Lumpia
Submitted by sienna1
Filipino lumpia filled with seasoned pork, shrimp, dried mushrooms, and water chestnuts, fried golden and crispy. Served with sweet and sour dipping sauce.
YIELD
12 rollsPREP
20 minCOOK
20 minREADY
40 minLumpia are the Filipino answer to the egg roll, and once you’ve had a freshly fried one straight from the oil, the frozen versions will never satisfy again. These are filled with a savory mix of crumbled pork, chopped shrimp, rehydrated dried mushrooms, and crunchy water chestnuts, all seasoned with garlic, onion, and soy sauce.
The dried oriental mushrooms bring an earthy, almost smoky depth you won’t get from fresh ones. Soaking them for a full 30 minutes is a must so they soften completely. The water chestnuts stay crunchy even after frying, giving each bite that contrast of crisp wrapper, tender filling, and snappy crunch.
Rolling them diamond-wise (corner first) and sealing with beaten egg keeps them tight so they don’t burst open in the oil. You can assemble these up to eight hours ahead and refrigerate, which makes them ideal for party prep.
Pro Tips
- Drain the cooled filling well before wrapping. Excess moisture creates steam inside the wrapper and makes them soggy instead of crispy.
- Fry only 4 or 5 at a time. Overcrowding drops the oil temperature and gives you greasy, pale lumpia.
- Keep finished batches warm on a wire rack in a low oven rather than stacking on a plate, which traps steam underneath.
- Use a deep-frying thermometer. Consistent oil temperature is the difference between good lumpia and great ones.
Variations
- Use ground chicken or turkey instead of pork for a lighter filling.
- Add finely shredded cabbage or bean sprouts for more vegetable crunch.
- Serve with a spicy vinegar garlic dip (Filipino-style) alongside the sweet and sour sauce.
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare sweet and sour sauce; set aside.
Also prepare lumpia wrappers and set aside.
Soak mushrooms in warm water to cover for 30 min., then drain. Cut off and discard stems; finely chop caps.
Crumble pork into a wide frying pan.
Add onions and garlic and cook over medium high heat, stirring, until meat is browned about 6 min.
Add shrimp, mushrooms, and water chestnuts and cook for 2 min.
Stir in soy. Let cool then discard excess pan juices.
Fill and fold lumpia, start from a corner Diamond wise, then roll up bringing the sides in, moistening wrapper edges with egg to seal. May be covered and refrigerated for up to 8 hours.
Into a 2 to 3 quarts pan, pour oil to a depth of 1½ inches and heat to 340℉ (170℃) on a deep frying thermometer.
Add 4 or 5 lumpia; cook, turning as needed, until golden brown (2-3 min). Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels keep warm in a 200℉ (100℃) oven.
Repeat with remaining lumpia.
Serve with sweet and sour sauce.
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