The Chinese Restaurant Menu: Egg Roll Vs. Spring Roll

Food & Cooking Blog

Eggs rolls and spring rolls are Chinese restaurant staples. You order them at lunch, dinner, or for a snack. Sometimes you order one, and then realize you actually meant to order the other. The two names are often used interchangeably. But that doesn't mean that they're actually the same. If you've ever wondered what the difference is and how you can remember which one to order, take a look at the egg roll vs. spring roll facts.

What's Inside?

There are plenty of Chinese restaurants and retail stores that sell egg rolls and spring rolls with a variety of ingredients inside those crispy little wrappers. You've seen everything from just plain veggies to sticky rice and mangoes. When it comes down to it, creative contemporary cooking calls for imaginative ingredients and kind of confuses the egg roll vs. spring roll debate.

Even though there are a seemingly endless stream of ingredients that a cook can include in the various rolls, traditional egg rolls and spring rolls do have their own distinct types of filling. In general, egg rolls contain both meat and vegetables. Typically, you'll find chicken or pork as well as cabbage and carrots in most egg rolls. Spring rolls differ in that they usually only contain veggies. Some spring rolls also contain seafood, such as shrimp.

Keep in mind, both egg rolls and spring rolls (even the traditional varieties) can vary depending on the region of China where they originate. Different regions have somewhat different cuisines, calling for different ingredients.

What's Outside?

You may have noticed that your egg roll wrapper seems stronger, while the spring roll's is delicate. When it comes to distinguishing the two rolls, the wrapper is another way to tell the difference between them.

Egg roll wrappers are typically made from a flour dough that is dipped in or basted with egg and dried. Again, different cuisines use different ingredients (and may have different cooking styles). Spring roll wrappers are often made with rice flour and can be fried or not fried (typically baked). This gives them a lighter, thinner texture than you'd find in an egg roll.

Which type of roll is better? There's no easy answer to that question. When it comes down to it, you won't find any one "catch-all" answer. Some people are partial to egg rolls, while others only enjoy spring rolls. With all of the varieties available, you're sure to find a combination that meets your taste needs. Check out sites like http://www.lilacblossomrestaurant.com to learn more.

15 September 2017