These egg rolls will have your teenager bragging on your behalf. Shrimp is Shelbi’s favorite, and she always loved egg rolls, so she thought this stuffing combo was a perfect match. You can prep the rolls early, or even the night before, so all you need to do before the guests arrive is drop them in the fryer.

　　

Ingredients

makes 12 egg rolls

　　2 tablespoons soy sauce

　　2 teaspoons roasted sesame oil

　　1 teaspoon sugar

　　1 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes

　　2 tablespoons vegetable oil

　　1-inch piece of fresh ginger root, peeled and grated

　　3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

　　4 green onions, finely chopped

　　1 carrot, peeled and grated

　　1/2 head Napa cabbage, thinly sliced

　　3/4 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed, chopped

　　12 egg-roll wrappers (found in refrigerated section of grocery store)

　　1 egg, beaten

　　Peanut oil, for frying

　　Sweet and sour sauce, for dipping (store-bought)

　　

Step 1

Whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and red-pepper flakes in a small bowl, and set aside.

　　

Step 2

Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Toss in the ginger, garlic, and green onions, and sauté for 1 minute, until fragrant. Stir in the carrot and cabbage, and continue to stir until the vegetables have softened, another 4 minutes. Push the vegetables to the outer edges of the skillet, and add the shrimp to the center of the pan. Cook for another 3 minutes, then stir the vegetables and shrimp together and add the soy-sauce mixture. Let cool completely.

　　

Step 3

Set a wrapper on your work surface with a corner directed toward you, and brush the edges of the egg-roll wrapper with the beaten egg. Place 1/4 cup of the shrimp mixture on the lower third of each wrapper. Fold the bottom corner portion of the wrapper up over the filling. Fold both the side corners inward, and roll the wrapper up like a burrito. Repeat with the remaining wrappers.

　　

Step 4

Heat 4 inches of peanut oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan until it reaches 350 degrees F. (For tips on deep-frying, see page 19.)

　　

Step 5

Add the egg rolls, in batches of four or five, to the hot oil, and cook until they are crisp and golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove them from the oil, and let drain on a paper-towel-lined sheet tray. Serve with sweet and sour sauce.

　　Reprinted with permission from The Neelys' Celebration Cookbook by Pat and Gina Nelly. Copyright © 2011 by Pat and Gina Nelly with Anna Volkwein. Excerpted by permission of Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.Pat and Gina Neely are restaurateurs, best-selling authors, popular speakers, and hosts of the Food Network hit series Down Home with the Neelys. They recently opened their first New York City restaurant, Neely's Barbecue Parlor. They live with their daughters in Memphis, where they enjoy cooking at home with family and friends.Ann Volkwein is a best-selling food and lifestyle author based in New York City and Austin, Texas. Her previous books include: The Arthur Avenue Cookbook, Chinatown New York, Mixt Greens (with Andrew Swallow), and, with Guy Fieri: Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives; More Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives; and Guy Fieri Food.