Lila Waite Wednesdays

image credit wikipedia

lumpia are basically fried spring rolls. i guess they're chinese food, but the filipinos have adapted them to many different tasty options.

lumpia

1 medium onion chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

3/4 lb. lean ground beef

3/4 lb. ground chicken

3 tbsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 1/2 c. grated carrot

1 1/2 c. shreddes cabbage

1 one pound pkg. lumpia wrappers or egg roll wrappers

5 c. oil

• Chop onion and mince garlic. Cook beef, chicken, onion and garlic in a frying pan until meat is no longer pink, breaking up meats as much as possible. While meat is cooking, peel and grate carrot and shred cabbage and set aside.
• When meat is cooked, pour off all liquid in the frying pan. Put a paper towel in with the meet and stir it around with a pancake turner to absorb remaining fat. Discard paper towel and repeat several times to remove as much fat as possible. Add soy sauce, salt and pepper to meat and cook on high for several minutes to evaporate some of the moisture.
• Add grated carrot to meat mixture and cook for two minutes. Add cabbage and cook until wilted. Spread mixture on a large cookie sheet covered with several layers of paper towels. Blot top with more paper towel to remove as much moisture as possible, then discard paper towels.
• Place lumpia wrapper with one corner pointed toward you. Place 2 heaping tablespoons filling in the center and fold closest point over the filling. Fold two sides toward center. Dip fingers in bowl of water and moisten remaining sides and point, then roll up, sealing edges well. Put on a greased cookie sheet until ready to cook. Cover with a towel to keep it from drying out.
• Cook in hot oil until well browned, turned often. Do not cook too many at once or it cools the oil too much. Cool in a paper-towel-lined cake pan and prop lumpia again sides to continue to drain. Makes 24 to 30 depending on the amount of filling in each one.

Sauce

1/3 c. white vinegar

3 tbsp. sugar

1 tbsp. ketchup

2/3 c. water

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1 1/2 tbsp. corn starch

• Mix together in a small saucepan and cook until thick. Dip lumpia in sauce.

confession: i've never made them before, and they seem pretty labor intensive. wish me luck...