The Filipino Fresh Vegetable Lumpia is often considered fiesta food. The “Fresh Lumpia”,as it’s called, is a vegetable roll with a thin, crepe wrapper. The wrapper encases a mixture of healthy food recipes stir-fried ingredients, with more vegetables than meat. There is also little pork, chicken or shrimps. It is served with a sweet, dark sauce, garnished with peanuts and minced garlic.
The vegetable lumpia recipe is also versatile. There are some veggies in the filling which are a mainstay, but other types are allowed. That’s why when SQUASH was picked by our monthly bloghop group as the main ingredient last November, making "fresh lumpia" with it is a big challenge. Squash is very nutritious and usually used for healthy recipes.
VEGETABLE FILLING:
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 whole onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
¼ lb. ground pork
¼ lb. shrimps, peeled, deveined and chopped
1 Tablespoon annatto seeds pre- soaked in ½ cup warm water
1 and ½ cup broth
1 bouillon cube, chicken or vegetable
1 cup cubed carrots
1 cup cubed potatoes
1 cup cubed squash
1 cup chick peas (or “garbanzos”)
1 cup sliced green beans
1 and ¼ cup coarsely chopped cabbage
½ cup crushed peanuts, unsalted
¼ cup fried garlic bits, for garnish
14 to 16 pieces lettuce leaves
PREPARATION
1. In a large skillet, over medium heat, add the vegetable oil. When skillet is hot enough, sauté the garlic, onions, celery till soft.
2. Add the ground pork and mix well with the sauteed ingredients. After about 6 minutes, when the meat turns from pink to brown, add the shrimps. Stir fry and blend.
3. Separately, drain and save the water from the pre-soaking annatto seeds, making sure to crush the seeds with a fork so that the orange color and annatto flavors stay in the liquid. Throw away the seeds. Add the annatto liquid to the skillet.
4. Add the broth and the bouillon cube. Blend the liquids well.
5. Add the carrots, potatoes and squash into the skillet. Cover and let the meat and vegetables cook for about 10 minutes.
6. Finally add the green beans and cabbage. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 6 minutes more, then turn off so that the cabbage and beans do not wilt. Set this vegetable filling aside, while preparing the wrapper and sauce.
The vegetable lumpia recipe is also versatile. There are some veggies in the filling which are a mainstay, but other types are allowed. That’s why when SQUASH was picked by our monthly bloghop group as the main ingredient last November, making "fresh lumpia" with it is a big challenge. Squash is very nutritious and usually used for healthy recipes.
VEGETABLE FILLING:
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 whole onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
¼ lb. ground pork
¼ lb. shrimps, peeled, deveined and chopped
1 Tablespoon annatto seeds pre- soaked in ½ cup warm water
1 and ½ cup broth
1 bouillon cube, chicken or vegetable
1 cup cubed carrots
1 cup cubed potatoes
1 cup cubed squash
1 cup chick peas (or “garbanzos”)
1 cup sliced green beans
1 and ¼ cup coarsely chopped cabbage
½ cup crushed peanuts, unsalted
¼ cup fried garlic bits, for garnish
14 to 16 pieces lettuce leaves
PREPARATION
1. In a large skillet, over medium heat, add the vegetable oil. When skillet is hot enough, sauté the garlic, onions, celery till soft.
2. Add the ground pork and mix well with the sauteed ingredients. After about 6 minutes, when the meat turns from pink to brown, add the shrimps. Stir fry and blend.
3. Separately, drain and save the water from the pre-soaking annatto seeds, making sure to crush the seeds with a fork so that the orange color and annatto flavors stay in the liquid. Throw away the seeds. Add the annatto liquid to the skillet.
4. Add the broth and the bouillon cube. Blend the liquids well.
5. Add the carrots, potatoes and squash into the skillet. Cover and let the meat and vegetables cook for about 10 minutes.
6. Finally add the green beans and cabbage. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 6 minutes more, then turn off so that the cabbage and beans do not wilt. Set this vegetable filling aside, while preparing the wrapper and sauce.
