Lumpiang Shanghai

Lumpia was something I love to cook ever since I was old enough to help prepare the food for family celebrations like my parents' Anniversary party every April or every fiesta which also happened to be my Mom's birthday. I always made sure we have lumpia. Lumpia or spring rolls can take form in a lot of ways. A common version is made with cooked ground meat and shredded vegetables wrapped in a rice crepe and deep friend until golden brown. Another similar version is named the Shanghai, a version from the city of which this spring roll was derived and named from. This version is a bit quicker to prepare with very minimal ingredients in comparison to other spring rolls plus it also freezes well. Another advantage it that the meat used for the dish can be interchanged from ground pork to ground chicken or turkey. It even works with canned tuna. Served with sweet chili sauce, this dish is perfect as an appetizer or served as a main dish together with steamed rice. 

Pork Lumpiang Shanghai - Pork Spring Roll Shanghai style

1 lb ground pork

1 onion, grated

2-3 gloves garlic, finely minced

2-3 medium sized carrots, grated

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

salt and pepper

1 large egg

1 packet square spring roll wrapper (20 wrappers)

1. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. To  

    check for flavor, take a teaspoon of the mixture and cook in the  

    microwave until the meat is cooked. Adjust the flavor as needed. 

2. Take 2 tbsp of the filling and lay on the one edge of the wrapper as a  

    tube. Roll as you would a leaf of tobacco and seal the edges with  

    water. 

3. Cut the filled wrapper into 1 1/2 inch size rolls using a sharp knife  

    or a kitchen shear. 

4. Cook in a preheated oil at medium heat until golden grown. Drain on  

    paper towels as you prepare to cook the rest of the lumpia.

5. To freeze the extra rolls, lay them individually on a baking sheet  
    and freeze until solid. Store in a freezer bag and store until  
    needed. To cook frozen lumpia, thaw for about 5 minutes on a

    baking sheet. Cook in preheated oil at medium heat.