LUMPIA WRAPPER

Lumpia wrappers are sold in most supermarkets in the frozen foods section close to most of the Asian foods. Or check out an Asian food mart in your town I'm sure you'll find it there.

Basically lumpia is a Filipino fried spring roll, filled with vegetables, and a protein. Generally it is filled with pork that's simply seasoned with salt and pepper. If the pork pieces are thick, the cook will heat it up in a pan, cool it, mix it with the vegetables and then fill a lumpia wrapper, fold it, and fry it. The best place to get cooked lumpia would be a local Filipino mart, or eatery. There's nothing like freshly fried lumpia, or sometimes it's sold cooked, and sits in a warmer. However if it sits in the warmer for too long, it becomes over-cooked and undesirable.

INGREDIENTS

- Pack of lumpia wrappers thawed.
- Vegetable oil for deep frying
- 1 minced garlic

- 1 lb. of pork loins, thinly sliced seasoned with salt and pepper
- 1 cup of thin sliced carrots
- 1 cup of thin sliced celery
- 1 cup of chopped bean sprouts
- 1 cup of thin sliced onions
- 1/4 cup of minced green onions.
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. vinegar
1 tsp. fish sauce (Patis)

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat up oil to about 360 deg. F. (for the deep fry) * Don't need to make it too hot as you will be cooking the other ingredients, just start to warm the oil, and when you are ready to fry it, turn up the heat so it will be hot at 360 deg. F. If you do this last, it will take too long for your oil to get hot. Remember pre-heating pans are a must for  a smooth operation in the kitchen. BE CAREFUL TO NOT GET BURNED!
2. In a separate 12" skillet heat up 1 tbsp. of cooking oil over medium high heat
3. Saute the garlic, and add in the pork, cook until it turns color, add in the rest of the vegetables and cook for about 5 minutes. Season with soy sauce, vinegar and patis. Remove from heat, and cool down.
4. Remove the wrappers, and fill some of the filling in the center of each wrapper, then gently fold each side in, and roll tight. 
5. Gently put about 2 each into the hot oil at a time, and using tongs, turn to cook until each lumpia is golden brown.

Plate on paper towels to drain oil, and serve with ramekins of vinegar and garlic.

WARNING: TURN OFF THE STOVE, AND PLACE HOT OIL AWAY FROM ANYONE. LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT THE OIL IS HOT.

Ron Sambrano Blogger

        

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