EXPERIENTIAL

Lumpiang Shanghai Recipe

Filipino Spring Rolls

Lumpiang Shanghai or Filipino Spring Rolls are a hit in every Filipino gathering. These spring rolls are traditionally filled with pork and vegetables. Unlike any other kinds of spring rolls, Lumpiang Shanghai is filled with more pork than vegetables. The filling can be prepared up to a day in advance and chilled in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container. Remember to put plastic wrapper or aluminum foil in between the layers to prevent them from sticking together. When the spring rolls are ready for deep frying, deep fry it while it is still frozen because they are usually crispier when cooked in that way.

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Filipino

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 2 hours

Servings: 125 rolls

Ingredients for the Lumpiang Shanghai

2 lbs ground pork
5 cloves of garlic minced
1 medium sweet or yellow onion minced
1 bag (340g) of mini carrots minced
1 stalk of Chinese celery or the heart of regular celery, cut into thin lengths then finely minced
3 large eggs (The egg white from one of the eggs will be used for sealing the wrapper)
Salt and Ground pepper to taste (add according to your preference of taste)
1/2 cup all purpose flour
125 5" square spring roll wrappers (I recommend the Spring Home wrappers from TYJ Food which comes in 50 count packs)
Any type of cooking oil for deep frying (I recommend Canola or Vegetable oil)

Ingredients for the Dipping Sauce

2 tablespoons of banana ketchup (UFC or Jufran brand found in most Asian markets)
4 tablespoons of rice vinegar
2 cups + 6 tablespoons of water
2 tablespoons of granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons of heaping cornstarch

In a large bowl, mix the ground pork, minced garlic, minced onion, minced celery, minced carrots, 2 large eggs, flour, salt and pepper. Mix well using your hand or a big spoon. Adjust seasoning as necessary. Set aside for 30 minutes to let the flavors blend.
Separate the wrappers in advance carefully one by one and cover them with a damp kitchen or paper towel to prevent them from drying out.
Get 1 egg and separate the egg white from the yellow part. You can put the yellow part of the egg mixed in with the filling and use the egg white for sealing the wrappers.
The filling can be prepared up to a day in advance and chilled in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container.

5. To roll the lumpia, place the wrapper on a flat surface diagonally. Place a tablespoon of filling towards the bottom of the wrapper. Turn up the bottom corner and roll upwards to the other end of the wrapper.

6. To seal the lumpia, dip your index finger on the egg white and pat it on the remaining corner to seal the lumpia completely. Continue rolling until your lumpias are done.

7. Keep the lumpia covered in a single layer in the refrigerator with a damp paper towel over top until ready to fry, or freeze in an air tight container for later.

8. Make the dipping sauce by combining the vinegar, water, sugar, banana ketchup and salt in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil and stir. Lower the heat to a simmer, and cook until it becomes thin and clear, about 5 minutes. Take a few tablespoons of the liquid and create a slurry with the cornstarch, whisking until smooth. Stir in the slurry into the sauce, whisking constantly, to thicken the sauce. Set aside. If you don't want to make the sauce, you can also use sweet chili sauce, banana ketchup or tomato ketchup as your dipping sauce.

9. To fry the lumpia, heat the cooking oil in a deep fryer or deep sided skillet to 350 degrees. Working in batches, add the lumpia about 4-6 at a time, and fry until golden brown. You will know the the lumpia are ready when they are golden brown, and the filling is fully cooked; this should take about 4 minutes for freshly rolled lumpia, or about 6 minutes for frozen. Let the lumpia drain on a rimmed platter lined with paper towels. I recommend placing the lumpia standing straight up (like soldiers) so they do not get soggy.

10. Serve immediately with the dipping sauce.