Lumpiang Shanghai
Lumpiang Shanghai is a crisp, golden spring roll packed with savoury pork, onion, garlic, and a touch of sweetness from carrot. Each bite is crunchy outside, juicy inside, and especially good dipped in sweet chilli sauce.
Ingredients
Palaman
- 250 gground pork
- 50 gcarrot, very finely minced
- 40 gonion, very finely minced
- 8 ggarlic, finely grated or minced
- 15 mlsoy sauce
- 1 smallegg
- 20 gfine breadcrumbs
- 1 gground black pepper
- 2 gfine salt
Pambalot
- 10 wrappers (about 180 g)spring roll wrappers
- 15 mlwater
Pangprito
- 500 mlneutral oil for frying
Sawsawan
- 80 mlsweet chilli sauce
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the filling: in a bowl, combine the ground pork, carrot, onion, garlic, soy sauce, egg, breadcrumbs, black pepper, and salt. Mix thoroughly with clean hands or chopsticks just until the mixture looks sticky and evenly combined; this helps the rolls hold together, but avoid overmixing or the filling can become dense.
- 2
Separate the spring roll wrappers and keep them covered with a barely damp towel so they do not dry out. Place one wrapper on the work surface with a corner pointing toward you. Spoon about 40 g of filling into a thin log across the lower third, leaving a small border at the sides.
- 3
Fold the bottom corner over the filling, tuck tightly, then fold in the side corners and roll up into a slim cigar shape. Dab the final corner with a little water to seal. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.
- 4
Heat the neutral oil in a deep frying pan or saucepan to 175–180°C. Fry the lumpia in 2 batches for 4–5 minutes per batch, turning occasionally, until deep golden brown and crisp. The filling should be fully cooked and the centre should reach at least 71°C; if you do not have a thermometer, cut one open to check that the pork is no longer pink.
- 5
Drain the fried lumpia on a rack or paper towel for 2 minutes so the wrappers stay crisp. Arrange on a plate and serve hot with the sweet chilli sauce for dipping.
Nutrition per serving
Notes
- •For the best texture, mince the carrot and onion very finely so the filling cooks through quickly and the wrappers do not tear.
- •If the wrappers are large, cut each roll in half after frying for the classic bite-size presentation.
- •Maintain the oil temperature between batches; oil that is too cool makes the rolls greasy, while oil that is too hot browns the wrapper before the filling cooks.
- •You can roll these a few hours ahead and keep them covered in the refrigerator before frying.
Background
Lumpiang Shanghai is a beloved Filipino party and celebration dish, despite its name suggesting Chinese influence rather than direct origin in Shanghai. It reflects the long culinary exchange between Chinese spring rolls and Filipino festive cooking, evolving into the small, crisp, meat-filled rolls commonly served at birthdays, holidays, and family gatherings.
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