This is a very popular, simple and healthy home-style Chinese dish — thin omelette sheets rolled around blanched spinach with a light savory filling.
It’s often served as a cold appetizer, breakfast item, lunchbox food or side dish. The rolls are tender, colorful, mildly seasoned and look elegant when sliced.
Ingredients (makes 6–8 rolls)Egg sheets
- Eggs — 4 large
- Salt — ¼ tsp
- Cooking oil — 1–2 tsp (for frying)
- Fresh spinach — 300–400 g (about 10–12 cups packed)
- Garlic — 2–3 cloves, minced
- Light soy sauce — 1–1½ tsp
- Sesame oil — 1 tsp
- Salt — ¼–½ tsp (to taste)
- Sugar — ½ tsp (optional, balances flavor)
- White pepper — small pinch
- Toasted sesame seeds — 1–2 tsp (optional, for garnish)
- Carrot — ½ small, julienned or finely shredded (blanched)
- Wood ear fungus — 20 g dried (soaked, blanched, shredded)
- Cooked ham or crab stick — 50 g, julienned (for richer versions)
- Blanch the spinach
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt.
- Add spinach in batches. Blanch 20–30 seconds until bright green and wilted.
- Immediately transfer to a bowl of ice water (or very cold water) to stop cooking and keep the color vivid.
- Drain well. Squeeze out as much water as possible with your hands (very important — wet spinach makes rolls soggy).
- Chop roughly or leave in longer strands (depending on preference).
- Season the spinach
- In a bowl, mix blanched spinach with minced garlic, light soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, sugar, white pepper, and optional toasted sesame seeds.
- Toss well. Taste and adjust seasoning (it should be savory, garlicky, and lightly aromatic).
- Let sit 5–10 minutes so flavors absorb.
- Make the egg sheets
- Crack eggs into a bowl. Add ¼ tsp salt. Beat well until fully combined (no streaks).
- Heat a non-stick pan (20–24 cm diameter) over medium-low heat.
- Lightly brush with oil (use a paper towel — very thin layer).
- Pour in a thin layer of egg mixture (about ¼ of total for each sheet). Swirl pan quickly to spread into a thin, even circle.
- Cook 30–60 seconds until set and edges lift slightly (do not brown — it should stay pale yellow).
- Flip carefully (or slide onto a plate and invert back into pan) and cook 10–15 seconds more.
- Slide onto a cutting board or plate. Repeat to make 4 thin egg sheets.
- Let cool slightly.
- Assemble the rolls
- Place one egg sheet on a clean surface or bamboo mat (optional).
- Spread a thin, even layer of seasoned spinach across the sheet (leave 1–2 cm border at the top edge).
- If using carrot, ham, or wood ear: arrange thin strips in a line near the bottom edge.
- Starting from the bottom, roll tightly into a cylinder (like rolling sushi).
- Seal the end by pressing gently (egg is slightly sticky when cool).
- Repeat with remaining sheets and filling.
- Slice & serve
- Trim the ends for neatness (optional).
- Cut each roll into 1.5–2 cm thick slices with a sharp knife (wipe knife between cuts for clean edges).
- Arrange slices cut-side up on a plate.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature as an appetizer, side dish, or snack.
- Egg sheet thinness → Thin sheets roll easier and look prettier. Use low heat and swirl quickly.
- Squeeze spinach well → Excess water makes rolls soggy and fall apart.
- Flavor balance → Garlic and sesame oil are the stars — don’t skip them. Sugar is subtle but rounds out the taste.
- Make ahead → Rolls can be made 4–6 hours in advance and refrigerated (cover tightly). Slice just before serving.
- Variations →
- Add shredded chicken, imitation crab, or dried shrimp for richer filling.
- For spicy version: mix chili oil or chili crisp into the spinach.
- For vegan: replace egg sheets with thin tofu skin or rice paper.
- Storage → Refrigerate up to 1 day (texture best on day of making). Do not freeze.
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