Lumpia (Filipino Spring Rolls)
People that enjoy food as much as I do, are invaluable. Thank goodness that I’m surrounded by a lot of these types. My friend Janelle is one of them. She’s Filipino Australian and has lived in the Southwest and Southeast United States. Thus, she understands good tacos, chicken adobo, and collard greens. This chick is always ready for Dim Sum and it makes my heart sing. The first time I had Lumpia was when she made it. In this delightfully thin spring roll was just the right amount of meat, veggies and crispiness. At that point in my life, around 16 years old, I had not had anything close to this other than egg rolls. Since then, I’ve had homemade Lumpia by Janelle’s Mom and another friend, Janet. From all three of those, I’ve never made it with them. But from speaking to them, I’ve found that they all do something a little different. So, this week, I decided to jump out there and try it.
Lumpia
Ingredients:
1 package of Lumpia Wrappers (will be in the frozen or refrigerated section)
1 lb. ground pork
1/2 c. chopped carrots
1/2 c. chopped white onion
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp of fresh, peeled grated ginger
3 oz. shredded cabbage (green or red)
1/4 c. chopped green onion
1 tbsp. of soy sauce
2 tbsp. of fish sauce
1/2 tsp. of ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. of sea salt
1 egg, beaten
2 tbsp. and 2 cups of vegetable oil, separated
Preparation:
Season pork with salt and pepper.
In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil and cook ginger, garlic, white onions, and carrots until onions are translucent.
Add in pork and cabbage to the skillet and stir frequently. Once, pork is no longer pink, add in the soy sauce, fish sauce, and green onions. Cook for another 2 mins, then remove pan from heat.
While the mixture cools, setup your lumpia rolling station with your egg wash, a clean area where your wrappers will be placed and baking sheet to receive the rolls.
Place the wrapper in a diamond shape with a point facing you. Place 1 1/2 tablespoons of the filling diagonally near one corner of the wrapper. At the top of the diamond, add a little egg wash. Fold the bottom over the filling and then tuck both sides in, as you roll it. Fold the side along the length of the filling over the filling, tuck in both ends, and roll neatly toward the egg wash. Keep the roll tight. Continue on until all 25 wrappers are filled.
Fill a large frying pan with 2 cups of vegetable oil. Heat the oil over medium-high heat. Gently place the lumpia into the hot oil and fry until golden brown on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes total.
Place the fried lumpia on paper towels and serve immediately with sweet chili sauce.