Bryan's Baek-il (100 days birthday)

I've been so busy, it's hard to make posts nowadays! These are pictures from Bryan's 100 day birthday, Setember 16th. It is a Korean tradition. They celebrate baby's 100th day because in the old days infant death was so common. Making it to 100 days meant that the baby will probably live a healthy life.

Cupcake cake.

My mother-in-law and her sister made way too much food! Fish, bulgogi, japchae noodles, gyoza, and of course kimchi.

"gimme that camera!"

"hey babe, what's shakin?"

must eat rattle!

Grandma Linda!

"Yay! Party!"

Grandpa Mike giving bunny ears

"OMGCupcakes!"

Vegetable Eggroll Recipe

I've had a lot of requests for my veggie eggroll recipe, so here it is!

Ingredients (makes about 20 eggrolls):

1 package Eggroll wrappers (about 20 wraps)
2 cups Canned bamboo shoots, julienned (about two of the short cans)
2 cups Mung bean sprouts
1 bunch Green onion
2 TBS Garlic, minched
2 Eggs
2 1/2 tsp Soy sauce
2 TBS Vegetable oil
1 TBS Flour
A little water
Oil for deep frying

1. Prepare vegetables
Drain and julienne the bamboo shoots if they don't come julienned in the can. Rinse the bamboo shoots in a strainer.
Chop the green part of the green onion into 1/2 in. to 1 in. pieces, and chop the thicker white parts finely.

2. Saute
Heat 2 TBS of oil in a skillet or wok on low heat. Add 2 TBS of garlic and saute for 30 seconds.

Add vegetables and cook, stirring, until tender, 2-5 minutes.

Add eggs and cook, stirring until egg is cooked and grainy.
Add soy sauce and stir until evenly incorporated. Turn off heat and let cool to room temperature.
3. Set up
While the filling mixture cools, set up your eggroll wrapping station and frying station. I wrap the eggrolls on a cutting board and then move the wrapped rolls to a piece of tin foil or wax paper. Get your oil ready and lay out a dish with paper towels to absorb the oil (I use a cookie sheet). In a small bowl mix your flour with 2 TBS of water to make a paste.

4. Wrap
There are two ways to wrap it, this is the most common way.
Lay out one sheet of eggroll wrap and mound a small amount of cooled filling a little lower than the center. Apply the flour-paste to the top corner-edges.
Fold up the bottom.
Fold in the sides. Notice the top tapers a little.
Start rolling.
The flour-paste glues it shut.
All wrapped up!
The second method of rolling eggrolls is to cut the eggroll wrappers in half and use less filling (like mini eggrolls!). This makes a crunchier treat and I like it better. I didn't do this method so I don't have pictures.. You wrap a triangle piece of eggroll wrapper rather than a square: place a small amount of filling (about a tablespoon?) near the bottom edge of the triangle (the longest edge), fold in the outside corners and roll up. The wrapping is thinner so it has more crunch. If you use the full square of the wrapper, like the method described above, the result is a slightly chewier eggroll, but still crunchy and delicious.

5. Fry
Heat about 2 inches of oil to 360-370 degrees. The outside with start to blister and turn white right away. Try to turn the eggrolls as soon as you put it in the oil so that the sudden heat doesn't cause an air bubble to form inside. If an air bubble forms it gets harder to turn and fry the other side later on.
Golden crispy. It tastes better it it is dark golden, but not quiet burnt.
Cool on paper towels to absorb oil.
If making ahead of time, keep them uncovered until cooled to room temperature before wrapping up or covering. If covered when hot they will become soggy. When ready, put them in a cookie sheet and heat in the oven until hot. Check them often and flip over once.
Serve with soy sauce or sweet and sour dipping sauce.