Filipino Vegetable Rolls Recipes

LUMPIA (FILIPINO SPRING ROLLS)

Steps:

• Using a serrated knife, cut the square lumpia wrappers in half so that you have two stacks of rectangular wrappers. Place a damp paper towel over the wrappers to keep them from drying out as you work.
• Combine the pork, cabbage, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, chicken bouillon powder (if using), eggs, and ground black pepper in a large bowl. Using your hands, or a rubber spatula, mix the filling well so that the seasonings are evenly distributed.
• Place one of the rectangular wrappers vertically on your work surface with the short edge facing you. Place a heaping teaspoon of the filling on the wrapper about half an inch from the edge closest to you. Grasp the bottom edge of the wrapper and roll it up and over the filling, continuing to roll until 2 inches of wrapper remain.
• Dip two fingers into a bowl of water, then moisten the last 2 inches of wrapper with your fingers. Finish rolling the lumpia, then rest it on its seam. Continue rolling with the rest of the filling and lumpia wrappers.
• At this point, you can freeze your rolled lumpia if you wish by placing them in freezer bags and then into your freezer.
• To cook the lumpia, fill a large frying pan with about 1/2-inch 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 (if frying frozen lumpia, it will take 1 to 2 minutes longer).
• Place the fried lumpia on paper towels and serve immediately with sweet and sour sauce or chili sauce (bottled from the store is fine).

LUMPIA (FILIPINO EGG ROLL)

Steps:

• Brown beef and pork, until almost completely cooked. Drain fat. Cool and process in food processor or chop up into fine pieces (like Taco Bell taco meat or a little coarser) with fork.
• Combine meats, vegetables, egg, sauces, pepper in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour for flavors to set inches I like to prepare my filling the day before so it can marinate all night.
• Prepare wrapper (by separating) and place on a separate plate. Place 1 to 2 T of filling in the center of the wrapper.
• Fold left edge over all the way, then bring down top and bottom, then roll the rest of the way to the right, making a roll. hard to explain without a picture, but you'll figure it out -- looks like an egg roll when done, only thinner and longer. Seal with with flour and water mixture.
• After you have assembled all the lumpia, heat your oil (I use the deep fryer) to 375 degrees. Cook until golden brown, turning often, approximately 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
• Serve with sweet and sour sauce.
• Note: the wrapper packages usually have instructions for rolling the wrap. Times vary by experience and methods used.

TRADITIONAL FILIPINO LUMPIA

Steps:

• Place a wok or large skillet over high heat, and pour in 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Cook pork, stirring frequently, until no pink is showing. Remove pork from pan and set aside. Drain grease from pan, leaving a thin coating. Cook garlic and onion in the same pan for 2 minutes. Stir in the cooked pork, carrots, green onions, and cabbage. Season with pepper, salt, garlic powder, and soy sauce. Remove from heat, and set aside until cool enough to handle.
• Place three heaping tablespoons 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 a heavy skillet over medium heat, add oil to 1/2 inch depth, and heat for 5 minutes. Slide 3 or 4 lumpia into the oil. Fry the rolls for 1 to 2 minutes, until all sides are golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve immediately.

FILIPINO SPRING ROLLS

Steps:

• Heat 3 tablespoons vegetable oil in a wok or large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in ground chicken; cook until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Drain grease thoroughly. Stir in oyster sauce.
• Reduce heat to low. Mix cabbage, bean sprouts, and carrots into the chicken mixture. Season with salt and pepper.
• Place 1 spoonful of chicken mixture in the center of 1 spring roll wrapper. Keep remaining wrappers covered. Fold in opposing edges and roll up wrapper. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining chicken mixture and spring roll wrappers.
• Heat 2 cups oil in a wok or large saucepan over medium heat. Fry spring rolls in batches until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per batch.

FILIPINO SHRIMP, MEAT, AND VEGETABLE SPRING ROLLS

Steps:

• To prepare the filling, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes, or until the onion is translucent and sweet smelling and the garlic is beginning to turn blond. Add the chicken and cook for 1 minute, or until halfway cooked. Mash, stir, and poke the meat with a spatula to break it into small pieces. Add the shrimp and cook for 30 seconds, or until it begins to turn color. Add the mushrooms, carrot, and green beans. Give the mixture a big stir and sprinkle in the salt, pepper, sugar, and fish sauce. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, for about 4 minutes, or until the meat is cooked through and the vegetables are tender. Transfer to a platter, spread it out, and set aside to cool completely before using. You should have about 3 cups. (The filling can be prepared up to 2 days in advance, covered, and refrigerated aft er cooling. Return to room temperature before wrapping.)
• Before assembling the spring rolls, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. For each spring roll, place a skin, smooth side down, on your work surface. Place a generous 2 tablespoons of filling slightly below the center of the skin. Brush some beaten egg on all of the exposed edges to ensure a good seal and roll to create a cigar shape, following the directions on page 75. Set the finished rolls, seam side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Cover with a kitchen towel to prevent drying. (To freeze, put them on the prepared baking sheet, about 1/2 inch apart, and slide them into the freezer. After they have hardened, about 1 hour, transfer them to a zip-top freezer bag and keep frozen. Fry them unthawed. They will take a little longer than 3 minutes but will be just fine.)
• To make the dipping sauce, combine the vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic in a communal dipping sauce bowl and set at the table.
• To fry, heat 1 inch of oil in a wok, saucepan, or deep skillet over medium-high heat to about 350°F on a deep-fry thermometer. (If you don't have a deep-fry thermometer, stick a dry bamboo chopstick into the oil; if bubbles rise immediately to the surface and encircle the chopstick, the oil is ready.) Slide in a few spring rolls and fry, turning as needed, for about 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oil and drain. Repeat with the remaining rolls. After all the rolls are fried, you can fry them again for 30 seconds at 350°F to reheat, as necessary.
• Serve hot, whole or cut in half diagonally, with the sauce.