FOOD NEWS
Lumpia Shanghai: The History Behind The Filipino Egg Roll
BY KAT LIEU
Despite what its name suggests, lumpia Shanghai is a quintessential Filipino egg roll made from a crispy wrapper stuffed with pork and veggies.
The filling is made of ground pork or chicken, carrots, green onions, garlic, and ginger, and seasoned with soy sauce, salt, pepper, garlic powder, oyster sauce, and hoisin sauce.
Eggs are sometimes used to bind the filling, which is then wrapped in a spring roll wrapper, lumpia wrapper, or thin crepe, brushed with an egg wash, and fried.
The dish takes its name from Hokken "lun" and "pia" meaning "moist" and "pastry," an apt name considering the filling is juicy and savory while the wrapper adds a crispy crunch.
Lumpia are often found at Filipino family gatherings, potlucks, and events, and are typically served with a sweet and sour dipping sauce made with banana ketchup or vinegar.
The dish gets its name perhaps due to the culinary influence China has had on the Philippines. It's likely inspired by Chinese egg rolls brought there by Chinese immigrants.
Compared to other egg rolls, lumpia use thinner, less doughy, circular wrappers, giving the rolls a slender, elongated form. There's even a sweet version called turon.