Lumpia (Filipino Vegetarian Spring Rolls)

You may be wondering why I am publishing another Lumpia recipe when I already have 2 on this blog. Well, you may or may not know it - but there are actually many variations of Lumpia (Filipino Spring Rolls) namely: Lumpiang Sariwa (Fresh Lumpia - unfried with a crepe-like wrapping), Lumpiang Hubad (Naked Spring Rolls - as you may have thought - it's fresh Lumpia without the wrapping), Lumpiang Shanghai (not really from Shanghai but named after the Chinese city which is mostly made with a meat-filling), Lumpiang Ubod so-called because it's made with Ubod which is the heart of the coconut tree and lastly, Lumpiang Gulay or simply Lumpia which is this recipe.

Lumpiang Shanghai or Filipino Spring Rolls are traditionally made of ground meat (usually pork), minced onions, finely chopped carrots and seasoning all rolled up in a paper thin wrapper made with flour and water. It is sealed at the end either by using  a sticky beaten egg or plain water.

By the name it is given, you can almost guess that it has its origins in China though for some reason we haven't dropped the "Shanghai" at the end and continues to use it to this day. I suppose the reason for this is to differentiate this from the other kind of Lumpia which uses mostly vegetables (though occasionally with a little meat tucked in) as filling. So when you simply say Lumpia, people will tend to think you mean the plumper and bigger spring roll rather than the "Shanghai" which is a smaller and meatier one.

In the Philippines, perhaps next to Pancit, Lumpiang Shanghai has got to be the most common dish you will find in any kind of celebration - whether it be a wedding, birthday, reunion or a simple get-together. The reason is that it can be made in bulk and ahead of time! True, it takes a bit of effort to make it (fancy making spring rolls for an hour or 2?) but when you make a lot of it - you don't need to make other extra dishes because everyone goes for the spring rolls! Besides, since you can actually make this at least a day ahead or even weeks ahead if you freeze them, then it's actually a very practical dish to make. So despite some labor required it does save time in the end and less stress in thinking of what other dishes to prepare. So make a huge batch, freeze and serve it whenever you need it!

Of course Lumpiang Shanghai is best eaten with a sauce. I usually prefer the sweet chili sauce, the kind that you find in any Asian store. In the Philippines though, it is often served with our favorite ketchup - Jufran Banana Ketchup! Yes, such a ketchup exists and I love it!

I always pre-cook my meat fillings for lumpiang shanghai so I take the guess work out of the equation (did the meat cook properly? did I season the mixture enough?) and my mother always did, so I wanted to play safe too! It maybe a bit labor intensive this way, but at least you’ll be guaranteed the results and no need for the rolls to really soak up all the oil in the deep fryer. Nonetheless, there are lots of ways one can cook lumpiang shanghai and they can all turn out yummy, too. Here’s my version which has always worked for me (even my little tots love it). It’s easy enough to tweak to suit one’s palate. And yes, if you bring this to a party, you'll be the star, well - at least the dish will be! :-)

Here's a quick photo tutorial on how to make the spring rolls. Details of the method can be found on the recipe below. 

Then, fry and enjoy!!!

Don't forget to serve with some chili sauce or even ketchup will do.

If you like what you see do subscribe to our posts via email. You can also like us in Facebook or  join us on Pinterest so you can get the latest recipes and so much more. Thanks for visiting and happy browsing! 

Lumpiang Shanghai (Filipino Spring Rolls)

By: Manila Spoon
November 28, 2012



That these are the best spring rolls is no exaggeration. Whenever I serve these Lumpiang Shanghai, they're gone in seconds. True crunchy deliciousness in every bite. Serve with a sweet chili sauce!

Ingredients

• 1 kilo / 2 pounds ground pork
• 8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 small Onions, minced
• 1 big or 2 medium size Carrots, finely chopped
• 5-6 tablespoons Soy sauce or to taste
• 1 Jicama (Singkamas) or a small tub of Water Chestnut, finely chopped (optional – but I do love the extra crunch and flavor either brings!!!)
• Salt and Pepper, to taste
• Oil for frying (enough to cover the rolls)
• 2 packs of paper thin Spring Roll wrappers (can be found in Asian stores), thawed

Instructions

1. Heat a little oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Saute the garlic just until aromatic (less than a minute). Brown the ground pork in the pan and season with a little salt and pepper (just to give the meat a little flavor so go easy with the salt). Stir the meat to prevent clumping.
2. When the meat has changed its color add the onions. Cook for another 3-4 minutes or until the chopped onions have softened. Add the carrots and season with the soy sauce. Stir to mix. Lower the heat and simmer for about half an hour (to allow the meat to absorb the seasonings). At this point, I add the water chestnuts or jicama and just let it cook for another couple of minutes. Adjust seasoning to your taste. Set aside to cool down. Drain completely to remove any excess liquid. I use a strainer to do this. It should be dry and not dripping with sauce. 
3. Prepare the spring roll wrappers and have a small bowl filled water near you. Place about 1 heaping tablespoon of the cold pork mixture in one of the corners of the wrapper. Spread the filling into the wrapper horizontally. Roll the meat mixture towards the middle. Fold both sides inward to seal, then continue to roll until you have about an inch left of the wrapper. Using your finger, brush the edges with a little water to seal completely. Make sure it is tightly secured. Place the finished roll on a deep baking dish (casserole) with the sealed side downwards. Repeat until all the meat is gone. To ensure that the seal does not open while you are frying it, I keep the rolls overnight in the refrigerator. This way they seal properly and won't open when frying.
4. Before you heat the oil, take the spring rolls out of the fridge so it will be a little warmer when you fry it. (Others have fried it from frozen, I heard). Pour cooking oil (enough to cover the rolls) in a deep pan and turn heat to medium and let heat up for about 10-12 mins. (If you have a deep fryer, preheat to about 350 F). To make sure the oil is hot enough, test one roll and see if it browns quickly. Fry the lumpia in batches until they turn golden brown. This shouldn’t take too long if the oil is hot enough and because they have been previously cooked. Do not overcrowd the rolls to allow them to brown evenly.
5. Place the cooked rolls in a strainer with paper towels to drain the oil while the other rolls are cooking. Transfer the cooked ones in a serving dish. You may again wrap them in paper towels to extract any remaining oil.
6. To double the amount, cut the rolls in half. Serve with sweet chili sauce, a yummy chutney or even plain old ketchup as dip! Yum!

