Opinions needed PLEASE

[Paula]

Ok, here's the deal. One of my dearest friends growing up was born and raised in China. She taught us how to make eggolls many years ago. So, every second Friday of the month, we have a scrapbook night at the church. We're supposed to bring snacks, and one night I brought eggolls.

Now our church is having a HUGE craft day in August and the leaders have asked me to teach a class (or three) on how to make eggolls and fried rice. There are 30 people that signed up and paid for the class.

This brings me to my question(s):
1. Would you want the teacher to show you from start to finish how to make the eggolls and fried rice?

2. Would you want the teacher to show you how to make the fried rice and eggoll filling but roll your own eggolls?

Please, I need some advice on how to approach this class. My first thought was to show how to make the fried rice and the egg roll filling, but have them learn how to roll the eggolls themselves. Then I would fry them up for the class to eat.

[lauren grier]

I would want start to finish.. cause, uh I don't have a clue on the rolling part

[AmyM]

Originally Posted by lauren grier

I would want start to finish.. cause, uh I don't have a clue on the rolling part

Me too. Can you get that on video for us Paula?

I think it depends on your audience. If you think the majority doesn't know a thing about it, then go ahead and do start to finish. The others probably won't mind

[BrattyMeg]

mmmmm egg rolls...my absolute fave chinese food ever..dipped in some sweet n sour sauce

I'd want start to finish too..you can skip the rice--I just want the eggrolls

[Kimberly's Mommy]

I would want the teacher to show me from start to finish but do it so that I could do it along with the teacher. Making the class more interactive. Know what I mean. Like set up each student with everything they will need then walk them through it step by step together. But then I'm more of a hands on learner.

[Hom74]

I think it mainly depends on how much time and how much room you have for the class.

Fried Rice
Have all the ingredients in separate bowls/containers. Ok, the next part all depends on what you have in your fried rice and how you make it You can show some of the ingredients whole (as you would buy them), but cut the majority of them up. Especially the Chinese Meat/Sausage...show it whole and then show how you dice it up. May even have a couple of volunteers try to cut up some and add it to the container where most of them are diced already. Same with carrots and other vegetables (unless you used the frozen kind ). Have most of the egg fried and cut up already and then a smaller mixture of egg where you will show the group how you fry and cut it up. We fry it in a wok a certain way and also cut it up w/the spatula we're using. Some people also just dump the egg mixture when all the ingredients are cooking and mix it around and let it cook like that. Bring the different containers of sauces you are using (like soy or oyster sauce, etc.) and have volunteers measure out the amount needed. We don't measure, but I know if I've never done it before I like knowing what amount I should put in. If you have LOTS of room, I would split the group into pairs or into 3's. Give each group a carrot, meat, cooked egg for them to chop up. You can show them how to fry the first batch of fried rice and then have a couple of people try the next batches. That is assuming that you are making a huge amount for everyone to eat. If it isn't a huge amount, of course one batch of frying will do. I remember my dad frying 2 batches of fried rice in the wok for the family, but I'm not sure exactly how much you are planning to make. If budget allows, I would go for making more fried rice and having containers or zip lock freezer bags for people to bring home so others in their family can try it.

Egg Roll
I would do similar: have the bulk of the mixture prepped, but have enough of the ingredients whole so that the groups can see what they look like when they buy it in the store and they have a chance to cut them up. Everyone should get plenty of opportunity to roll and you can do some sort of rotation so everyone can get a chance to fry some.

The times I've been in the baking class at church it's been a smaller group, and everyone got to try to do something. Not everyone got to try to do everything though.

[Kat Stokes]

I learned from my dh's grandmother hands on from scratch. We LOVE egg rolls. However, I am getting tired of my recipe and would love it if anyone wants to share theirs!!!

I would definitely say hands on from start to finish...

[twentytinytoes]

I like Karen's idea! I would love to learn how to make egg rolls I LOVE them!

[Hom74]

Maybe unrelated, but I would also mentioned that both of these foods are good candidates for using leftovers. They don't have to use the EXACT ingredients. For example, for fried rice they can substitute the meat with ground pork, ground beef, and some people I know even put bacon in it. Same thing for the vegetable. Same thing for the egg roll, especially for the egg roll. Sometimes people will be intimidated if they NEED to go buy an ingredient that they normally don't use (whether Napa Cabbage or water chestnut or whatever) just to make the recipe. It's also more cost-effective if they are able to be flexible to use whatever they have in their fridge or a food that they normally eat so that there isn't anything wasted.

Good things to emphasize are the concept and how to cut up whatever food they want to include in these dishes.

