Lumpia or Lumpiang Shanghai is a Filipino egg roll dish. The filling or meat mixture is mainly composed of ground pork, minced carrots, and minced onion. Spices and seasonings are added into the mixture. It is then wrapped and rolled individually in thin flour sheets known as lumpia wrappers.
Each piece of lumpia is deep fried until golden brown. This makes it crunchy and more enjoyable to eat. It is served with either sweet and sour sauce, or with banana ketchup.
Lumpia is a popular dish in the Philippines. It is served during special occasions. Christmas dinner won’t be complete without this on the table. It is also a popular part of the menu during town fiestas, birthday parties, and weddings. It is best eaten with warm white rice. I personally enjoy eating it with Pancit Canton.
Cooking Lumpia
There are three major steps in making lumpia. The first is to make the meat mixture by combining and mixing all the filling ingredients. This involves ground pork, minced veggies, and seasonings. It can be done manually by hand or by the use of a tool such as a spatula, or mechanically using a stand mixer. It is important that all the ingredients are properly blended together to balance the flavor.
The next step involves wrapping the meat mixture in lumpia wrappers. These are thin sheets made from wheat flour. There are several ways to do this. Make sure to watch the video below to see how I wrapped the lumpia for this recipe. It is a good piece of information especially for newbies in cooking Filipino food.
The last and final step is to fry the lumpia. Deep-frying is recommended for best results. The Lumpiang Shanghai is simply fried until it turns golden brown.
Alternative Ingredients
Pork is the main protein used in making this dish. Ground chicken and fish flakes can also be utilized. Ground beef might work for some people, but it is something that I do not recommend.
Additional ingredients can also be added. I sometimes add minced singkamas to the meat mixture. Adding chopped green onions is also a good idea.
There are different kinds lumpia wrappers available in the market. The one used in this recipe are called spring roll wrappers. These are the ones traditionally used in the Philippines. Other thicker wrappers such as egg roll wrappers can also be used.
Tips and Tricks
The best lumpia are the ones that are crispy on the outside and cooked well in the inside. This means that the wrapper should be golden brown and crunchy and the meat mixture should be completely done.
It is important to be always aware of the temperature of oil while frying lumpia. Do not use high heat. It will quickly cook the wrapper while leaving the meat mixture inside incompletely cooked. I always recommend setting the heat between low to medium. It will cook the filling while the wrapper slowly gets browned.
Deep-frying the lumpia yields the best results. It ensures that all the sides of the spring rolls are cooked equal. It also saves you the effort of turning each piece over, compared when using lesser oil. This recommendation might not be ideal if you want to lessen your oil usage for budget reasons. It is up to you.
It is best to enjoy this with sweet and sour sauce. This classic recipe might be useful. Dipping lumpia in ketchup or in a mixture of soy sauce and calamansi works too.
Try this Lumpiang Shanghai Recipe. Let me know what you think.
Lumpiang Shanghai Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 lbs. ground pork
- 1 piece Knorr Pork Cube
- 50 pieces lumpia wrapper
- 3/4 cup carrot minced
- 2 pieces onions minced
- 2 pieces eggs
- ¼ cup parsley minced
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 cups cooking oil
Instructions
- Combine ground pork, carrot, onion, and parsley in a bowl. Mic well.
- Add egg, ground black pepper, salt, garlic, powder, and Sesame oil. Continue to mix until the ingredients are well blended.
- Crush the Knorr pork cube and add it into the mixture. Blend the ingredients altogether completely.
- Put 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of meat mixture over a piece of lumpia wrapper. Wrap and roll to secure the mixture. Continue this step until the mixture is completely consumed. Note: watch the video below to see how.
- Heat oil in a cooking pot in low to medium heat. Deep fry the lumpia until it turns golden brown. Remove from the pot and place in a plate lined with paper towel.
- Transfer to a serving plate. Serve with sweet and sour sauce. Share and enjoy!
Erwin Panangin says
Thanks for your time of sharing your recipe it is very helpful especially for people like me who really wants to learn how to cook. Mabuhay po kayo and may God Bless you more and more…. ????????????
Monsito G. ILARDE says
I’m learning a lot on cooiking different kinds of recipe through your blog. Thanks.