Lumpia

Shush! If you conquer making Lumpia don't ever tell anybody. Keep it to yourself and your family. I really mean it. If the world finds out you can make Lumpia you will be making Lumpia for every party you ever go to in the future. People can not keep their hands off this delicious Filipino finger food!

Lumpia can be made with a lot of different fillings. This is pretty close to the classic recipe. You can find the other fillings on your own.

Lumpia

3-pounds ground beef

4 to 6 medium carrots, peeled and shredded

8 green onions, finely chopped

6 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon black pepper

2 large eggs

72 square Lumpia wrappers

1 cup water

2 tablespoons flour

Canola Oil for frying

For the filling: In a large bowl mix well ground beef, shredded carrot, green onions, garlic, salt, pepper and eggs.

Make a paste for sealing the Lumpia wrappers: Heat 1 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and increase the heat to medium-high; cook for a few minutes, stirring until the mixture has thickened just enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and transfer to a small bowl and cool.

Open one package of the wrappers at a time. Separate them carefully, stacking them on a plate. Cover with a clean, damp dish towel until ready to use.

To assemble the Lumpia: Place 1 wrapper on the table or counter in front of you, with one of the corners pointing at you. Place a one tablespoonful of the filling about 2 inches above the corner closest to you, spreading it into a mini log. Fold the corner over the filling, tucking it snugly against the filling so the corner lays flat.

Roll the filling twice, then neatly fold in the left-hand and right-hand sides of the wrapper so the remaining wrapper has two neat sides that are no wider than the beginning of the Lumpia roll. Roll once, then dip your fingers into the cooled water-flour mixture and use them to dampen the remaining wrapper to be rolled. Roll the Lumpia as tightly as possible, ending with the far corner of the wrapper. The Lumpia should be about 4 inches long. Place the rolled Lumpia in a single layer on a plate and cover with plastic wrap. Repeat to use all of the wrappers and as much of the filling as needed, keeping the Lumpia covered. If you need to stack them, place a layer of plastic wrap between the layers so the Lumpia do not stick together. If not frying immediately keep rolls refrigerated for no more than 24 hours or freeze.

Before frying line a colander with several layers of paper towels.

In a large frying pan pour Canola oil 1-inch deep. Heat oil over high heat. When it is hot enough to make a piece of the wrapper crisp and brown within seconds, it is ready to use.

Fry about 5 Lumpia at a time until crisped and browned, turning them with tongs as they cook. Each batch should take about 2 1/2 minutes. Use tongs to transfer the Lumpia to the lined colander when they are done. Repeat to cook all of the Lumpia you need.

If using frozen Lumpia do not thaw, fry them frozen. Each batch should take about 5 minutes. Turn often to keep them browning evenly.

Serve hot with Banana Ketchup for dipping.

Notes:

The amount of shredded carrot is a matter of taste. I like a lot. Some people don't use any at all.

I use square Lumpia wrappers made in the U. S. If you can only find the round Lumpia wrappers made in the Philippines good luck. I never earned my made-in-the-Philippine wrapper stripe, they are way to hard for me to handle and keep from tearing. I think you need to be Filipino to use them.