Have I ever mentioned that I'm lazy. I don't actually fry rice...I make more of a "sticky rice." After my rice cooker cooks the rice for me, I dump in whatever ingredients (ground pork, carrots, and mushrooms are DD1's favs) and flavoring (just soy sauce for me) I want and mix it up in there.

[newfiemountiewife]

Originally Posted by lauren grier

I would want start to finish.. cause, uh I don't have a clue on the rolling part

Ditto!

[ZaCola3]

I agree-start to finish would be best-for my brain at least.

Karen has some great tips too!

[wildblueeyez]

I'm a hands on kind of gal - walk me through step by step. You do it as I do it!

[DawnMarch]

I would want it to be hands-on and all the cooking classes I've taken have all had some hands-on cooking. So, I think it'd be fun for everyone to roll their own after/while you demonstrate.

[Paula]

Oh this is a great idea Karen!! I noticed that on the Food Network, most of the chefs demonstrate, but they also have it already made as well. I think this is a great idea.

OUr church kitchen is huge and I'll be doing three classes of ten - so pairing off would work great.

Thanks a lot!

Originally Posted by Hom74

I think it mainly depends on how much time and how much room you have for the class.

Fried Rice
Have all the ingredients in separate bowls/containers. Ok, the next part all depends on what you have in your fried rice and how you make it You can show some of the ingredients whole (as you would buy them), but cut the majority of them up. Especially the Chinese Meat/Sausage...show it whole and then show how you dice it up. May even have a couple of volunteers try to cut up some and add it to the container where most of them are diced already. Same with carrots and other vegetables (unless you used the frozen kind ). Have most of the egg fried and cut up already and then a smaller mixture of egg where you will show the group how you fry and cut it up. We fry it in a wok a certain way and also cut it up w/the spatula we're using. Some people also just dump the egg mixture when all the ingredients are cooking and mix it around and let it cook like that. Bring the different containers of sauces you are using (like soy or oyster sauce, etc.) and have volunteers measure out the amount needed. We don't measure, but I know if I've never done it before I like knowing what amount I should put in. If you have LOTS of room, I would split the group into pairs or into 3's. Give each group a carrot, meat, cooked egg for them to chop up. You can show them how to fry the first batch of fried rice and then have a couple of people try the next batches. That is assuming that you are making a huge amount for everyone to eat. If it isn't a huge amount, of course one batch of frying will do. I remember my dad frying 2 batches of fried rice in the wok for the family, but I'm not sure exactly how much you are planning to make. If budget allows, I would go for making more fried rice and having containers or zip lock freezer bags for people to bring home so others in their family can try it.

Egg Roll
I would do similar: have the bulk of the mixture prepped, but have enough of the ingredients whole so that the groups can see what they look like when they buy it in the store and they have a chance to cut them up. Everyone should get plenty of opportunity to roll and you can do some sort of rotation so everyone can get a chance to fry some.

The times I've been in the baking class at church it's been a smaller group, and everyone got to try to do something. Not everyone got to try to do everything though.

[mormishmom]

If I was attending the class, I'd like from start to end with a little hands on. And I agree, can you please post a tutorial here too

[lizzyfizzy]

the second one, cause there would be no way i would know how to do it once i got home if i didn't get some hands on time.

[meganmecrazy]

I would need start to finish because I have no clue how to do any of it!

[Paula]

Thanks girls!! I knew you'd help me decide!! Mwah!

[Jennilyn]

I'd like to do the rolling myself, just in case I wanted to make them myself later on.

[nonnie]

ooo - I would need start to finish and most defiantly some hands on!!! Have fun teaching the class!!!

[scrappychic]

I say start to finish, not everyone knows how to roll those things, just show them a couple of times and have them do the rest.

[meems]

i think it would be more fun for them to roll their own.

sounds like a fun class!

i hope you can have someone take pics of you teaching it. wouldn't that be fun to scrap?

[Paula]

I think I'll have everything made up in bowls like Karen suggested, but teach them how to make the filling. Then have them roll their own.

As for the fried rice, there really isn't anything they can do for that, so I'll just cook it and let them watch.

I do have a friend that's gonna take photos for me. =))

[scrapmonkey]

When I learned how to make jiao-zi (the dumplings), my "teacher" showed first how to make the filling, then showed how to wrap it and then watched over each of us as we wrapped once or twice to correct if need be and then let us loose on wrapping the rest of our own. As a result, I still remember how to do it 20 years later...

[~Julie~]

Mmmmmmmmmm did someone say EGG ROLLS??? Yummy

I would want start to finish too but I would want enough time left after the teaching and learning to eat my creations so maybe have some premade mixture too