Lumpia

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons water
• 0.75 cup yellow onion – finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic – minced
• 0.5 cup carrot – finely minced
• 0.25 cup scallion – finely sliced
• 8 ounces shrimp, raw, peeled and deveined – finely chopped
• 1 pound ground pork
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 large egg – lightly beaten
• 40 wrappers lumpia
• 4 cups vegetable oil – for deep-frying
• banana ketchup – for serving

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch and water into a smooth paste; set aside for sealing the rolls.
2. In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, chopped shrimp, onion, garlic, carrot, scallions, soy sauce, salt, black pepper, sugar, and the lightly beaten egg. Mix with a spoon or clean hands until the mixture turns slightly tacky, 1–2 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes to hydrate.
3. Separate the lumpia wrappers and cover them with a barely damp towel to prevent drying.
4. Lay one wrapper on your work surface with a corner facing you. Place about 1 tablespoon of filling 1 inch from the bottom corner and shape it into a thin log.
5. Fold the bottom corner over the filling, roll once, fold in the sides snugly, then brush the top edge with a little cornstarch paste and roll to seal. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling, keeping both the unfilled wrappers and rolled lumpia covered.
6. Heat the vegetable oil in a deep, heavy pot to 350–360°F (175–182°C), with about 2 inches of oil depth.
7. Fry the lumpia in batches of 8–10, turning occasionally, until deeply golden brown and crisp, 3–5 minutes per batch. Let the oil return to 350°F between batches. Doneness cue: the bubbling will lessen and a test piece cut open shows no pink in the center.
8. Drain on a wire rack or paper towels for 2 minutes.
9. Serve hot with banana ketchup.