Asian In America

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Lumpiang Sariwa – Filipino Fresh Vegetable Lumpia with Homemade Wrapper and Sweet Sauce

 

It was always part of my kitchen duty as a child, to put the lettuce leaf in the center of the crepe-like “lumpia” wrapper for the Filipino classic Lumpiang Sariwa or Fresh Vegetable Lumpia. With trembling little hands, I gingerly set the single lettuce leaf right in the center.  When I grew older, this task got upgraded to spooning the vegetable filling carefully on top of the lettuce leaf, making sure not to over stuff it. And if I was good at what I did, then I got to crush the peanuts that went on top of the veggies.

Once I was done filling the lumpia wrapper,  Mom would carefully wrap the entire thing in a perfect roll, making sure to tuck the ends inside. I knew I had done a good job when Mom proceeded to wrap the lumpia roll with a sheet of wax paper, identical to the size of the wrapper. If I did a perfect job filling the lumpia,  my heart swelled with pride.

As I grew older, my kitchen responsibilities grew. Later on, I was tasked with making the sweet gravy or what Filipinos call “paalat” (translates to “something salty”). Cooking the gravy with its combination of broth, sugar and soy sauce was easy. Once the cornstarch slurry was added, and the gravy thickened, I knew from the sweet soy scent that this was going to be quite a feast.

“Can you make this vegetable lumpia for me on my birthday?” my husband asked, as he chomped away on the crisp lettuce that was part of the vegetable filling. He was enjoying every morsel, the  crunchy garbanzos, crushed peanuts on layers of cubed carrots, potatoes, squash and green beans.  It was Fresh Vegetable Lumpia night and we were enjoying it at dinner like it was the first time we’ve ever had it.AsianInAmericaLumpiangSariwa3PiecesSauce

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Lumpiang Sariwa- Filipino Fresh Vegetable Lumpia with Homemade Wrapper and Sweet Sauce

Lumpiang Sariwa, the Filipino Fresh Vegetable Lumpia is often considered fiesta food. This is a vegetable roll with a thin, crepe wrapper. The wrapper encases a mixture of stir-fried ingredients, with more vegetables than meat. There is also pork, chicken or shrimps. It is served with a sweet, dark sauce, garnished with peanuts and minced garlic. The recipe for the lumpia wrapper was inspired by the "Memories of Philippine Kitchens" cookbook of Amy Besa and Romy Dorotan. The lumpia filling and sauce were adapted from "Let's Cook with Nora" by Nora Daza. This recipe I cooked serves 4 to 6 persons as a side dish or makes 14 to 16 pieces.
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Merienda, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Asian, Filipino
Keyword: Filipino Fresh Vegetable Lumpia
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 580kcal
Author: Asian In America

Equipment

  • Large Skillet or Wok: 12 inches in diameter
  • Small non-stick skillet: 8 inches in diameter

Ingredients

  • 4 Tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 whole onion chopped onion
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 1/4 pound ground pork
  • 1/2 pound fresh shrimps peeled, heads and tails removed
  • 1 Tablespoon achuete (annatto) seeds soaked in water
  • 1/4 cup warm for soaking annatto seeds water
  • 1/2 cup organic chicken broth
  • 1 cup cubed carrots
  • 1 cup cubed potatoes
  • 1 cup garbanzos (chick peas) canned, drain liquid
  • 1 cup sliced green beans edges trimmed, cut in 1-inch pieces
  • 2 cups coarsely chopped cabbage
  • 1/4 cup fried garlic for garnish on sauce
  • 14 to 16 pieces fresh lettuce leaves
  • 3/4 cup cornstarch for wrapper
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour for wrapper
  • 1 teaspoon. salt for wrapper
  • 1 1/2 cups water for wrapper
  • 5 whole eggs for wrapper
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 Tablespoons cornstarch diluted in 1/4 cup water
  • 1/2 cup unsalted peanuts crushed, for garnish peanuts (bottled)

