Lumpia

Lumpia (loom'-pee-ah) is a special recipe to me. Not only is it Filipino, but I was personally taught how to make it by a Filipino who is near and dear to my heart. I count it a treasure to be able to make and pass this recipe along to others. Lumpia is a Filipino meat roll that all can enjoy. There is nothing outlandish about its ingredients, and there are two ways to prepare it now that I have done some experimenting. The directions are quite detailed for this recipe, but that just shows how authentic and fun it is to make. Half the recipe for a family dinner, or make the whole recipe for a crowd!

2 lbs hamburger
1 lb breakfast sausage
2 cans water chestnuts, minced
1 1/2 cup carrots, minced
1 cup onion, minced
6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 cans mushroom stems and pieces, minced
Soy Sauce
4 pkg spring roll wrappers

1) Cook the hamburger and sausage together, making sure to crumble well. Mince water chestnuts, carrots, onion, garlic, and mushrooms. Combine meat and vegetables in a large bowl; mix well. Add soy sauce to taste; mixture should be moist but not soaking.

2) Open 1 pkg of wrappers at a time (prevents drying out). Using a soup spoon, get a heaping amount of the meat mixture and place at one end of a wrapper. Dip your fingertips in a bowl filled with water and dampen the opposite end of the wrapper. Fold in sides about 1" and roll up, sealing the damp end.

Here is where you choose your path...I promise both are TASTY!

Dangerous to Heart and Home: Frying

Fill a wok or deep pan with 2-3 inches of vegetable oil; place over med-high heat. Oil is ready when a single drop of water pops when dropped in the oil. Carefully place lumpia in oil seam side down; flip after a few minutes. Fry both sides until golden brown; drain on paper towels. Several may be fried at a time depending on the size of your pan.

Notes on Frying:

Frying is definitely the more difficult, though quicker, method; and it is the authentic way to make lumpia. Be very careful when frying anything, making sure to always keep an eye on the stove and children FAR out of reach. Sometimes if there is excess moisture in a lumpia, it will cause the oil to pop which is normal. If bits of the meat mixture get loose in the oil, use a slotted spoon to scoop them out to reduce popping. The first few lumpia will be lighter than the rest because the oil "seasons" as it is used. If the lumpia seem to be cooking to quickly or burning, just turn the burner down. Crispy, fried lumpia tend to get a little soft after refrigeration and can be rejuvinated by a quick second fry (though this adds to the greasy-ness); or just heat them up in the microwave...they are good soft too! Or even cold!

Safe to Heart and Home: Baking

Preheat oven to 425. Place lumpia seam side down on baking stone/sheet. Bake for 20 minutes; turn lumpia seam side up. Bake 10 more minutes.

Notes on Baking:

Tonight was my first try at baking lumpia. I have tried brushing them with oil and broiling them, which also worked. But I realize that all the oil may turn some away from trying this dish. So I baked them without using oil. Instead of a crispy, fried texture, they are a crunchy, baked texture. Delicious and non-greasy to both hold and eat. Make sure to flip the lumpia with tongs or other utensil as they are very hot. Also, let them sit a few minutes before serving -- they stay super hot after being in that hot oven! I'll post an update tomorrow after I see what happens when they have been refrigerated. My guess is that since they are not covered in oil, they will still be crunchy when reheated.

Freezing Lumpia:

-You may freeze the mix itself and buy wrappers as you want lumpia.

-Lumpia may be frozen already assembled in wrappers. It is a good idea to separate the lumpia with wax paper, saran wrap, or foil; but that is not totally necessary. It is a precaution against them sticking together. Lumpia can be fried from frozen. Do not let them thaw or the wrappers will become sticky dough -- and become one with another. Trust me with these tips...talk about a nightmare in the Home Ec lab kitchen thirty minutes before a huge dinner we were putting on. I say if you can, freeze the mix and always make the lumpia with fresh wrappers. Just know that if you WANT, you can freeze them.

General Notes:

-Spring Roll Wrappers can be found in the refrigerated part of the produce section of the grocery store. They are also known as egg roll wrappers.

-You can adjust any of the ingredients as you see fit. This was a non-recipe recipe I myself was forced to "measure" and write down. You just want a meat mixture that looks evenly distributed among all the ingredients and moisted (not soaked) with soy sauce. Don't be afraid to use your spoons to taste-test the mix! You should get all the flavors in one bite.

-A food chopper/processor GREATLY aids this recipe! Whew, all that mincing (VERY small pieces) takes forever and can be tiring...though that is the truly authentic way to do it. I told Matt today as I was making it that Lumpia should be the poster child recipe for Pampered Chef...were it not for alot of the prodcuts I have, I would rarely make Lumpia!

I highly recommend stretching your cooking skills by trying this ethnic, authentic dish! But I also caution you to try it on close friends and family first before you venture to do it for entertainment/hospitality. It's always good to have a recipe down before you show it to the world! Take the challenge -- and serve it with white rice and fresh fruit! You won't be sorry!