Indonesian Bami and Egg Rolls

It's Sunday dinner..... I wanted to make Thai soup and egg rolls but still too warm outside. We eat almost every night outside. Having a 357 square foot trailer (the big down size) that we live in makes eating outside an easy choice! Living in a tiny trailer gives me more grocery money and that makes me happy!

This is a recipe inspired while living in Thailand. Our neighbors were Indonesian and invite us to an Indonesian wedding where there were giant wooden bowls noodles. Years later I searched to find a recipe for this dish. I have morphed it, I'm sure, but it is a family favorite. Dinner tonight was enjoyed with some new neighbors and of course, our daughter.

Indonesian Bami
1lb spaghetti noodles
8 stalks celery
6 green onions
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. brown sugar
3Tlb ketchup
1/2 c. white wine
6 buttons garlic
1/2 onion
1lb beef or pork thinly sliced
1lb shrimp
crushed red pepper (optional)

Thinly slice slightly frozen beef or pork (or both). It will slice much easier if half frozen. Add 1/4 c. of the soy sauce, brown sugar and ketchup with the sliced meat. Let marinate a few hours or overnight.
Start a large pot of water boiling. Add into the water 1 clove of garlic, 1/4 c. soy sauce. Add a fry basket in your pot if you have one. Add the shrimp into the boiling water and cook about 3 minutes. Pull out of boiling water and let cool. Meanwhile, thinly slice celery, green onions and onions. Peel the shrimp and place the skins back into pot to boil about 10 minutes. Pull out fry basket and place shells into a zipper bag and throw away. If you don't put the shells into a sealed bag you will know it the next morning!



Shrimp shells

 This will flavor the water and give your pasta a shrimp taste. Bring back to boil and add spaghetti noodles. Cook slightly beyond al dente. Drain the cooked noodles. Reserve 1c. of pasta water and the rest you can discard.
In a hot wok add oil and crushed red pepper. Don't breath the steam. Add a handful of the chopped veggies and a spoon of the garlic. Don't over load or it will sweat the veggies. Stir for 2 minutes. Remove and keep warm. Add more oil to wok, a spoon of garlic and add meat. Cook med-rare for beef and med for pork. Remove and add to veggies. Add some more red pepper flakes, the last of the garlic and add shrimp. Stir fry for 1-2 minutes, add remaining ingredients and the noodles. If a little dry add more wine and pasta water.

Egg Rolls
1pk egg roll wrappers
1lb pork breakfast sausage (without sage)
6 c. shredded head cabbage
6 green onions sliced thin
fresh bean sprouts
1/4 tsp Five Spice
2 cloves garlic
2Tlb fish sauce
2T soy sauce
1Tlb cornstarch
4 dashed Maggi seasoning

Heat oil in deep fryer or heavy pot to 350. My fryer frys a little too hot, so you may have to adjust the temp if they are browning too fast.
Shred the cabbage thin. If you are comfortable using a mandolin, you can get really nice shreds. You can end up with really nice stitches if your not careful, too. I have a nice scare to prove it, but I still love my mandolin!




Mandolin slicer

  In a large bowl mix all ingredients, except bean sprouts. Place a small amount in center of wrapper. Add a small amount of bean sprouts on top of meat. Don't use too many or let them extent to much on ends or they will poke hole in your wrapper.

 Dipping your finger in water, spread a light smear on top corner. Roll like they show you in wrapper direction provided in each package of wrappers. Roll snugly. Deep fry till golden brown. Drain on a wire rack.
The perfect sauce to dip the egg rolls in is 1 cup Sweet Chili Sauce (most grocery stores carry this in the Asian food section) mixed with 2-3 Tlbs of Fish Sauce.

CAUTION: You will be rather popular after you try these with your friends and family!