This Is How Egg Rolls Actually Got Their Name

Everyone knows and loves crispy, cylindrical egg rolls. Arguably the backbone of any appetizer course when ordering a Chinese meal, these humble treats are a household name. But did you know they are actually called dan gun? According to a 1917 Chinese American cookbook, the name egg roll is simply a translation, a simplified phrase for Western consumers. 

You might wonder where the egg aspect actually comes into the dish. There's shredded cabbage, vegetables, and possibly meat, all wrapped up in a blistered wheat flour dough, yet its namesake is notably absent. The truth is that the translation predates the rolls as we know them today. The simple egg roll wrapper recipe is an American-Chinese fusion dish. Originally, the filling would have simply been wrapped up in an egg. While the name continued, this ingredient was phased out over time in favor of a dough alternative  and the appetizer became a widespread favorite in its reborn form. It doesn't have to be enjoyed in the first course of a sit-down Chinese meal either; breakfast egg rolls are a fun take to try at your next brunch. Some Americans even incorporate them into festivities like Christmas and Thanksgiving dinners.

The 1917 cookbook nod to the early egg roll may have been unrecognizable to the modern-day connoisseur. As explained above, the filling would have been wrapped in egg rather than a crackly, deep-fried dough exterior. Picture something more like a rolled omelet. It wasn't until 1934 that documented evidence arose of the alternative coating.

There are conflicting claims over exactly who created the egg rolls we know and love today. However, the invention very likely took place on the streets of New York City's Chinatown at the hands of Lum Fong. Fong launched his own restaurant in 1925, and in 1934, his lobster egg roll received a mention in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle. This is controversial, as the esteemed chef Henry Low is often credited as the inventor. Low worked at the Port Arthur Restaurant for a decade, eventually releasing a cookbook in 1938 where he spilled the beans on how to cook Chinese food at home (egg rolls included). However, given the variation in timeline, it seems more likely that Fong was the real deal.

While now chefs might ponder over creative filling ideas for egg rolls, it's interesting to note how radically they were adapting the recipe in the early 20th century. It just goes to show how much dishes can develop over 100 years.