Instructions

  •  To cook the lumpia filling:  In a large skillet, over medium heat, add the vegetable oil. When skillet is hot enough, sauté the garlic, onions, celery till soft.
  •      Add the ground pork and mix well with the sauteed ingredients. After about 6 minutes, when the meat turns from pink to brown, add the shrimps. Stir fry and blend.
  •      Separately, drain and save the water from the pre-soaking annatto seeds, making sure to crush the seeds with a fork so that the orange color and annatto flavors stay in the liquid. Throw away the seeds. Add the annatto liquid to the skillet.
  • Pour the broth. Blend the liquids well.
  •      Add the carrots, potatoes into the skillet. Cover and let the meat and vegetables cook for about 10 minutes.
  •       Add the green beans and cabbage. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 6 minutes more, then turn off so that the cabbage and beans do not wilt. Set this vegetable filling aside, while preparing the wrapper and sauce.
  • How to make the Homemade Lumpia Wrapper:
  • Whisk the cornstarch, flour and salt together in a bowl.
  •      Add the water a little at a time, while whisking.
  •     Add the eggs, one at a time. Mix well. Cover this with a plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  •       When ready to cook, prepare a non-stick small skillet by placing it over medium heat. Put some cooking spray on the skillet. Once it is hot enough, pour 2 tablespoons of the batter into the skillet.
  •      Tilt the pan all around to spread the batter. This should look like a round,thin, crepe-like wrapper. Cook the wrapper for about 30-40 seconds. When there are no more liquids on the surface, take the crepe wrapper out of the skillet, using a non-stick turner. Place the wrapper on a flat plate. Stack the wrappers on one another as you go along cooking.
  • Recipe Notes: This is the best Lumpia Wrapper recipe I've tried. I've experimented with other recipes, including mine. But this one is the winner.
  • How to make the Sweet "Paalat" Sauce:
  •    Prepare and cook the lumpia sauce or "paalat".   Mix the sugar and the soy sauce in a small bowl. Blend this well with the broth and salt. Put this mixture in a small saucepan, over medium heat.     
     Allow the sauce to boil. Once it boils, slowly add the cornstarch- water mixture, stirring constantly while doing this. The sauce will get thicker.  Season with salt. Remove from fire and set aside till ready to serve.    Garnish top of sauce with crisp fried garlic bits.
  • How to assemble the Fresh Lumpia:
  •      Spread one piece of Fresh Lumpia Wrapper on a plate.      In the middle, place one lettuce leaf. Over this, spread out some 2 tablespoons of the vegetable filling. Make sure to add a little of everything, including meat and shrimps.  Sprinkle crushed peanuts on the filling.      
    Wrap the lumpia like you’re wrapping a burrito, tucking in the bottoms so the filling does not fall out.
          Arrange the fresh vegetable lumpia on a long platter. Garnish the top of each with some Fresh Lumpia Sauce a few crisp chopped garlic piece.
  • *Copyright Notice:
    Hello, Friends! Please DO NOT LIFT OR PLAGIARIZE my original recipe. All the images and content on this blog are COPYRIGHT PROTECTED and owned by my media company Besa-Quirino LLC. This means BY LAW you are NOT allowed to copy, scrape, lift, frame, plagiarize or use my photos and  recipe content I wrote, on your website,books, films, television shows or videos  without my permission. If you want to republish this recipe or content on another website, video, news article,or media outlets mentioned above please ASK my permission, re-write it in your own words and simply link back to this blog to give proper attribution. It’s the legal thing to do. Thank you. Email me at [email protected]
  • Disclosure: As a participant in the Amazon Affiliate program, some blog posts contain links to products used in the recipe and sold on Amazon. The price stays the same for the readers who wish to purchase these products on my links. I earn a small commission from Amazon which helps maintain the blog expenses. Thanks in advance for your support.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 580kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 2019mg | Potassium: 343mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin C: 9.2mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 2mg

Notes on Nutrition: The nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.

Did you like this recipe?I have more Filipino Instant Pot recipes in my newest cookbook Instant Filipino Recipes: My Mother’s Traditional Philippine Cooking in A Multicooker Pot by Elizabeth Ann Besa-Quirino. I also have more classic recipes inspired by my mother’s cooking in my popular cookbook: My Mother’s Philippine Recipes. If you’re learning how to cook Filipino food or a fan of Philippine cuisine, buy my cookbooks and books on Amazon.com sold worldwide in paperback and Kindle format.

Copyright Notice: Hello, Friends! Please DO NOT LIFT OR PLAGIARIZE my original recipe, stories, photos or videos. All the images and content on this blog are COPYRIGHT PROTECTED and owned by my media company Besa-Quirino LLC. This means BY LAW you are NOT allowed to copy, scrape, lift, frame, plagiarize or use my photos, essays, stories and recipe content on your websites, books, films, television shows, videos, without my permission. If you wish to republish this recipe or content on media outlets mentioned above, please ASK MY PERMISSION, or re-write it in your own words and link back to my blog AsianInAmericaMag.com to give proper attribution. It is the legal thing to do. Thank you. Email me at [email protected]

 

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Comments

  7. [email protected] says

    Lovely step by step pictures.. i hear u about the small things that moms always do perfect.. your lumpia looks super.. thanks for sharing the story and culture and this beuatifully made lumpia!

    Reply

  10. dudut says

    it’s funny that we almost have the same story when it comes to family cooking and the graduation of duties in the kitchen…LOL

    I share your wanting presh lumpia, if there is one in any gathering, that will be the first one I will eat and order in a nyfilipino restaurant too!

    thanks for sharing the lumpia wrapper recipe, i have been wanting to know how it is done but I don;t know the recipe, again, my aunts don’t measure when they cook…

    happy #squashlove! glad to be sharing family memories with you!

    Reply

    • Elizabeth Q. says

      Hi Terra, thanks for stopping by. You can make this Lumpia,too. I can give you a GF recipe for the crepe wrapper. And the filling can be all-vegan if you prefer! Hugs,Amiga!

      Reply

  18. Lisa says

    What a fantastic write-up.Loved reading about helping your Mom make lumpia as a child, then you making it for your husband. Your lumpia with squash sounds phenomenal, and love that you make your own wrappers. The gravy is new to me, as the lumpia I purchase doesn’t come with it – served more like a spring roll to eat out of hand.

    Having said all that, loved cooking with you for #squashlove too! 🙂

    Reply

  19. mjskit says

    Love these wraps! The filling sounds delicious and those eggy wrappers – YUM! I’m a big fan of wraps of any kind so these are a winner! Thanks for hopping over to my blog and saying HI! #squashlove

    Reply

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