Lumpia@Kulinarya

While on a recent mini-break in Manila, I went on a Lumpia binge at the neighborhood farmer's market, in keeping with Kulinarya Club's theme for the month. Here's a sampling.....

Chinese-style Fresh Vegetable Lumpia

*****

Fried Lumpia with Beansprouts, Carrots and Green Beans

*****

Fresh Lumpia with Heart of Palm, Shrimp and Green Beans

*****

Caramelized Lumpia with Plantains and Brown Sugar

*****

While most of the Lumpias consisted of the standard sauteed vegetables and shrimp (or pork) rolled in a fresh or fried wrapper, the Chinese-style Lumpia had all that, plus some interesting toppings of seaweed flakes, a ground peanut-sugar crumble, and crisp vermicelli noodles. According to the Vendor, she prepares the vegetable filling by sauteeing diced shrimp and pork belly in plenty of shallots and garlic. She then adds sliced green beans, cabbage, carrots, firm tofu, and seasons it with salt and pepper. She makes a brown sauce by boiling water, brown sugar, soy sauce and minced garlic, thickened with a cornstarch slurry. I watch her assemble the Lumpia as she lays a romaine lettuce leaf on the fresh wrapper (see top photo), then proceeds to layer the drained vegetable filling, topped with the crisp vermicelli noodles, seaweed flakes, ground peanut-sugar crumble, fresh cilantro leaves and some minced boiled egg. Brown sauce is drizzled on and the lumpia is done. It's a wrap!