Spring Rolls

AFTER THE spring rolls of the Lunar New Year, we wonder if we can count the varia tions of spring rolls, locally known as lumpia.

Lumpia is a spring roll commonly found in the Philippines, a very savory snack made of a crepes pastry skin/wrapper filled with an endless variety of various foodstuffs alone or in combinations which transcends the imagination. Fillings can be of chopped veggies like carrots, cabbages, green shoots leeks. Minced meats are on tap, too. Sweets such as sugared bananas, sugared pineapple, the list is ad infinitum. They can be served as appetizers, as a second course, as an entree (especially if you are vegetarian), as bar chow, as a TV snack, and the list is just as endless.

Common ingredients include bamboo shoots, carrots, sprouts of any kind minced meats such as pork, chicken or beef, or flaked fish, or shrimps, only your imagination holds you back. Those are the savory fillings. On the other hand, the sweet or dessert fillings are just as much, and again the combinations are just as endless.

Pinoy lumpia wrapper is made thinner than other spring roll variants. The frying wrapper is made very thinly, while the fresh lumpia may be served otherwise, in a thicker more elaborate wrapper. The former, the very thin ones, are available in markets and supermarkets, while the thicker 'crepes style' usually are made by the cook, of egg, flour and water.

Most common is the lumpiang gulay, (veggies) and then the lumpiang shanghai, (with minced meats, whether pork chicken or others. Lumpia is offered as street food in every other fast food stall, from the poshest big supermarkets to the tiny street food hawkers of the night market. You just can't escape from lumpia.

Let's start with Pinoy variations

FRESH LUMPIA

This lumpia gets its name from the wrapper. It’s a freshly-made soft crepe that encases chopped up vegetables which then gets doused in a savory peanut sauce. The touch of green from the lettuce shows you exactly how fresh this lumpia is from its crisp fried cousins. If the lettuce is wilted, then the lumpia is not fresh.

LUMPIANG HUBAD

The rebel among the different varieties of lumpia, this version is the unwrapped version of all the lumpia variations. It completely ignores having a wrapper and instead, loads up on the flavor with as much filling and toppings as you can handle on a plate. Veggies are served and the sauce with peanuts and crushed garlic is on the side.

FRIED LUMPIANG SHANGHAI

The classic lumpia, this is the version that made kids and adults alike love the crispy fried rolls that we dunk in our favorite sweet and sour sauce. Packed in each roll is a flavorful meaty center that remains juicy despite the frying.

LUMPIANG ADOBO

Two Pinoy classics meet in one dish. This recipe uses up leftover chicken and pork adobo as the filling of this flavorful lumpia. Adobo sauce is also used and is thickened to be reused as the dipping sauce of these rolls. Added to the pork filling usually are little peas, cubed carrots and cubed potatoes. LUMPIANG UBOD

Ubod is the heart of the coconut palm tree and is the main ingredient of this delicious fresh (or fried) lumpia. It's deliciously fresh tasting with a crunch that remains despite being cooked, a great alternative to the usual fresh lumpia. For another signature touch, add some herbs to the batter, and create your own wrapper. TURÓN

A Filipino dessert, the turón features bananas or plantains and jackfruit rolled in a fried spring roll pastry. They're either dusted in brown sugar or drizzled with honey. Or these days, served ala mode, then drizzled with. chocolate syrup. How sweet can you get?

The use of lumpia/turon has expended to cheese and honey, camote and cinnamon, or it has a tart like filling of nuts and custard, more like the original turron. You see, lumpia can be as austere or as decadent as you want it to be. NEW TYPES OF LUMPIA

Lumpia puso ng saging or Banana Blossom Spring Roll is not popular in mainstream Philippine culinary palate, but once you tasted it, you will be a convert. It is one of the alternatives for meat and meat spring rolls. This ingredient is quite common especially when you come from a province where there are a lot of banana plants (and hearts) in bloom.

The common variety of banana blossom is the saging na saba (a type of plantain this is called dippig in Baguio). I have tasted this lumpia in a gathering of some senior citizen which prefers this type of lumpia compared to lumpiang shanghai.

This is the same with Lumpiang Kabute (Mushroom Spring roll) In mushroon growing areas, they used 2 to 3 types of mushroom, chop them finely combined with tofu, carrots and spices. They can be a good alternative to the usual fried lumpia, which is heavy on meat.

LUMPIANG GULAY RECIPE

Yield: the yield depends on the amount of filling that you put in each individual lumpia

Prep Time: 45 Minutes

Cooking Time: 30 Minutes

4 Tablespoons Oil

4 Garlic cloves, finely chopped, extra cloves, mashed for the wrapper spreading if you are going fresh

2 medium Onion, finely chopped

1 cup Carrots, cubed or julienned (or shredded) 2 squares of tofu, crumbled

1 cup Green (string) Beans, sliced thinly (same size as carrots if cubed)

1 cup singcamas, cubed or julienned

2 cuups of sqlueezed out puso ng saging

2 cups Green Cabbage, shredded

2 cups Bean Sprouts 2-3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce or to taste

1/4 cup Vegetarian Oyster Sauce or to taste, you can use vegetarian worcestershire or maggi Salt and Pepper, to taste Lumpia/Spring Roll wrappers (paper thin variety from the wet market if fried, crepes if served fresh

2-3 cups Oil (or just enough to cover the rolls) for deep-frying

Sweet Chili Sauce or Spicy Vinegar Sauce, for dipping

crushed peanuts mashed garlic and sweetish soy sauce for the fresh lumpia

Heat the oil in medium using a wok or large frying pan. When the oil is already hot, saute the garlic and onions until aromatic, about 1 minute. Brown the crumbled tofu and puso ng saging (if using) in the same saute mix saute till beige and aromatic

Add the carrots, green beans and cabbage and stir-fry for about 3 minutes. Add the bean sprouts and singcamas and pour in the soy sauce and oyster sauce. Season with a little pepper. Mix everything and cook for another 1-2 minutes until all the vegetables are tender but still retain some crunch. Adjust seasoning, if needed, by adding more salt, soy sauce, etc. to taste.

Remove from the heat and place in a strainer or colander to drain all the liquid remaining. Allow to cool completely.

To make the spring rolls, place about 2 tablespoon of the filling in one of the corners of the wrapper. Roll the corner with the filling (spreading it a little) towards the middle. Fold the sides inward to seal, then continue to roll until you have about 2 inches left of the wrapper.

Using your finger, brush the edges with a little water then seal completely. Make sure it is tightly secured. Place the finished roll on a platter with the sealed side downwards. Repeat until all the filling is gone. Since veggies lumpia is larger than shanghai, be sure to choose the larger sized wrappers.

Heat the oil in a deep pan until hot (it is ready when a tiny piece of bread dropped into the oil sizzles immediately). Fry the spring rolls in batches avoiding overcrowding for about 3-5 minutes or until medium brown in color. Transfer to a colander lined with paper towels. Place the spring rolls upright to ensure proper draining.

Serve with sweet chili sauce or to be authentic a spicy vinegar sauce.

Serve fresh with a lettuce leaf under the filling before rolling up the roll. Close the wrapper with a toothpick and put a hardboiled quail on top of the toothpick, to hold the wrapper together. Pour the soy sugar sauce with a topping of mashed garlic and crushed peanuts. Enjoy immediately!

NOTE THAT THE GARLIC FOR THE FRESH LUMPIA IS RAW, MAKING THE IDSH DOUBLING NUTRICIOUS, SINCE RAW GARLIC IS SUCH A GOOD ANTIOXIDANT.