Traditionally my mom has filled her lumpia with a mix of carrot, green onion, mung bean, ground beef, and loads of garlic and ginger. This combination is absolutely fantastic, but I veered from the beaten path and made two different variations. The first followed my mom's recipe, only I omitted the meat, as cooking beef didn't sound agreeable, and I wanted a PKU-friendly lumpia. The second filling was an innovation: a kind of extrapolation from the descriptions of samosas Ryan had given me. Here are two lists of ingredients for each filling:
Filling the First
2+ carrots, shredded in a food processor or with a hand grater
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 bag mung beans
Fresh ginger and garlic, shredded*
Soy sauce*
Dessicated ginger and garlic*
Filling the Second
2+ Russet potatoes, cubed quite small
1 large yam, cubed as above
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
Dessicated: curry, masala, turmeric, cumin, ginger, garlic*
2 tbs light soy sauce*
1 tbs chutney
*To taste
These lists are not exact, as handed down and made up on the spot recipes are wont to be. Simply use your best judgment and play with the taste as you go along.
Other Ingredients Used with Both Fillings:
Egg roll wrappers (2 packages)
Corn starch
Water
Oil for frying
Dipping sauce (sweet and sour is my favorite, but wasabi, Mae Ploy, and others are also tasty)
Method
For filling one, shred carrots, ginger and garlic together in a food processor, and place in a wok or large pan. Stir fry along with mung beans and chopped onions, seasoning to taste, until all the vegetables are soft. Remove mixture and drain excess moisture in a colander.
For filling two, cube the potatoes and yam and stir fry in a wok with spices, soy sauce, and chutney until slightly mushy. Add the peas a few minutes before removing mix from wok.
To assemble the lumpia, begin by dissolving a little cornstarch in water, achieving a slightly watery consistency. With your fingers, spread cornstarch water around the edges of an egg roll wrapper. This will help hold the lumpia together during frying. Filling the wrapper is a trial and error process. You may arrange the wrapper in a diamond configuration or keep it square; I prefer the former. Too much filling will break the wrapper or cause it to explode in the oil, and too little will make the lumpia chewy. Place the filling in the middle of the wrapper.
Fold the top side down over the filling first, tuck the edges in, and roll tightly. If the wrapper won't seal, add a little more of the cornstarch glue.
In a large, deep, flat-bottomed pan, heat enough oil to cover or nearly cover the lumpia. Deep fry until the wrappers are golden brown and bubbly. Drain on a paper towel and serve with dipping sauce.
Yes, they are a lot of work (we didn't eat until around 10 pm) but it's worth it!
***
A few months ago, I made my second major fore into all things fried and made some corn fritters. They came out a little chewy, but they were simple to prepare and damned tasty.
Here's the recipe:
Corn Fritters
2 cups thawed frozen corn
3 egg whites
3 tbs corn starch
2 tbs chopped green onions
2 tsp dessicated garlic
A dash of pepper and salt
Oil for frying
Beat the eggs a little and whisk in the corn starch, garlic, salt, and pepper.
Mix in the corn and green onions.
Add 1/2 inch of oil to a deep frying pan, and when oil is hot, drop 1/4 cup portions of the mix into the oil. Fry for about 2 minutes on each side. Remove from oil and drain thoroughly. Serve hot with soy sauce or hoisin sauce.
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