Avocado Egg Rolls with Cilantro Honey Sauce

Avocado Egg Rolls with Cilantro Dipping Sauce
(Cheesecake Factory Inspired!)

Prep. Time: 40 Minutes

Cook Time: 20 Minutes

Total Time: 1 Hour

When I was in the 7th grade we read a book. The book we read was Esperanza Rising. It was about a young girl lived the life of a princess in Mexico. When her father was killed, her mother took her to the United States to protect her from her greedy uncles. As a migrant worker, her silver spoon was quickly traded in with a burlap sack. She struggles a lot. I still remember the time she realized what the labor she was doing had done to her hands. She went into such detail as she cut open the avocado. She swung the pit out by stabbing it with a knife and cleanly taking it out. She described the flesh of the avocado as so vibrant and scented. I can still feel it upon my hands each time I open an avocado. They way she smothered it over her rough hands to soften them stays with me each time I cut open a ripe avocado to make some guacamole. When I smell the scent, all those memories come back to me. I think that is why I even tried an avocado for the first time. Before then, they were the expensive rock looking vegetables I never dared to touch. I will never EVER forget that book. The writing style grasped me from page one. The book is so descriptive. You see, hear, and almost smell and taste everything within it. I am quickly reeled in with mouth watering or descriptive detail. I was reeled in then, and I never turned back.

My mother is a picky eater. She has lived in the states for 22 years and eats at one restaurant only: The Cheesecake Factory. Plus, she orders the exact same dish. So imagine my surprise when a friend orders Avocado Egg Rolls and my mom tries them. Now, imagine my face when she actually likes them. You see, when she doesn't like something, she makes a face. That face. That face just says it all. I dread allowing her to try my cooking because that face just crashes all my hopes and dreams. Well, guess what? She not only ate the egg rolls, but she asked me to make them. She never does that. I never listen to that. But she did. And I did. And they turned out AMAZING . . .

Ingredients:

Egg Rolls
4 Large Avocados (Peeled, Pitted, and Diced)
8 tbsp Sun-Dried Tomatoes (Drained from oil, and Roughly Chopped)
1 Medium Red Onion (Diced)
3 tsp Chopped Cilantro
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper
12 Egg Roll Wrappers
1 Egg (Beaten)

Dipping Sauce
4 tsp White Vinegar
1 tsp Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 tsp Tamarind Paste or Pulp (Optional)
1/2 Cup Honey
1 pinch Powdered Saffron (Optional)
1/2 Cup Cashews
2/3 Cup Cilantro
2 Garlic Cloves
2 Scallions/Green Onions
1 tbsp Sugar
1 tsp Ground Black Pepper
1 tsp Ground Cumin
1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:
Start making the sauce first. Microwave the vinegars, tamarind, honey, and saffron until melted through. Mix together to make sure it is all incorporated. Now, in a blender, Puree the microwaved mixture with the cashews, cilantro, garlic, onions, sugar, pepper, and cumin. Blend well. Pour into a bowl and mix in the olive oil. Stir and set aside or refrigerate until needed.
In a large bowl prepare your egg roll filling. Mix the diced avocados with the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, the diced red onion, the chopped cilantro, the salt, and the black pepper. Mix to incorporate everything well with care to prevent smashing the ingredients.
Distribute the filling evenly to all the wrappers. Wrap the egg roll and lightly brush with the beaten egg. I have included a video that I used to learn to wrap an egg roll! Here it is: Wrap that Egg Roll!

Now that they are all wrapped, heat vegetable oil in a deep frying pan. Heat the oil to about 375 degrees. Deep fry the egg rolls for about 3 to 5 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Have a paper bag or paper towels ready to drain the excess oil. Slice in half or diagonally and present in a dish with the Cilantro Sauce. Serve immediately.