Definition of the word egg roll

The origin of the word "egg roll" can be traced back to the late 19th century when Chinese cuisine began to gain popularity in the United States. The dish, known as "jīn dūnbāozi" in Mandarin, is a type of Chinese dumpling that is filled with savory ingredients such as pork, vegetables, and spices, wrapped in a thin pastry dough, and fried. In the United States, as Chinese immigrants began to open restaurants serving these dumplings, they encountered a challenge in communicating their menu items to their predominantly English-speaking customers. In order to make the dish more appealing and easy to understand, they adopted the term "egg roll" to describe the dish. The name is a reference to the shape of the dumplings, which resemble eggs when rolled, as well as the fact that some variations of the dish are made with egg in the wrapper. The term "egg roll" quickly caught on and became a part of the American culinary lexicon, with the dish appearing in menus and cookbooks across the country. Today, egg rolls can be found in Chinese restaurants around the world, and are enjoyed as a popular appetizer or side dish.