Lumpia comes in many forms and I chose this fresh lumpia because it looked amazing. Additionally, I could make it compliant with the Plant Paradox diet that I am on with just a few tweaks. Lumpia is ubiquitous in the Philippines an it most popular fried. Fried lumpia recipes are easily found and all I can say is they are heavenly and found at every Filipino party. They are basically a small spring roll that is filled with vegetables and/or minced meats. The fillings choices are endless as is the dipping sauce.
After making this fresh lumpia I can say the same for making them fresh. The wrapper for the fresh lumpia is like an egg crepe and would make a wonder vessel for all sorts of things. Ubod means hearts of palm and was the type I chose to fill my wrapper with. I think you will fall in love with this fresh lumpia recipe.
Aside from hearts of palm the fresh lumpia also has pork belly, shrimp along with garlic and onions and a green leaf. It is however the sauce that really makes the fresh lumpia special. In order to make it plant paradox compliant you will use arrowroot instead of cornstarch, compliant sugar substitutes instead of brown sugar, almonds and almond butter instead of peanut butter, coconut aminos instead of the soy sauce, that is pretty much it.
I hope you love this fresh lumpia too! Did you know that the Capital City of the Philippines, Manila is also called the Pearl of the Orient? If you would like to learn more be sure to check out "Our Journey to the Philippines".
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Fresh Lumpia (Lumpiang Ubod)
Ingredients
For the Lumpia Filling
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 small onion peeled and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- ¼ pound pork belly diced
- ½ pound shrimp peeled and coarsely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- ½ cup water
- 1 can hearts of palm cut into matchsticks
- salt and pepper to taste
- green leaf lettuce leaves ends trimmed and leaves separate
For the Lumpia Sauce
- 2-3/4 cups water
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted peanuts ground
- 1 head garlic about 3 tablespoons, peeled and minced
- 3 tablespoons corn starch
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
For the Lumpia Wrappers
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 1-1/2 cups water
- 3 eggs beaten
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon oil
- nonstick cooking spray
Instructions
- In a frying pan over medium heat, heat oil.
- Add onions and garlic and cook until softened.
- Add pork and cook until lightly browned.
- Add shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until color changes.
- Add fish sauce and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add water and continue to cook until pork is tender.
- Add ubod (hearts of palm)
- Lower heat, cover and cook for about 10 to 15 minutes or until ubod is tender and pork is cooked through.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from pan and drain well.
- Lay a wrapper on a flat surface and place a lettuce leaf on top.
- Spoon about ¼ cup filling across the middle of wrapper and fold sides to cover filling.
- Pour sauce on top of prepared lumpia and garnish with additional minced garlic and ground peanuts.
For the Lumpia Sauce
- In a sauce pan over medium heat, combine 2-1/2 cups of the water, soy sauce, brown sugar and salt.
- Bring to a boil, stirring regularly, until sugar is dissolved.
- Add garlic and peanuts. Continue to cook for about 2 to 3 minutes.
- In a bowl, combine corn starch and the remaining ¼ cup water.
- Stir until mixture is smooth.
- Whisking vigorously, add corn starch mixture into soy sauce mixture.
- Continue to cook, whisking regularly, until thickened.
- Add peanut butter and stir until dissolved and well combined.
For the Lumpia Wrappers
- In a large bowl, combine cornstarch and water. Whisk together until smooth.
- Add eggs and salt.
- Stir to combine until mixture is the consistency of thin, runny batter.
- Set a 9-inch nonstick pan over low heat.
- Lightly spray surface of pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Add ¼ cup batter and gently tilt pan on all sides to cover with batter.
- Cook for about 30 to 40 seconds.
- When edges of batter begin to pull from sides and small bubbles begin to form in the middle of crepe, gently flip to other side using a spatula.
- Cook for another 10 seconds or until top is firm and dry.
- Remove crepe from pan by gently sliding onto plate.
- Repeat with remaining batter, spraying pan with nonstick cooking spray in between cooking.