LUMPIA

"LUMPIA" comes with different ingredients, Whenever I visited my grandparents in the suburb on the weekends, I tagged along with my grandfather to the cockpit arena. I am not an enthusiast cock fighter aficionado like him, but always looking forward to what I can eat from the different food stalls there. Now that I had developed my taste buds, I deemed the "lumpia" sold there are very pedestrian. The ingredients are coarsely cut sweet potatoes, chickpeas, jicama and other vegetables with hint of shrimp or ground pork. I can vividly remember that the color was saffron yellow from the "achuete. Those days I gorged myself with that kind of lumpia and other goodies at the arena.

Lumpia is only good depending on the combination of ingredients the cook rolled inside the wrapper The different region of the Philippines showcases their versions---from the banal to the exotic. They are all good! " The awareness and emphasis on health,one can make a vegetarian egg roll with soy based artificial meat products and vegetables of your choice.The possibilities are limitless and efforts will be well compensated at the dinning table.

The recipe below was an innovation on my part...thus I call this as more of a nouvelle cuisine, combining influences of the neighboring Asian countries with a Filipino touch.

FRESH LUMPIA


Prepare PURPLE YAM CREPES:

1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup corn starch
1/2 cup purple yam flour (can be bought in oriental super markets)
3 tablespoon melted butter
1 whole egg
1 1/2 iced cold water (approximately)*

Sift all dry ingredients in mixing bowl. Make a well in the center, add eggs and melted butter, mix thoroughly. *The batter should have a consistency of a heavy cream. If the batter is too thick, add tablespoon at a time until you reach the right consistency. Refrigerate for at least an hour. This will give the butter to form a little grain-like particles.

Heat a 8-inch skillet over medium heat. Spray a small amount of "Pam" (non-stick oil spray or with a paper towel wipe the skillet with oil). With a medium soup scoop the batter and pour into the pan and quickly give it a gentle swish spreading a thin coat of batter into the pan. Cook until the top is dry and invert the crepe, cook another 30 seconds. Slide the crepe from the skillet to plate. Cook tha rest of the batter, cover with a kitchen towel.

Lumpia Filing

Peel and slice;

1 medium size jicama (singkamas) cut in thin julienne
1 small carrots, cut thin julienne
1/2 medium size cabbage, thin julienne
1 stalk celery, dice fine

Set aside.

Wash and drain;
1 lb, mung bean sprouts

Saute and caramelize in;
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 cloves minced garlic
1 medium size chopped onion

Add;

1 lb lean ground pork
1 lb. shrimp, chopped coarsely

Sir-fry until the pork and the shrimp are done. Add all the vegetables, stir-fry for about five minutes. Do not over cook the vegetables. It should be crisp to the bite. Season with fish sauce and freshly ground pepper. Set aside to col a bit and start assembling the lumpia.

To Assemble;

Wash and dry with paper towel lettuce leaves (romaine, red oak, butter lettuce or bib are recommended) Lay out the crepe on a plate, place lettuce leaf at the center, a sprig of cilantro, put about two tablespoon or more of the filling on top and roll and fold like a rolled taco, but with one end tucked in...

Peanut Sauce

Lightly brown;
2 teaspoon peanut oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoon chopped shallot

Add;

1 cup coconut milk
1 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon Thai chili sauce (optional or to taste)

Stir and simmer for five minutes or until hot. cover and set aside.

Serve two rolls on a plate, pour peanut sauce on top, garnish with cilantro and roasted peanuts.


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FRESH LUMPIA "MY WAY"

Like I said above lumpia comes with different ingredients and still can be called a lumpia.

Prepare the Crepe;

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup corn starch
1 who;e egg
1 tablespoon melted butter or vegetable;e oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup iced cold water

Put all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix thoroughly.You should have a consistency of a heavy cream. Heat an 8-inch non-stick skillet. Pour about 4 tablespoonful of batter into the pan, swishing the batter in a circular manner until the pan is thinly covered. Cook until the top is dry, invert with a spatula and cook for another 30 seconds. Cook the rest of the batter, stack them on a plate one on top of the other, set aside covered with a kitchen towel till you are ready to roll the lumpia.

Assembly;

On a plate, lay crepe flat right side up (the side that hit the pan first), place a lettuce leaf on the edge of the crepe and a cilantro sprig. Put 2 tablespoonful meat and vegetable mixture, roll once, folding the other end to hold the mixture, continue to roll until you reach the other side of the crepe. Transfer the finished lumpia to a serving dish with the end-flap facing down. Continue the same procedure and until all the crepes has been rolled and rolled.




Lumpia Ingredients:

Rinse and drain:

1 lbs fresh bamboo shoots
1 carrot, coarsely grated
1 4-ounces water chestnut, coarsely grated

Saute in a wok until translucent;

1 medium size chopped onion
2 cloves of minced garlic

Add;

1 lb. ground lean pork
1 lb. shelled and chopped shrimps

Cook and stir for 10 minutes,

Add the bamboo shoots, carrots and water chestnut
Correct seasoning with fish sauce and flesh ground pepper.

"MA ALAT" Sauce for this lumpia.

I have no idea why the Filipino calls this "Ma Alat." Literally in Tagalog the word means salty. I guess this because of the soy sauce., but as you will taste it, it is a combination of salty-sweet taste.

In a sauce pan;

Combine and mix well;

3 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup soy sauce
6 tablespoon of brown sugar
1 1/2 cup water

Cook over low heat, stirring constantly to prevent lumpia.
Spoon the sauce on individual lumpia with minced fresh garlic.


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FRIED LUMPIA

During the days of my socialising and hob nobbing in the art scene, when people I met learned that I am Filipino, The number one question they asked was, "do you cook lumpia"? At first, it was alright for me, but as it become the norm, and felt disconcerted, I will say, "yes, especially if I expect an Anglo visitor" ...this way I can get rid of my left overs in the fridge," I imagine the retort was a little bit snooty...yet, I would let them know that the Filipino have an array of dishes other than the lumpia. This just like that most people I know will associate the Filipinos with the "Tinikling" or dancing the folk dance between two bamboo poles. This lead me to make a proposal to the Museum of Man to have a Filipino exhibition about the Philippine...'RITE OF PASSAGE-PILIPINO". The show was a big success that it was extended many times until it reached two and half years at the museum. Well that is another story...back to the lumpia!

PHILIPPINE EGG ROLLS

Combine and mix well;

1/2 lb. ground lean pork
1/2 lb. shrimps. chopped fine
1/2 lb. fillet of sole, chopped fine
1/2 cup coarsely grated water chestnuts
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 egg
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Separate the won ton wrapper individually.
place a tables spoonful of the mixture on each wrapper. Roll to a finger size, folding both ends, brush the flap-end with egg whites to seal. Deep fry in hot oil, drain on paper towel.

Serve with sweet and sour sauce.

AGRE Y DULCE/ SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE

Combine;

2 cups of pineapple juice
1/2 cup tomato catsup
3 tablespoon corn starch
Tabasco sauce to taste (optional)

Bring to boil, simmer, stirring until thickens. Finely chopped pineapple, red and green bell pepper will add to the texture.