FRESH LUMPIA WRAPPER
Recipe from “Memories of Philippine Kitchens” by Amy Besa/ Romy Dorotan
¾ cup cornstarch
½ cup flour
1 pinch salt
1 and ½ cups water
5 eggs
1. Whisk the cornstarch, flour and salt together in a bowl.
2. Add the water a little at a time, while whisking.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time. Mix well. Cover this with a plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
4. When ready to cook, prepare a non-stick small skillet by placing it over medium heat. Put some cooking spray on the skillet. Once it is hot enough, pour 2 tablespoons of the batter into the skillet.
5. Tilt the pan all around to spread the batter. This should look like a round,thin, crepe-like wrapper. Cook the wrapper for about 30-40 seconds. When there are no more liquids on the surface, take the crepe wrapper out of the skillet, using a non-stick turner. Place the wrapper on a flat plate. Stack the wrappers on one another as you go along cooking.
FRESH LUMPIA SAUCE
½ cup sugar
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
2 cups broth
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons cornstarch + ¼ cup water
1. Mix the sugar and the soy sauce in a small bowl. Blend this well with the broth and salt. Put this mixture in a small saucepan, over medium heat.
2. Allow the sauce to boil. Once it boils, slowly add the cornstarch+ water mixture, stirring constantly while doing this. The sauce will get thicker.
3. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from fire and set aside till ready to serve.
4. Garnish top of sauce with crisp fried garlic bits.
TO ASSEMBLE FRESH VEGETABLE LUMPIA:
1. Spread one piece of Fresh Lumpia WRAPPER on a plate.
2. In the middle, place one lettuce leaf. Over this, spread out some 2 tablespoons of the vegetable filling. Make sure to add a little of everything, including meat and shrimps.
3. Top this filling with a sprinkling of crushed peanuts.
4. Wrap the lumpia like you’re wrapping a burrito, tucking in the bottoms so the filling does not fall out.
5. Arrange the fresh vegetable lumpia on a long platter. Garnish the top of each with some Fresh Lumpia Sauce, and a few crisp chopped garlic pieces.
Recipe from “Memories of Philippine Kitchens” by Amy Besa/ Romy Dorotan
¾ cup cornstarch
½ cup flour
1 pinch salt
1 and ½ cups water
5 eggs
1. Whisk the cornstarch, flour and salt together in a bowl.
2. Add the water a little at a time, while whisking.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time. Mix well. Cover this with a plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
4. When ready to cook, prepare a non-stick small skillet by placing it over medium heat. Put some cooking spray on the skillet. Once it is hot enough, pour 2 tablespoons of the batter into the skillet.
5. Tilt the pan all around to spread the batter. This should look like a round,thin, crepe-like wrapper. Cook the wrapper for about 30-40 seconds. When there are no more liquids on the surface, take the crepe wrapper out of the skillet, using a non-stick turner. Place the wrapper on a flat plate. Stack the wrappers on one another as you go along cooking.
FRESH LUMPIA SAUCE
½ cup sugar
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
2 cups broth
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons cornstarch + ¼ cup water
1. Mix the sugar and the soy sauce in a small bowl. Blend this well with the broth and salt. Put this mixture in a small saucepan, over medium heat.
2. Allow the sauce to boil. Once it boils, slowly add the cornstarch+ water mixture, stirring constantly while doing this. The sauce will get thicker.
3. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from fire and set aside till ready to serve.
4. Garnish top of sauce with crisp fried garlic bits.
TO ASSEMBLE FRESH VEGETABLE LUMPIA:
1. Spread one piece of Fresh Lumpia WRAPPER on a plate.
2. In the middle, place one lettuce leaf. Over this, spread out some 2 tablespoons of the vegetable filling. Make sure to add a little of everything, including meat and shrimps.
3. Top this filling with a sprinkling of crushed peanuts.
4. Wrap the lumpia like you’re wrapping a burrito, tucking in the bottoms so the filling does not fall out.
5. Arrange the fresh vegetable lumpia on a long platter. Garnish the top of each with some Fresh Lumpia Sauce, and a few crisp chopped garlic pieces.