Lumpias are one of the most well-known snacks in Chinese food. Similar to the famous spring rolls, they consist of a thin wheat flour tortilla filled with vegetables and some type of meat, but the latter is optional. That tortilla is rolled up and fried, although there is now a growing trend to bake them instead of frying them to reduce the number of calories.
Like many dishes from the Middle and Far East, homemade lumpias have been westernized to bring them closer to the seasoning and taste of this side of the world. In this recipe that we offer you, we have tried to find a fusion between both flavors so that you know how to make lumpias without losing the traditional flavor of Chinese cuisine.
Ingredients to make homemade Lumpias:
Dough for lumpias:
- 150 grams of wheat flour
- 75 grams of cornstarch
- 300 milliliters of water (1¼ cups)
- 1 small egg
- ½ dessert spoon of salt
Filling:
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 medium cabbage
- 2 large carrots
- 2 large celery stalks (without leaves)
- 1 dessert spoon of salt
- 1 tablespoon of sugar
- 2 tablespoons of cornstarch
- Chinese 5 Spice Powder
How to make homemade Lumpias:
Tortillas or layers are the base of lumpias and there are many ways to prepare them. The traditional way can be difficult to prepare without experience, therefore, we will show you an easier way to make this dough for lumpias. First, place all the ingredients for the dough in a container and mix well.
Tip: you could also make the lumpias with rice paper. For this case, go directly to the filling.
It is important that you mix it with a whisk or fork instead of a blender to prevent the dough from having a lot of air. In the end, it should have a homogeneous appearance. It’s time to cook them. You can prepare them in two ways: pouring the mixture with a ladle or brushing the pan with the mixture. With this last technique you make sure that they are thinner. The important thing is that the pan is not too hot, we even recommend removing the pan from the heat before adding the mixture so that it cooks evenly. The tortillas are ready in about 3 minutes. Then flip them over and cook for 1 more minute. Store them together in a clean plastic bag.
Tip: the cooking time of the tortillas for lumpias is not exact, because if you notice that they are cooking in less time, you should turn them over and remove them earlier.
To make the filling, start by frying the garlic in about four tablespoons of very hot oil. Add all the cabbage chopped into very thin strips. It will seem like a lot of cabbage, but the vegetables tend to shrink in volume with cooking. Cook for 3 minutes. Add the carrot cut into fine julienne. Cook for 3 more minutes. Add the celery cut into very thin strips. 1 minute is enough. Add 4 tablespoons of water, cover the pot and cook for 5 more minutes. After that time, remove as much water as possible and season with salt and sugar.
Trick: you can add soybean sprouts to complement the vegetables.
It’s time to add the secret to achieve the particular flavor of homemade lumpias: 5-spice powder. If you can’t get it already mixed, gather some of these powdered spices: cinnamon, cloves, star anise, and anise seed, plus a little ginger. Mix well.
Add the desired amount of 5-spice powder, the shredded ham, and the two tablespoons of cornstarch. Allow it to rest completely.
Tip: you can start by adding 1 teaspoon of spice mix and taste to see if you want to add a little more or not.
When the tortillas and filling are cool, form the lumpias by placing a small amount of filling in the center of a tortilla. Fold the sides of the tortilla in and the bottom up. Look at the image. Brush the remaining end with a little beaten egg and finish rolling and sealing the lumpia. In very hot oil, fry the lumpias already assembled until golden brown, turning them over to cook them evenly. If instead of making fried lumpias you prefer to make baked lumpias, place them on a tray, brush them with a little oil and bake them at 180ºC until golden brown. The time may vary depending on the type of oven, but they usually take about 5-10 minutes.
Trick: For some people, the trick to a crispy lumpia batter is to fry them twice. However, the truth is that the thinner the tortilla, the crispier it will be without needing to fry it a second time. Of course, the oil must be abundant and very hot with a good fire.
Let them drain on a paper towel to remove excess oil. Serve your homemade lumpias with sweet and sour sauce and soy sauce.
Homemade Lumpias – Suggestions and Variations
As we mentioned at the beginning, lumpias can also be made with meat. Thus, the filling of the lumpias can be pork loin, meat, chicken or shrimp. You just have to fry the chosen product first and reserve it. Then, you add it to the vegetables when everything is ready.
On the other hand, one of the most frequent doubts when it comes to knowing how to make lumpias is whether they should be cooked in soy sauce. The truth is that clean ñas do not have soy sauce in the cooking because it tends to acidify the vegetables. Just use it to accompany your homemade lumpias.
