Chicken Egg Roll Kimari Recipe

Prepare glass noodles

Place dried glass noodles in a bowl and cover with hot water. Let soak for 5–8 minutes until soft. Drain, rinse under cold water, squeeze out excess moisture, and chop into 1-inch pieces. Set aside.

Sauté aromatics and vegetables

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and ginger and sauté 20–30 seconds until fragrant. Add chopped onion and cook 2–3 minutes until softened. Add shredded cabbage and cook 3–4 minutes until cabbage begins to wilt but still has some bite.

Combine filling

Add shredded/ground cooked chicken, chopped glass noodles and torn/sliced nori sheets to the skillet. Stir to combine. Add 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1/4 teaspoon white pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook 2–3 minutes until heated through and flavors are combined. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Remove from heat and let filling cool for 10 minutes (so it won’t make wrappers soggy).

Make cornstarch slurry

Mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water until smooth. This will act as a glue for sealing wrappers.

Assemble egg rolls

Lay one egg roll wrapper on a clean surface in diamond orientation (corner facing you). Spoon about 3–4 tablespoons of the cooled filling onto the lower third of the wrapper, leaving about 1/2 inch border at edges. Fold the bottom corner up over the filling, tuck in the left and right corners snugly, then roll up tightly to enclose the filling. Brush the final top corner with cornstarch slurry and press to seal. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling to make 6 egg rolls.

Heat oil

Pour neutral oil into a deep skillet or pot to a depth of about 1 to 1.5 inches (enough to half-submerge the egg rolls). Heat oil over medium-high until it reaches 350°F (175°C) or a small cube of bread sizzles and browns in about 30–40 seconds.

Deep-fry egg rolls

Working in batches, carefully add 2–3 egg rolls to the hot oil, seam-side down. Fry 3–4 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crisp on all sides. Use a slotted spoon or tongs to transfer to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with remaining egg rolls. Keep cooked egg rolls warm in a low oven (about 200°F / 90°C) if desired.

Alternative - shallow fry

If you prefer less oil, heat 1/4 inch oil in a large skillet and fry rolls, turning to brown each side evenly until crisp and cooked through (about 3–4 minutes per side).

Prepare sauce

If using store-bought sweet chili sauce, transfer to a small bowl and stir in 1 teaspoon rice vinegar to brighten, if desired. For homemade: warm 1/2 cup sweet chili, add 1 teaspoon rice vinegar and adjust to taste.

Serve

Cut each egg roll on the diagonal (optional) and arrange 2 per plate. Serve immediately with sweet chili sauce for dipping. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onion if desired.