Filipino Lumpia Eggrolls (Spring Rolls)

• Yield:25 servings
• Difficulty:Moderate
• Time:70 minutes

It all began about two months ago. We had our long time Facebook friend, John DuMars, over for dinner. We were providing the entree, and John brought the appetizers. He was born in the Philippines, and he had a special Filipino recipe he wanted to share with us. Special indeed! When he brought these over and we ate them, I swore up and down these egg rolls are going to make him rich and famous! We had a larger dinner party a few weeks later, and people were actually ordering and buying them from him! People even began requesting he make them in large batches for their graduation parties and other events.

Usually, I don’t give you complicated recipes because I don’t like complicated things unless they are really worth it. These are really worth it! Plus, they can easily be frozen and taken out as needed. So, one batch can last you a really long time, and that is really convenient. They are great for date night, parties, etc. If you choose to make these, I guarantee they’ll be a hit with everybody, especially if there are kids around! This is a fun food that’s a crowd-pleaser and can be made healthy. Traditionally, they are made with vegetable oil, but we make them with extra virgin coconut oil. It gives them a heavenly tropical flavor and has many health benefits which I’ve blogged about in the past (and will do so more in the future). If you are a vegan or wish to use only vegetables, simply leave out the meat and make more veggies, or use your favorite meat replacement. You can also make some with meat and some without if you have a mixed group of people with vegetarians. You can get creative with what you put in them, so have fun, fun, fun!

Ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon of vegetable oil (Prefer extra virgin coconut oil)
• 1 lb. of lean or grass fed ground beef, turkey, shrimp, or pork
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
• 1/2 cup diced carrots
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 cup of chopped green onions
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced cabbage
• 1 teaspoon of ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon of sea salt
• 2 cups of Vegetable oil (Prefer coconut oil brings out the flavor)
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon of low sodium soy sauce
• 25 Lumpia spring rolls wrappers (Wei-Chuan Spring roll Shells) or other spring roll wrappers. They are usually sold in the Asian section of the frozen aisle in the supermarket.
• 1 egg scrambled

Directions:

Prep time 45 minutes, Cook time 25 minutes, and ready in 1 hour and 10 minutes.

1) Place a wok or large skillet over high heat and pour in 1 tablespoon of vegetable or coconut oil. Cook the meat, stirring frequently, until no pink is showing. Remove the meat from the pan and set aside. Drain grease from the pan, leaving a thin coating. Cook garlic and onions in the same pan for about 2 minutes. Stir in the cooked meat, carrots, green onions, and cabbage. Season them with pepper, salt, garlic powder, and soy sauce. Remove from heat and set aside until cool enough to handle.

2) Place 2 heaping teaspoons of the filling diagonally near one corner of each wrapper, leaving a 1 1/2 inch space of both ends. Fold the side along the length of the filling over the filling, tuck both ends, and roll neatly. Keep the roll tight as you assemble. Moisten the other side of the wrapper with water, (I brush with some oil) to seal the edge. Cover the rolls with plastic wrap to retain moisture.

3) Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat, add oil to 1/2 inch depth, and heat for 5 minutes. Slide 3 to 4 Lumpia into the oil. Fry the rolls for 1 to 2 minutes, until all sides are golden brown. Drain on a paper towel. Serve immediately.

Nutrition: