We like to dismantle our food here at Skillet. That includes taking pigs out of blankets and deconstructing cheeseballs. In the spirit of deconstruction, I’ve taken apart the egg roll. It turns out, separating the filling from the shell is an excellent way to get the flavors and textures of this appetizer without any rolling skills, or the bother of a deep fryer. Put down the takeout menu. This tantalizing egg roll chips and dip can be yours in just 15 minutes.
I have an embarrassing chef confession to make. I don’t always mise en place before cooking at home. But I did today, and you should too. Once the pan heats up, the ingredients go in one after the next, and the shrimp filling is finished in a flash. Roughly chop some raw shrimp into small pieces, about the size of edamame or lima beans. Put the chopped shrimp in a bowl with soy sauce to marinate for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, brush some vegetable oil onto both sides of two or three egg roll wrappers. Cut each of the wrappers into 8 rectangles. I cut down the center lengthwise, and then widthwise in four even strips. Lay these out in a single layer in the air fryer set to 300°F on the “air fry” setting. Let them cook for 5-8 minutes. Check occasionally after the 5-minute mark to see if you like the color. These will be your chips.
Photo: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann
Finely slice a stalk of celery, and have a shredded cabbage and carrot mixture ready. I used a couple cups of a simple coleslaw mix. To make the “dip,” add oil to a large pan, wok, or shallow pot over high heat. Add the shrimp with the marinade, and give the pan a quick shake to toss the shrimp around. Add the celery, cabbage and carrot mixture, followed by the sesame oil, salt, sugar, and white pepper. Quickly toss and stir the ingredients around until the shrimp is cooked and the veggies are just softening. Take it all off the heat and allow it to cool slightly before serving.
All the “dip” ingredients added to the pan.Photo: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann
Serve the shrimp and cabbage mixture in a bowl with the chips and a small bowl of sweet chili sauce, or you can finally use those pouches of duck sauce you’ve been “saving” in the fridge. My perfect bite includes a little chili sauce on the chip with heap of shrimp filling on top. The filling is salty and savory, with a slight, building heat from the white pepper. The chips, however, are a true underdog hero. They get incredibly crunchy in the air fryer, in a way that they can’t when wrapped around vegetables that are releasing tons of steam as they cook.
This recipe uses shrimp, but you can use other chopped meats, tofu, or mushrooms instead. If you decide to use meat, cook it first to ensure proper doneness. The veggies cook in a snap, and you don’t want to risk undercooking the meat. (For more chips and dip, try deconstructed empanadas.)
Deconstructed Egg Roll Chips and Dip
Ingredients:
8 raw large shrimp, roughly chopped1 tablespoon soy sauce1 teaspoon vegetable oil2 cups cabbage and carrot coleslaw mix1 stalk celery, sliced finely¼ teaspoon sesame oil¼ teaspoon salt¼ teaspoon sugar⅛ teaspoon white pepper2 or 3 egg roll wrappersOil for brushingSweet chili sauce (optional)Marinate the chopped shrimp in a small bowl with the soy sauce for about 10 minutes.
Brush a thin layer of vegetable oil onto both sides of each egg roll wrapper. Cut the wrappers into chip-sized rectangles and air fry them for 5-8 min at 300°F on the “air fry” setting.
Heat a teaspoon of vegetable oil in a large frying pan, wok, or skillet over high heat. Add the shrimp with the marinade. Give the pan a quick shake to toss the shrimp. Add the cabbage and carrot mix, celery, sesame oil, salt, sugar, and white pepper. Shake and toss the ingredients until the shrimp are cooked and the vegetables begin to soften, about one to three minutes. Take the mixture off the heat and let it cool for a few minutes before serving. Serve the shrimp and cabbage in a bowl alongside the sweet chili sauce and air fried chips.
