Crab-Filled Egg Rolls With Ginger-Lime Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

• 15 egg roll wrappers
• 1 pound pasteurized lump crabmeat
• 1 quart vegetable oil
• Dipping sauce:
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Directions

Place an egg-roll wrapper on a work surface. Center 3 Tbs. Crabmeat on the wrapper, forming it into a log. Fold the corner closest to you tightly over the filling, then overlap right and left corners. Then, as if forming a cigarette, roll wrapper tightly, moistening the end with wet fingertips. Press to seal. Repeat with remaining wrappers and crab.

Heat oil in a Dutch oven to 300 degrees. Cook rolls, 5 at a time, turning once, until blond, about 2 minutes. Drain, cool and refrigerate in a zipper-lock bag. (Can be prepared to this point up to 3 days ahead. ) Reserve oil.

Several hours before serving, mix dipping sauce ingredients together. Heat oven to 200 degrees. Reheat oil to 375 degrees in Dutch oven. Cook rolls again, 5 at a time, turning once, until crisp and golden brown, about 2 minutes. Drain on a rack set over a lipped cookie sheet and place in warm oven; can be held up to 20 minutes.

Cut each roll into thirds, sprinkle with cilantro and serve with dipping sauce.