Just What Is an Egg Roll?
Do you think egg rolls are egg-filled, or do you think egg rolls are a type of oven-baked pastry? Do you think egg rolls are little round crispy fried things, or do you think egg rolls are cold, crunchy sheets of freshly steamed or deep-fried dough? All these things are, indeed, egg rolls, but the shell of the egg roll is the important part, and different than the shell of a spring roll. Both the egg roll and the spring roll use a wrapper to create the end product, but the difference is that the egg roll wrapper is thicker and has a bit more flour in it. You can then add various filling inside: chicken, pork, veggies, etc.
For those of you who have questions about which egg roll compared to other egg rolls, a plain egg roll is a fried Chinese dumpling with a thin pleated dough wrapper. It is often served as part of an appetizer platter in a Chinese restaurant. A glass noodle egg roll is a cousin to the plain egg roll in which the dough is stuffed with glass noodles instead of meat.
The egg roll is also often called a “crab rangoon.” It is not a rangoon as it contains no crab and is a completely different food item.
Just What is A Spring Roll?
Do you love egg rolls or spring rolls? Chances are you love them both. And although they look similar, there are some key differences between these two traditional Chinese dishes.
The general differences are clear. Spring rolls are deep-fried and egg rolls are not.
Do you know the differences beyond the frying? What about the inside, how are they different on the inside? Luckily, this post has done the research, and compiled the data so you don’t have to.
Vietnamese Egg Rolls and Spring Rolls
The Background
A trip to a Vietnamese restaurant would be incomplete without an eggroll. The crispy shell and herb and meat filled center make for an irresistible appetizer or light meal. But do you know how the Vietnamese egg rolls came about?
The history of egg rolls is long and winding. From Asia to America to Vietnam and back.
Before their arrival in Vietnam, you can trace the origins of egg rolls to China. The Chinese have a popular snack called cha siu bao which is stuffed with minced pork and decorated with lotus leaves. It closely resembles the spring roll which is also a popular snack item in Vietnam.
In the early 20th century, Chinese immigrants who had settled in America brought the roll with them. In the 1960s, egg rolls became popular among Vietnamese refugees who had settled in America as well. Thus, egg rolls in Vietnam became an interesting fusion of local ingredients and a foreign influence.
Although the Vietnamese egg roll and Chinese spring roll share some common ingredients, they are clearly different and are marketed separately. The fame of egg rolls quickly spread throughout Belgium and France. Vietnamese egg rolls and spring rolls are drizzled with a homemade plum sauce. While traditional Chinese spring rolls are deep fried, Vietnamese spring rolls are shallow fried.
Spring Rolls Vs Summer Rolls
These two names are quite confusing. Here’s the deal.
Egg rolls and spring rolls are both popular Asian appetizers and snacks. The only difference between these two is that an egg roll is fried and a spring roll is not.
Regardless of their name, the main ingredients are usually a combination of ground meat (usually chicken, pork, veggies and sometimes even sea food), rice, chives, and finely chopped mixed vegetables.
Some people substitute the ground meat with finely deboned and minced white meat chicken.
Egg rolls are usually made using a wrapper or skin made from wheat flour, which, when fried, gives it a chewy texture. This makes it different from spring rolls, which don’t have a wrapper of any kind. This makes spring rolls refreshing and crispier than the egg rolls.
Though spring rolls and egg rolls have a lot in common, the main difference between the two is that spring rolls are not fried, and hence there will be a lot less oil in them, making them healthier.
Egg rolls Vs Lumpia
What’s the difference between Asian egg rolls and spring rolls?
Egg rolls and lumpia may look similar, but they are quite different. They come from different parts of the world, they’re prepared differently, and they can be eaten in a different ways. And although lumpia gained popularity in the US recently, egg rolls have been more widely known around the world and more established in Asian countries. So what’s the biggest difference between lumpia and egg rolls? And how can you tell whether something is an egg roll or lumpia? In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the two popular Asian appetizers and see how different they actually are.
Egg Roll Vs Spring Roll Nutrition
Both Chinese egg roll and spring roll originated from China. However, since the later half of the 20th century, different kinds of spring roll and egg roll have spread to other countries and regions. Quite often, the names of egg roll and spring roll are used interchangeably, meaning sometimes egg rolls may be labeled as spring rolls, and spring rolls sometimes are labeled as egg rolls. They are often confused by many people, who can’t tell the difference between the two dishes. You may wonder: “What’s the difference between egg roll and spring roll?”
In this post, we’re going to outline the differences between egg roll and spring roll. We’ll talk about how the recipes and ingredients differ, and look at how much nutrition they really have. So let’s get started.
Making Egg Rolls and Spring Rolls at Home
Egg rolls are popular in restaurants, and spring rolls are popular in homes.
Egg rolls are flatter and more rectangular in shape than spring rolls, but the actual difference between them lies in the kinds of fillings they’re stuffed with.
For egg rolls, the fillings are usually meat, vegetables, spices, and sometimes sauces. Egg rolls are served fried or steamed, and they’re crispier on the outside than spring rolls.
For spring rolls, the fillings are mostly vegetable based. Spring rolls are less crispy than egg rolls and can be served deep fried or pan fried.
Another difference between the two is their shape. Spring rolls are typically folded into a soft or crispy cylinder shape. Egg rolls, on the other hand, are wrapped in a rectangular shape with the edges folded over.
It’s important to consider the three different types of egg rolls to be able to properly differentiate them.
Deep Fried
This variant is the most traditional type of egg roll and is one of the most common in Chinese restaurants. Deep fried egg rolls are crispy and fried so that the outside layers are lightly browned. The fillings of this kind of egg rolls are often a mixture of pork or meat, onions, water chestnuts, cabbage, and spring onions.
In Conclusion
Egg rolls and spring rolls are two similar yet completely different dishes. Still today, many different variations of spring rolls and egg rolls are being developed. Hopefully, this guide will enable you to distinguish between the different kinds, and have more of a refined palate for both of them. As you can see, egg rolls and spring rolls are, for the most part, very similar. The main difference between the two should be known, so that you can pick the right one the next time you’re out looking for a snack.
Eggs are a healthy source of nutrients (source: USDA), and so are spring rolls, so there’s no issue with whether you want to eat one or the other. It’s important to differentiate between the two in order to make the best decision when it comes to choosing which ones to buy, cook, and eat.