From baybus@mindspring.com Sun Feb 16 15:00:12 2003 Please forgive the delay. Here are the Lumpia Recipes I promised:

Lumpia need to be made in “sequence.” You need to have the wrappers in order to make the lumpia. That’s “first.” If you’re going to use “store-bought” Lumpia wrappers, so be it. Skip the first part of the items below and go to the Sauce Recipe. When you have made the sauce and it is steeping you can begin on the filling(s).

LUMPIA WRAPPERS
Ingredients
1 cup flour
1 egg
1 cup water

Directions: Combine all 3 ingredients and whisk until smooth. Lightly grease a non-stick skillet and heat.
Pour in a thin coating of the mixture.
When the sides start to come away from the pan, lift wrapper out carefully. This recipe makes 10 wrappers +/-.

LUMPIA SAUCE
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/3 cup water
3 - 5 cloves garlic, crushed

Directions: Mix cornstarch, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar and water. Cook until thick over medium heat, stirring (or whisking) constantly. Transfer to a sauce container with the crushed garlic. Allow to steep at room temperature.

Lumpia Fillings
Lumpia are made with “this and that.” There is no “regular” combination of meats to veggies but there is the proviso that there should be more meat than veggies in the mix. Of course, this is “adjustable” to your taste.

The meats:
Pork is always good – about 1 pound of left-over pork roast chopped into a moderate dice If you have no left-over roast, about a pound of pork chops, cut off the bone and diced and then lightly sauteed with a sprinkle of salt & pepper will do well.

Chicken is the next-most-popular meat. About a pound of left-over roasted chicken cut into a moderate dice. Or, about a pound of chicken leg and thigh meat cut from the bone, diced and lightly sauteed with a sprinkle of salt & pepper.

Please remember that it is common to make one-meat lumpia as well as combinations of pork and chicken.

Shrimp/Crab/Lobster – These are not the most “common” but they are very good in the fillings. When I use these, I do not “mix” them with other more heavily flavored meats. Nor do I mix these together. I like the individual flavors.

The next step is the veggies: The “necessary flavoring veggies” for lumpia are Onion, garlic, ginger, potato and/or carrot.

“Nuke” a large potato in the micorwave (I scrape the skin of the potato with a wire mesh brush to make it “thinner” then pierce the potato about 5 or 6 times to its middle (– to let the moisture/steam escape) and put it in the microwave for about 6 minutes. When it’s done, take it out, let it cool a bit and dice it.

While the potato is “cooking,” peel three medium carrots (the smaller they are the “sweeter they are) and cut them “on the bias” to create “ovals” julienne the ovals into thin strips. Set aside.

½ medium onion sliced thinly and then cut into strips (once you’ve sliced the onion thinly, stack them and make one cut with you knife. Separate the individual strips and set aside.

2 cloves of garlic, minced: Place one clove at a time on the cutting board and cover with the blade of a wide knife, hit the knife blade with the heel of your hand and the job is almost done. The clove will be separaeted from the “meat” and only a bit of chopping finishes the mincing.) Set aside.

FRESHLY grate about 1 inch of ginger root. You can try the powdered ginger but the flavor will not be as intense. Set aside.

The “other” veggies: ½ pound of bean sprouts, washed and rinsed & set aside
½ pound “green beans” – “haricot verte” – fresh would be best, then frozen but don’t use canned because they will be mushy – but best for flavor would be “Filipino Long Beans” which are sometimes in the markets as “Chinese Long Beans.” Washed, rinsed, and cut into 1 inch pieces. And set aside. These are worth the hunting effort.
¾ pound cabbage, or bok choy, or romaine lettuce – washed, rinsed, sliced thinly and set aside.

Cooking Directions:
In a large skillet cook onion, garlic and ginger root in hot oil for 3 - 5 minutes or until tender and “transparent, but not “brown.” Add the potato and carrots. Cook, constantly stirring for 3 – 5 more minutes till almost tender.
Add the bean sprouts, green beans and bok choy. Continue cooking. Then will be “liquid” in the pan. Add the meat(s) of your choice now. Continue cooking until the liquid has evaporated. DO NOT COVER THE PAN.

It will be necessary to allow this filling mixture to “cool” a bit or you’re going to burn your fingers. I spread it out on a large platter to let is cool quickly. This also lets me empty the cooking pan, clean it and prepare it to fry the assembled lumpia.

When the filling is cooled down a bit, to assemble the lumpia, place a lumpia or spring roll wrapper on a flat surface in front of you. Spoon approximately 2 tablespoons of the filling nearly across the width of the wrapper. Be very careful not to place liquid in the lumpia or it will deteriorate in the frying. Roll the wrapper once to cover the filling, then fold side towards center. Moisten edges with water and continue to roll tightly. Set aside while you assenble the rest of them.

In a large skillet, heat 1 inch of cooking oil to 365 degrees. Fry the lumpia, a few at a time, for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Do not over-crowd the pan. Drain on paper towels, serve immediately with sauce.

Mabuhay!
Dr. Rufo