Pork Lumpia Recipe
Prep Time: 20 mins | Cook Time: 15 mins | Yield: 20-24 pieces
Lumpia is the Filipino version of the egg roll. Much like pork bbq on a stick, any party (pre-COVID), holiday meal, or special occasion is not complete without it on the menu. The most common meat to use is pork, but you can make this with any ground meat. To make a vegetarian alternative, swap the ground meat for shredded cabbage. The great thing about lumpia is that they can be made ahead of time and kept either for a day or two in the fridge and a couple of months sealed in the freezer. (If you do freeze it, let it thaw a bit before frying). Serve with classic sweet and sour sauce or any other dipping sauce; my preference is vinegar with a little spicy bean sauce to cut the fatty meat. This will be a great addition to any holiday spread!
Ingredients
· 1 lb ground pork
· 1 clove garlic, minced or grated
· 1 inch piece ginger, minced or grated
· 1/2 tablespoon fish sauce
· 1/2 cup finely chopped water chestnuts (see below for alternatives)
· 1 tablespoon cornstarch (see below for alternatives)
· 1 25-piece package egg roll wrappers (I use TYJ Spring Roll Pastry; thaw for about 10 minutes if using frozen)
Instructions
In a medium bowl, mix together pork, garlic, ginger, water chestnuts, and fish sauce. *Note: if you prefer your meat to be saltier, you can add up to 1 tablespoon fish sauce. Additionally, most grocery stores carry water chestnuts in their Asian food aisle. If you have trouble finding them, use shredded carrots.
Let the mixture marinate for at least 10 minutes. Alternatively, the mixture can be kept wrapped in the fridge overnight before wrapping the rolls.
Add in the cornstarch after mixture has marinated and mix until combined. This acts like the 'glue' for the meat. Alternatively, you can use 1 egg yolk.
Using one egg roll wrapper sheet at a time, start rolling the lumpia. Get set up with a small bowl of lukewarm tap water.
Place the wrapper so it forms a flat diamond on your working surface. Place about 2 teaspoons of meat mixture two inches from the bottom tip of the diamond. Take the bottom tip and fold over the meat and roll until you reach halfway through the diamond. Fold the sides, tuck any open corners, and continue rolling until about half an inch of the top tip is left. Use the tap water to wet the tip of the wrapper and seal the roll.
Once all rolls have been wrapped, you are ready to fry!
In a frying pan, place enough oil to completely submerge each roll, about an inch and a half in depth. Place over medium heat. You can use a wooden spoon or chopstick to test the oil's readiness. Place tool of choice into the oil and you will know it's ready when bubbles start rising from it.
Fry the egg rolls in the heated oil, making sure to flip the rolls every half minute or so to ensure they do not stick together and they cook evenly. Cook 4-5 minutes or until the wrapper is golden brown.
Serve hot with your choice of dipping sauce.
Enjoy!
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