Lumpia - Philippines

I have many good memories associated with lumpia and football. A family friend always made them for the Super Bowl party we went to, year after year, and everyone always loved them. They were out of the kitchen as soon as they came out of the fryer!

Most of the ingredients are fairly easy to come by, even for a country mouse like myself. You may have a hard time finding spring roll wrappers. I know I did, for years. Until finally I realized that we have an Asian market here in Salisbury. Subconciously, I knew it was there. But, I’d always avoided it because the mini-strip mall that they call home looks kind of skeezy. A month or so ago, I finally ventured in, and am kicking myself for not going in sooner. Everything was clean, and well organized – and ingredients that I’d been searching years to find (black vinegar! good fish sauce!) were on the shelves in abundance. Was so happy to see that they had spring roll wrappers, so I purchased a couple packages to stick in the freezer. Then came home and set out to try making my own lumpia!

They come together fairly quickly, as you don’t pre-cook the filling. Just make sure to chop the carrots and cabbage very finely – as this helps to lighten the texture of the ground pork. Also, keep in mind that lumpia should be a good deal smaller than an egg roll – because they’re almost exclusively meat, as opposed to shredded vegetables. It’s easy to find yourself wanting to put more filling in before you roll them up – but, resist that urge. About one fingers width and length is the amount of filling you want in each roll.

If you’re still looking for Super Bowl munchie ideas, definitely consider this one. They can be fried in advance, then kept warm in the oven for an hour or so – without having the crispiness of the roll suffer.  Which leaves you plenty of time to mix up some Hurricanes before your guests arrive! Also, GO NINERS!

Lumpia

1 lb ground pork
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 cup carrots, finely minced
1 cup cabbage, finely minced
1/2 cup green onions, finely minced
1 tsp ginger, grated
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
30 spring roll (or lumpia) wrappers
In a large bowl combine ground pork, garlic, carrots, cabbage, green onions, and ginger. Using clean hands, mix to combine.
To wrap the lumpia, place 3 teaspoons of the filling diagonally near one corner of each wrapper, leaving a 1 1/2 inch space at both ends. Fold the side along the length of the filling over the filling, tuck in both ends, and roll neatly. Keep the roll tight as you assemble. Moisten the other side of the wrapper with water to seal the edge. Cover the rolls with plastic wrap to retain moisture.
Heat oil in a large, deep skillet or dutch oven to 350 degrees. Place 3 or 4 lumpia into the oil. Fry the rolls for about 5 minutes, turning often, until all sides are golden brown. Drain on paper towels that are placed on top on a cooling rack. Serve immediately with sweet chili or soy sauce.