What is Lumpia?
Lumpia is a type of fried spring roll filled with a meat and vegetable filling usually containing beef, pork, or both. It is most commonly eaten in the Philipines and Indonesia. Lumpia is very similar to an egg roll, however, the key differences are that egg rolls have much thicker wrappers and lumpia are usually skinnier than egg rolls.
After having lumpia for the first time at a Filipino restaurant in Denver, I absolutely fell in love. The wrapper is crunchy and the meat filling is juicy and savory. There is nothing particularly complex about lumpia, but its simplicity makes it shine. Lumpia is also a great appetizer for any dinner party. They are easy to eat, really flavorful, and bring a little something interesting to the dinner table.
Why Sweet Chili Sauce is the Perfect Sauce with Lumpia?
Although lumpia are so good by themselves, adding a dipping sauce can help enhance the flavors. Lumpia is crunchy and savory, but you may be looking for a little heat or some sweetness to compliment your spring rolls. Sweet chili sauce hits on both of these components. The chili sauce is sweet and slightly acidic from the rice vinegar but also packs a serious punch of heat. Personally, I feel that spice and Asian food go hand in hand, so I feel it’s only right to pair the lumpia up with a nice spicy and flavorful sauce.
The Beef Filling
I think what really sets this recipe apart from other spring roll or egg roll recipes is the beef filling. Every ingredient adds something special. The carrots, green onions, and cabbage all add some freshness, as well as, some crunch. The garlic and ginger, staples of Asian cuisine, give the filling a pungent and aromatic quality. And finally, the soy sauce gives the filling umami notes and works to tenderize the meat due to its high amount of sodium. Overall, these ingredients work to create an abundantly flavorful filling that plays a large part in making this lumpia so delicious.
Beef Lumpia with Sweet Chili Sauce Recipe
Cuisine: FilipinoDifficulty: Medium16
lumpia40
minutesFilipino style egg rolls filled with beef and vegetables served with a sweet chili sauce.
Ingredients
- For The Lumpia
1 pound ground beef (80-20)
1/4 cup finely grated carrots
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
1/2 cup finely chopped cabbage
3 cloves finely minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 package wonton wrappers
1 egg beaten (for sealing the lumpia)
Canola oil
- For The Sweet Chili Sauce
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons Sambal Oelek (chili paste)
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 clove finely minced garlic
1 teaspoon finely minced ginger
2 teaspoons corn starch mixed with 1 tablespoon water (used as a thickener for the sauce)
Directions
- Start off by making the sweet chili sauce. In a medium-sized pot over medium heat, combine the rice vinegar, water, sugar, Sambal Oelek, soy sauce, minced garlic, and minced ginger. Bring this mixture to a boil and then add in the corn starch mixed with water. Cook the sauce until thickened (approximately 2 minutes). Remove the sauce from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
- For the lumpia filling: in a large bowl mix together the ground beef, carrots, green onions, cabbage, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, black pepper, and salt until everything is well combined.
- To assemble the lumpia, start by peeling off a wonton wrapper and spreading a little water on its surface. Then place a heaping tablespoon of your meat filling on one end of the wrapper, making sure to leave at least a 1/2 inch from the edge. Grab the edge of the wrapper and wrap it over the filling, making sure that your roll is tight. Continue to roll your lumpia until 2 inches remain from the opposite edge. Apply some egg wash on the remaining 2 inches of the wrapper. Then, as if you were folding a burrito, tuck in the open ends of the lumpia and finish your roll. Brush your seam with egg wash. On a large tray or plate, allow your lumpia to sit, seam side down, for about 5 minutes in order to have a stronger seam.
- Fill a large pan with 1/2 inch of canola oil. Heat your oil over medium-high heat for approximately 5-7 minutes. While the oil is heating up, prepare a large pan lined with paper towels in which you will place the cooked lumpia
- Place your lumpia in the oil seam side down and cook for 5 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Remove the lumpia from the pan, and pat them dry with a paper towel to remove any excess oil.
- Serve hot with sweet and sour sauce.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- You can use wonton or lumpia wrappers for this recipe
If you enjoyed this recipe, check out my last recipe for crispy pork belly with sweet and spicy vinegar.
