Filo Purple Egg Rolls

These Filo Purple Egg Rolls with pork, red cabbage, ginger and garlic are wrapped into a crunchy Filo pastry. Baked or Air fried instead of deep-fried for a healthier version.  Accompanied by the usual plum sauce, these egg rolls are a kid’s childhood must. 

The other day, I was doing my monthly round in my favourite Asian markets and saw this “plum sauce” bottle. Suddenly, tons of memories came rushing back at me. Memories of my family going to a Chinese restaurant as a child, back in Canada, and eating my favourite dish there: egg rolls with this plum sauce! I remember like it was yesterday, dipping my egg rolls into this sweet plum sauce until I couldn’t breathe anymore. What a tasty memory! This Filo Purple Egg Rolls recipe is my take on this old friend of mine!

A Chinese American Dish

These are not per se, Chinese… even if many spring rolls resemble it. The American made an Asian classic into a ‘bigger’ version, and the result: the egg roll! You recognize them usually by their form; bigger, but also, their shape. It’s not a cylindrical shape like the spring rolls but a distinctive squeeze in each end cylinder shape. Typically filled with cabbage and pork this purple version bring a bit of colour and sweetness to the dish!

A Lighter Version

I’ve made these lighter by using a lightly oiled filo pastry and air frying or baking them instead of deep frying. You end up with the same lovely egg roll crunch and flavour but with half the calories. To make the filo turn this nice yellowy colour, I added some egg wash to them before cooking.

The Filling

I remember as a kid that the greyish colour of egg rolls and their texture weren’t exactly exciting. Red cabbage to the rescue! They taste similar anyway, if not sweeter and make the dish so much more appealing! Especially for kids! A swap that goes a long way.

The Filo Technique

For this particular version of egg rolls, I’ve used a filo/phyllo pastry. The size of a standard sheet of paper and lightly coated it with a spray of olive oil and folded it into two. You can also use a neutral oil spray. The next step consisted of filling and wrapping it up into those small cylinders, squeezing the ends lightly to give it ” the western egg roll look”. Of course, the colour is important so I’ve covered the rolls with a nice egg wash, it also helped to keep the”egg” factor in the “egg roll” recipe. This way you don’t have to deep fry and get extra oily egg rolls, you simply bake it or air fry it and voila! A nice crispy and healthy bite!

Filo dough is way lighter than most dough if you use a light oil spray, plus you’ll get the crunchy texture without having to deep fry. All this results in a lighter version of egg rolls with a fun colour!

Storage

You can conserve de rolls easily for 3 days in the fridge. These little appetizers are perfectly suitable for the freezer, make sure they don’t touch if you use a freezer bag. You’ll be able to keep them for 2 months in there. To defrost, it’s better to use the oven to keep the crisp factor, directly from the frozen state for 12-14 minutes at 180°C (350°F) or in the air fryer for 10 min.

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Filo Purple Egg Rolls

5 from 1 vote

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 12 rolls

Calories 170

These Filo Purple Egg Rolls with pork, red cabbage, ginger and garlic are wrapped into a crunchy Filo pastry. Baked or Air fried instead of deep-fried for a healthier version.  

Equipment

• oil sprayer optional
• mandoline

Ingredients

• 260 g filo sheets (12 sheets (9″x 14″/ 23cm x 36cm) *take out from freezer 1 hour prior cooking)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 egg

the filling

• 600 g red cabbage (cut 1mm thin (mandoline))
• 250 g minced pork
• 2 carrots
• 2 scallions (finely chopped)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tsp ginger (finely grated)
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• salt and pepper

Metric – US Customary

Instructions 

• Start by taking out the filo from the freezer one hour in advance (not too long before otherwise it will dry up and break the phyllo sheets)
• With the help of a mandoline; grate the carrot and cabbage into fine slices.
• In a big pan or wok, add a touch of oil and cook the ground pork meat, pre seasoned with salt and pepper, at medium high heat and cook until it loses its pink color.
• Add the red cabbage, carrot, ginger paste, sesame oil and garlic to the pan/wok and stir fry for about 3 minutes, still medium high heat, until it loses half its height.
• Take off the fire and season the filling with salt and pepper, you can use a touch of soy sauce and add a bit of freshly chopped scallions.
• On a clean surface, add 1 sheet of filo (about the size of a standard sheet of paper), give it a light spray then fold it into two on its length.
• Add the filling on the end of the phyllo sheet.
  
• Fold the sides over the filling.
  
• Roll up the egg roll.
  
• Add a bit of egg wash in the end of the phyllo to seal it up.
• Repeat for all the rolls and add them on a baking paper covered oven rack.
• Brush the egg wash over each roll and add a last pinch of salt.
  
• Cook in the oven at 180°C (350F) for 25 minutes or until golden. (Air fryer: 15 minutes)

Notes

Serve with a plum sauce or sweet and sour sauce.

Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Freeze for up to 2 months. 

Author: thefoodolic

Calories: 170kcal

Course: Acompañamiento, Aperitivo, Plato principal

Cuisine: Americana, China

Keyword: air fryer, baked, egg rolls, filo, phyllo, pork cheeks, red cabbage

Nutrition

Calories: 170kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 143mg | Potassium: 242mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2298IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition Facts

Filo Purple Egg Rolls

Amount per Serving

Calories

170

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

9

g

14

%

Saturated Fat

 

2

g

13

%

Trans Fat

 

0.002

g

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

1

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

5

g

Cholesterol

 

29

mg

10

%

Sodium

 

143

mg

6

%

Potassium

 

242

mg

7

%

Carbohydrates

 

16

g

5

%

Fiber

 

2

g

8

%

Sugar

 

3

g

3

%

Protein

 

6

g

12

%

Vitamin A

 

2298

IU

46

%

Vitamin C

 

30

mg

36

%

Calcium

 

36

mg

4

%

Iron

 

1

mg

6

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.