Yield: 60-80 pieces depending on the size
Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Cooking Time: 30 Minutes
Total Time: 1 Hour

Lumpiang Pabo - Turkey Spring Rolls

Since Thanksgiving is getting nearer I thought I'd share my Filipino recipe for Turkey Spring Rolls. This is a wonderful dish if you wish to do something different with your left-over Turkey. You can opt to fry it, as we would normally do, but if you want a healthier, lower-fat version then you can bake them too! As long as it's crispy, it's good! Also, I added some vegetables with the turkey so it's not an all-meat variety, unless that's what you prefer.

Without much ado, here's - Lumpiang Pabo (Filipino) or in English - Turkey Spring Rolls.

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

3-4 cups cooked turkey, shredded

6 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 medium size onion, finely chopped

2 cups cabbage, chopped

1 cup carrots, finely chopped (Baby carrots are handy!)

1 cup bean sprouts

1 tub water chestnuts, chopped (optional)

Salt and Pepper, to taste

A few drops of Sesame oil (optional)
Lumpia Skin (Spring Roll Wrappers) - may be found at any Asian store (use the Filipino brand - the paper-thin variety, if you can find them)

For the Sauce to use for the Stir-Fry

Choices: Hoisin sauce (about 4 Tbsp or to taste), Soy Sauce (beging with 2 Tbsp), Oyster Sauce (begin with 1 Tbsp) or a Soy-Oyster combo. I usually eyeball the sauce so let this serve as a mere guide. Follow your taste buds!

I usually pre-cook all the ingredients before I fry or bake them but it’s not difficult to do so provided you’ve got all the ingredients ready.

Procedure

Heat the oil in a wok or a deep frying  pan in medium heat.

Season the oil by adding the garlic and frying it until aromatic, less than a minute. Add the onion and stir-fry for another 2-3 minutes.

Place the shredded turkey in the pan and stir-fry just until heated, 2 minutes more or less.

Raise the heat and add the vegetables and continue to stir-fry until tender, roughly 2-3 mins.

Add the sauce of your choice (I used the Hoisin sauce for this one because I wanted a sweeter flavor); stir until all the ingredients are glazed. Season with a little salt and pepper, to taste. Stir-fry until everything's coated and the sauce has dried up.

Once cooked, add a few drops of sesame oil (optional).


Set aside and cool down for a few minutes. Wait until it’s cool enough cause it will break the wrapper if it’s too hot. It should be pretty dry but if not, just drain. It shouldn't be wet.  


How to make the roll:

Completely thaw the lumpia wrappers before using. Note that the wrapper has the tendency to dry out so to avoid this, place a clean damp dish towel on top of the wrappers after thawing. Just lift up the towel everytime you get a new wrapper for rolling and then put it back in place to keep some moisture in.



Have a bowl of water ready. You will use it to seal the edges of the wrapper together.

Place about 1 heaping tablespoon of the turkey filling on one of the corners of the wrapper as shown. Spread the filling to make it easier to roll them.

Start to roll, tucking the sides inward as you go.

Put a little water to seal the edges securely.





You may cook this right away or leave in the fridge and cook it the next day. You can even freeze these.

Now, you can either deep-fry it (recommended) but if you’re health conscious you may  bake it, too (which I tried to know if it would work). I must admit, the deep-fried ones taste better though baking is a good alternative.

Deep-fry in hot oil (about 350 F) until golden brown. Oil should just about cover the rolls. If the oil is hot enough it should not take long. Cook the lumpia in batches. Allow enough room for each to roll in the oil for an even browning.

Use tongs to lift the cooked lumpia and transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the extra oil or place them in a sieve or strainer lined with paper towels too.     I normally line the rolls straight (vertically) on the strainer to allow the oil to drain better.  Below are the rolls after they've been cooked and drained. Don't they look gorgeously golden?

Alternatively, you can bake it in a 375F degree oven and bake until golden brown. Remember, it's already cooked, you just need to brown the skin or wrapper.  Don't forget to brush a little oil on the spring rolls before you bake them.

Of course, it’s not complete without the sauce or dip – choose either the sweet chili sauce or do your own Filipino sauce by combining vinegar, crushed garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl. Dip the rolls in the sauce! Yum!

Wonderful as appetizer or even as a main dish eaten with hot rice!

If you wish to print the recipe, there's a print-friendly icon at the end of the post. Click on the "remove images" box for easy and convenient printing.

If you like what you see and would like to receive new recipe updates, we'd love you to join our site or like us on Facebook. Happy browsing!