well. Again, on high heat, once the oil pops, put your lovelies in to brown. This dough at this writing does not make the little bubbles that traditional eggroll wrappers do, but I'm working on it. Once browned on all side, drain on some paper towels. You'll be pleased to note that they do not take up that much oil.

Serve with hoisin sauce or sweet & sour sauce (my personal favorite is Soy Vay Hoisin Sauce, vegan and kosher! Created by a Jewish boy and his Chinese girlfriend - how could I not love that!).