Lumpia Shanghai
Crispy, bite-sized Filipino spring rolls filled with seasoned ground pork and finely minced vegetables. These are a popular appetizer or party food, traditionally served with a sweet chili dipping sauce.
🧂 Ingredients
- 500 g Ground pork(500g (about 1.1 lbs))
- 2 medium Carrots(peeled and very finely minced (about 1 cup))
- 1 medium Onion(finely minced (about 1/2 cup))
- 4 cloves Garlic(minced)
- 1 Egg(lightly beaten)
- 2 tbsp Soy sauce
- 1 tsp Black pepper(freshly ground, or to taste)
- 50 Lumpia wrappers(Spring roll wrappers, typically found in Asian markets. Thaw according to package directions if frozen.)
- for sealing Water(Small bowl of water)
- sufficient for deep frying Vegetable oil(About 3-4 cups, depending on the size of your pot.)
- for serving Sweet chili sauce(Store-bought or homemade)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Prepare the filling: In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, finely minced carrots, minced onion, minced garlic, lightly beaten egg, soy sauce, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly with your hands or a spoon until all ingredients are well incorporated and the mixture is slightly sticky. The finer the vegetables are minced, the better they will integrate into the filling.
⏱️ 15 minutes - 2
Assemble the lumpia: Lay one lumpia wrapper flat on a clean surface, with one corner pointing towards you (diamond shape). Place about 1 tablespoon of the pork filling near the bottom corner closest to you. Fold the bottom corner up over the filling. Fold in the left and right sides towards the center. Roll the lumpia tightly upwards towards the top corner. Moisten the top corner with a little water and press to seal the roll completely. Repeat with the remaining filling and wrappers.
⏱️ 30 minutes - 3
Heat the oil: In a deep pot or wok, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 175°C (350°F). Use a thermometer to ensure the correct temperature. If you don't have a thermometer, a small piece of wrapper dropped into the oil should sizzle immediately and float to the surface.
⏱️ 10 minutes - 4
Fry the lumpia: Carefully place a few lumpia into the hot oil, being careful not to overcrowd the pot. Fry for about 4-6 minutes, turning occasionally, until they are golden brown and crispy all over. The internal temperature should reach a safe level for pork. Remove the fried lumpia with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack set over paper towels.
⏱️ 15-20 minutes (in batches) - 5
Serve: Let the lumpia cool slightly before serving. Serve hot with sweet chili sauce for dipping.
⏱️ 5 minutes
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓For extra crispiness, you can double-fry the lumpia. Fry them once until lightly golden, remove, let cool, and then fry again in hotter oil (190°C/375°F) for 1-2 minutes until deep golden brown.
- ✓Ensure the vegetables are very finely minced or grated to avoid large chunks in the filling.
- ✓Roll the lumpia tightly to prevent oil from seeping into the filling during frying, which can make them greasy.
- ✓Lumpia can be frozen before frying. Arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Fry directly from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the cooking time.
- ✓Adjust the amount of soy sauce and pepper to your preference.
✨ Twist Ideas
Inspiration for your own version of this recipe
- Lumpiang Sariwa: A fresh, non-fried version of lumpia, often served with a thicker, sweet and savory sauce.
- Add finely chopped water chestnuts for extra crunch.
- Include small, peeled and deveined shrimp in the filling for a seafood twist.
- Substitute half of the ground pork with ground chicken or turkey for a lighter option.