The funny thing about vegetable lumpia is that it has meat in it. Ground beef. Of all the lumpia, it is my favorite! I made it for the first time when Iko was living in the States some years ago with her husband Joel and daughters Popsie & Ruthie. I made it for her birthday and frankly, we were both surprised by how good it turned out!
I am not really sure what the key is to making seamless, non-greasy, nice & crispy vegetable lumpia because I’ve only been able to achieve that kind of “perfection” that one time. It probably entails a combination of factors: draining the filling well, wrapping the lumpia tightly, having a good lumpia wrapper.
If anyone reading this has a favorite brand of lumpia wrapper available in the States and Canada, please let us know!
Ingredients:
- Ground Beef
- Garlic
- Onion – chopped
- Olive Oil
- Potatoes – chopped
- Singkamas (jicama) – chopped
- Carrots – chopped or shredded (I cheat & buy them in the bag already shredded)
- Green beans – raw/fresh – sliced
- Beansprouts
- Lumpia wrapper
- Datu puti vinegar
- Egg wash or small bowl of water
Directions:
- In a large pan or pot, heat olive oil.
- Add chopped/pressed garlic & brown lightly.
- Add chopped onions and sautee for about 2 minutes
- Add ground beef until almost no pink is showing
- Add potatoes and singkamas; cook until potatoes are almost tender
- Add remaining vegetables plus salt, pepper & soy sauce to taste
- Simmer slowly being careful not to overcook thus drying out the beef.
- Once well mixed & cooked, pour into collander to drain juices and to cool.
- DO NOT USE SOGGY OR HOT mix to roll into lumpia – it will be a disaster! Trust me.
- Cut your lumpia squares in half diagonally.
- With point of wrapper closest to your body, spoon mixture in a straight line running parallel to the long end of the wrapper. Start rolling from the point to the long end being sure to roll tightly.
- Use either an egg wash or water to moisten long edge of the wrapper to seal the lumpia.
- Deep-fry lumpia in small batches and drain on paper towels.
Serve hot with chopped garlic, pepper & salt-laced datu puti vinegar.
