A festive gathering is not complete without a tray of lumpia waiting to be eaten. At least, in the Filipino and CHamoru culture that I grew up with. Lumpia is a classic staple for special occasions because there is nothing like a crispy, salty goodness that compliments so well with the rice, the chili sauce, and the barbecue.
Lumpia brings a nostalgic memory. Every bite is my childhood. I remember the days when I would stubbornly refuse to help my mom wrap lumpia on special occasions. The process is just so tedious for a twelve-year-old girl to handle and all I wanted to do was do was play outside. But of course, moms always win and I always end up filling each wrapper and brushing each corner with flour paste as she seals each wrapper as a result. By any Asian moms standard though, I always failed to impress her by overfilling each wrapper.
Years and years later, nothing has changed. The process of lumpia is still just as tedious. But my perspective has changed. I actually enjoy cooking and wrapping lumpia now. Somehow, I find it as a form of meditation.
MAKING THE TASTIEST LUMPIANG SHANGHAI
My parents have always taught me that adding a variety of vegetables will uplift the flavor of lumpia. In traditional Filipino cooking, where pork or beef is used, my mom would add carrots, celery, green onions, and (sometimes) ginger to bring out a tasty lumpia dish and mask the “fatty” aftertaste of the meat. Though, even going vegan, I felt that adding vegetables to a meaty appetizer dish IS NECESSARY.
If there’s one thing my mom took into consideration, is assuring that the flavors of the filling is delicious on its own. Adding the crunchiness of the lumpia wrapper will only complete the dish. I find this very important as there have been lumpia I have tried that depended on the fact that it is fried and salty. There’s no depth of flavor.
HERE ARE THE KEY INGREDIENTS TO MAKE THE FILLING.
- Carrots – will give a certain sweetness to the filling.
- Celery – will give it a distinct, earthy taste that will amplify the flavor.
- Green onions – to give a subtle, yet, finishing note
- Veggie Crumbles – Preferably, I like to use the Impossible Ground “Beef” or Boca Ground Crumbles. You can also use textured vegetable protein (TVP) or crumbled tofu as an alternative.
TOP TIPS FOR MAKING THIS LUMPIA
- Pre-cook the filling. Want to maximize the flavor profile? Pre-cooking the filling will open up flavors of the onions, garlic, and vegetables. You don’t need to cook thoroughly, just enough until all the ingredients are aromatic and well combined.
- Cook the filling hours in advance or overnight. Time equals flavor. The more time the ingredients soak together, the tastier the filling gets. Plus, it’s also easier to handle when the mixture is set and chilled.
- Freeze before cooking. While you can go straight into frying, which if you are short on time – feel free to skip the freezing part, freezing the lumpia overnight or at least for 1-2 hours will give it a nice crispier texture. It will also be easier to fry (if you’re not used deep frying, the rolls will be firmer manage).
- This recipe will work best as deep fried. While, I know a few of you will prefer baking, the best way to cook this is deep fried. Best temperature will be around 350 degrees oil for that perfect caramel color of the lumpia wrapper.
- Use an egg replacer. The cheapest option is flaxseed meal. It is also neutral in flavor and will not taste like anything. Reason why I prefer using some kind of “egg” to the filling is so that it binds better. Unlike traditional meats, if you’re using crumbles, consistency is a lot loose. A binder will help secure the filling, making it easier to handle.
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Vegan Lumpia (Lumpiang Shanghai)
Equipment
- Deep cast iron skillet or frying pan
- Pastry brush or small spatula
- Mixing bowls
Ingredients
- 12 oz vegan "beef" crumbles Impossible ground OR Boca
- 1 packet lumpia or spring roll wrapper (defrosted)
- 1 medium carrot finely shredded
- 2 sticks celery finely chopped
- 8 cloves (2 tbsp) garlic minced
- ½ medium (¾ cup) yellow onion diced
- 3 stalks (⅓ cup) green onions thinly sliced
- 1 large flax egg (1 tbsp flax seed meal + 3 tbsp water)
- ½ tbsp organic brown sugar
- 3-4 tbsp low sodium soy sauce or tamari for gluten free option
- salt & pepper to taste
- 16 oz (2 cups) canola or vegetable oil for frying
- sweet chili sauce for serving
For the flour paste
- 2 tbsp all purpose flour
- 4-5 tbsp hot water
Instructions
Prepare the lumpia filling
- Preheat a pan or skillet to medium heat and coat with a tablespoon of oil. Start off cooking by sautéing the garlic and onion until fragrant and onions are transparent in color. Mix in the soy crumbles along with the carrots, green onions, and celery.
- Season vegan "beef" crumble mixture with salt, pepper, soy sauce, and brown sugar. Sauté for about 5-7 minutes. You don't want to overcook the ingredients as they will be fried later, the objective here is to just open up the flavors of the vegetables.
- Turn off heat and allow mixture to cool down to room temperature. Place in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- Once soy crumbles have fully cooled down, add in the flax "egg" mixture to bind the ingredients. Since soy crumbles are very fine and crumbly compared to ground meats, adding the flax eggs will help give the mixture structure in the wrapping process. Fold until mixture is well combined.
Prepare the flour paste
- In small bowl, combine flour and hot water and whisk until it thickens into a glue-like consistency. The flour paste will help seal the lumpia wrappers properly and the best alternative for replacing an egg wash.
Wrapping preparation
- On a clean and flat surface, gently peel a wrapper at a time from the packet. Be sure you have defrosted the wrappers at least 3-4 hours (in the fridge) in advance so it is a lot easier to peel off individually. If your wrapper is shaped into a square, position it into a diamond with a corner facing towards you so that it is easier to fold.
- Using no more than a tablespoon (or less), start adding the filling, in thin horizontal formation near the bottom half of the wrapper. Make sure that the soy crumbles are in tact all together and it is not scattered – a scattered mixture can result to a loose and messy fold. Be sure not to overfill the wrapper. Overfilling can remove its crunch after frying. I find the sweet spot to be about ¾ of a tablespoon for a perfect crunch when frying and getting a good amount of "meat" inside the wrapper.Filling, of course, will vary on the size of the lumpia / spring roll wrapper of choice.
- Brush all edges with flour paste to ensure wrapper secures each fold. And start the fold from the bottom center, overlapping the filling. Press to seal. Be sure fold is sealed and filling is properly secured.
- Repeat the process but, now, fold on each side one by one, overlapping each seal almost creating like an open envelope. If the wrapper dries out, brush a little more flour paste.
- Now roll from the bottom work and your way up until it creates a lumpia roll. Be sure the roll is tightly rolled. Repeat the process until filling runs out.
- Set aside on a sealed tight container and freeze for later frying. If you wish to fry sooner, allow the rolls to freeze for at least 2 hours before cooking.**
- On a cast iron skillet or frying pan, preheat about 2 cups of oil to medium heat. Drop a piece of a lumpia to the skillet; if oil bubbles, it is ready for use.
- Fry each lumpia on each side until it is golden brown. Use a strainer or cooling rack to remove excess oil and cool down.
- Serve with chili sauce and a side of rice.
Notes
- Substitute flax “eggs” with an egg replacer as long as it is equivalent to two large eggs.
- Make the lumpia way ahead of time like overnight or a few days ahead. It fries best when it is in its frozen form.
- For finer chopped vegetables, you may also use a food processor or blender to chop all ingredients. I prefer this method so that the flavors of the carrots and celery do not overpower the soy protein, which needs to be the star of the dish apart from the crispy lumpia wrapper.