Ok, this recipe is a bit of a head scratcher for my Greek relatives, but think of it as Greek-Asian fusion. This is a richer version of cheeseburger eggrolls that can be found in a lot of sports bars. Those tend to be short on taste, and long on salt, to get you ordering more drinks. This dish brings together a mix of ingredients from both regions for a fun and tasty casual lunch, snack or party.
Ingredients
- For the filling:
- 2 pounds ground lamb
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 cups feta cheese, finely crumbled
- 2 tablespoons dried oregano
- 1 red hot chili pepper, seeded and finely chopped (if you want more of a kick ad 1-2 more)
- 2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 extra large egg, beaten
- 1 1/2 tablespoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon, cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly ground
- 2 tablespoons mushroom soy sauce, or regular
- 1 cup Napa lettuce finely chopped (I you want you can replace with sautéed spinach)
- 24 egg roll wrappers, carried by some supermarkets but you can also order on-line or find a local specialty market
- Ponzu Ailio:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup ponzu sauce
- 2 tablespoons red chili oil
- Dipping Sauce:
- 1/4 cup mushroom soy sauce
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon dill, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon chives, finely chopped
You can also skip the dipping sauce and go old school with traditional tzatziki.
Making It
- Make the Ponzu ailio by whisking together in a bowl and spooning into a plastic squeeze bottle to top the egg rolls for serving.
- Make the dipping sauce by whisking together all of the ingredients and setting aside.
- Put all the ingredients for the filling in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse together 4-5 times until fully incorporated, but do not puree. This is not cat food, you want to be able to see all of the ingredients in some form or shape.
- Roll egg rolls; place the egg roll wrapper on a clean surface, wet your finger and apply on all four edges. Spoon 2 healthy tablespoons of the lamb mixture onto the center of an egg roll near the edge closest to you, but not on the area that is wet. Rolling from the bottom, roll halfway up, then fold in sides and roll tightly (but gently). Seal with water and set aside.
- In a deep-sided skillet or dutch oven, heat 2 inches of oil until bubbling. Fry egg rolls until golden, 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer to paper towel-lined plate. Drizzle a liberal amount of Ponzu sauce and serve with dipping sauce or tzatziki.
If you do not have egg roll wrappers then you can just grill these kaftas the traditional way:
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