Lumpia - Filipino Egg Roll

Dec 15, 2009

Lumpia is a Filipino egg roll  appetizer that you'll always see at Filipino get-togethers.  They're crispy with a meaty vegetable filling and they're additively good. Lumpia brings me back to my parent's kitchen of rolling Lumpia on the kitchen table with family. We kids would see who can make the best and the fastest one. When I first starting rolling them, I remember I was banned from making them because I never made them before so they had me separate the sheets. They easily tore and when I was good at separating them I was moved to the filling part which was a big deal at that time to me. With practice Then after the 50th roll, the excitement wears off and you just want to cook them and eat them. I miss those days...now whenever there's a party, my mom makes extras and gives me the frozen ones to cook at a later time. The holidays are coming and I wanted to make some since the parents are in Old Country this year. So I decided to make some tonight so that I didn't have to rush next week in making them and freeze them. Of course I couldn't resist eating them and cooked a few. I dip my Lumpia in a vinegar with a little garlic. 

Ingredients:
1 tbs of peanut oil

1 lbs of ground beef or ground pork
carrots, diced
1/2 cup of  yellow onions, chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced or grated 
4 oz of canned water chestnuts, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3/4 cup of cabbage, thinly sliced
salt and pepper
1 package of 50 egg roll wrappers
1 egg, beaten
1 tbs of water
2 cups of vegetable oil

Vinegar Sauce
1/4 cup of vinegar
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 tsp of fish sauce
pinch of fresh ground pepper

Directions:
In a large skillet, heat oil and cook beef until brown. Drain grease. Add onions, garlic and cook until translucent. Add carrots, cabbage, and chestnuts and saute for 2-4 minutes until cooked. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside until cooled enough to handle
Beat egg and water and set aside.
Place a wrapper on a clean surface with the corner pointing towards you. Place 2 tbs of the meat mixture towards the tip, fold the tip over then fold the sides over and tightly roll. Towards the end of the roll, dab a little egg mixture to seal.
Heat oil in a skillet, fry the egg roll until golden brown.