Japanese Pumpkin Eggrolls with Caramel Sauce

From: Chef Kathy Fang, Fang Restaurant, San Francisco. Yield: 15-20 pieces.

2 15-oz. cans pumpkin
½ cup condensed milk
¼ cup shredded coconut
¼ cup honey
½ cup chopped candied pecans
1 package (25 sheets) of eggroll skins
1 egg, whisked
as needed, canola oil for frying (enough to fill a medium-size pot with oil to the middle, 4 to 5 cups)

For filling: In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together, excluding the egg and skins. Taste, and add more honey or condensed milk for additional sweetness.

For wrapping: Place square-shaped eggroll skin with one of the corners facing you. Place 1 Tbsp. pumpkin filling on bottom part of skin, closer to you and the corner. Do not place filling in the center. Start rolling the skin by pulling corner close to you over the filling. Tuck it in and keep rolling until you are in the middle of the square. Pull the right side over the middle by folding it over filling. Repeat and pull the left side over the middle, folding on top of the right side. Finish rolling the skin with both right and left sides tucked in. Dab whisked egg on the top corner and seal the eggroll.

To fry: Fill a medium-size pot halfway with vegetable oil or canola oil and heat on high. (Filling pot halfway allows the eggrolls to float on the top without touching the bottom of the pan when they are done.) Gently place eggroll into pan and fry until golden brown. Drain eggroll on paper towels and serve with caramel sauce, chocolate sauce or by itself.