Lumpia - Spring Roll

 I was supposed to post it yesterday until I remember I have work the next day.  A good amount of sleep is vital to me.  Anyways, since this has started already, let me finish this blog post.  I did not plan to make lumpia or vegetable spring roll but I saw a picture posted on Facebook, so I got up from bed and started preparing all the ingredients.  I always have a stack in my fridge so whenever I feel like of making something like egg roll or spring roll, I do not have to worry about going out to shop.  

On my days off and I feel like going out.  One stop I cannot miss is going to Asian store.  I will buy what I think is important in my kitchen.  As a Filipina, root crops, spices and spring roll wrappers are some of the items that has to be in my shopping cart.  

Though it was my day off, I did not go to buy all the ingredients for my lumpia.  I phoned my husband and asked him to get me some vegetables.  I have spring roll wrappers in the freezer and it has been there for more than a month.  See, I was ready.

So, here are the ingredients:

• 1 pound green beans - thinly sliced
• 1 carrot - peeled, thinly sliced
• Beans sprouts - sm. bag
• Savoy cabbage - thinly sliced
• Ground beef - 2tbsp
• 1 beef cube
• 2 garlic clove - minced
• ½  onion – sliced
• 1tsp. Canola oil
• 25 pcs. Spring roll wrapper

 

My spring roll filling.

It is so easy to prepare.  In a hot pot, pour a little canola oil.  Once the oil is hot, put the garlic.  When the garlic turned brown, add the onion. If the onion is already transluscent, you can then add 2 tbsp. of ground beef.  Let it cook until it turned brown.  What I do, as soon as I added the ground beef, I also put the beef cube right after the meat.  Let it cook for 2 minutes.  Then, add the green beans and carrots.  After 2 minutes, add the savoy.  Don't cover it.  Let it simmer for another 2 minutes.  No need to add water.  The vegetables and the meat has its own juice.  You can put a little pepper and salt.  It is up to your taste.  I want my filling as it is.  Once filling is cooked, place it in a strainer.  You can start separating the spring roll wrappers.  You can start wrapping the filling according to your desired size. 

Beautifully wrapped.

  

So, you are done wrapping.  It is time to deep fry your vegetable spring rolls.  If you have a deep fryer, you can fry a set of five rolls.  I have a deep fryer but I am lazy using it.  I am more of an old-school.  I used a small pan and fry two or three rolls at a time. 

I place my cooked spring rolls standing up in another strainer with paper towel on it to remove the excess oil.  My husband does not like his spring rolls fried so I baked some for him.  I set the oven to 350F for 20 minutes.  It was good but I preferred deep fried.

Fried Lumpia.  Ciao!

For dip:

• 2 tsp. Soy sauce
• 3 tsp. Vinegar
• 1 clove garlic - crushed
• pepper
• salt
• 1 red hot chili pepper - sliced or crushed

Mix all the ingredients.  Let it sit for a minute so the spices blends together for a tangy and mild spicy hot taste.  You can also save the juice from the spring roll filling.  Place in a small pan, let it boil.  Add a little sugar, soy sauce, pepper and a diluted cornstarch.

Enjoy!