If generosity had a taste 2
Photography By Mary D. Dillard
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 | By Mary D. Dillard

If generosity had a taste

Filipino Fresh Lumpia

Issues of the One Voice will, from time to time, feature a syndicated recipe which either corresponds to a season or to a saint’s feast. When I went looking for a recipe that would be both seasonal for this issue and Filipino in origin, I came up empty. Luckily, the Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama is home to a dear and generous Filipino community, so I reached out to a member of the community, Anne Jabines, who just so happens to be a fellow John Carroll Catholic High School mother. I asked if she would be able to send me the recipe of a Filipino dish that is usually prepared during the Christmas season, but, with palpable excitement, she instead arranged for me to meet two of her close friends.

As usual, I was running late, but when I arrived, Anne opened the door. Sitting on her sofa were two of the sweetest and happiest ladies I have ever met, Minda and JoAnn Parica. After lugging in all my gear to take a few photographs of the special dish that had been prepared, I noticed multiple plates on the table. To my surprise, Minda, with help from her sister, had prepared not one, not two, but three plates and a bowl.

That alone is proof that I wasn’t being disingenuous when I described the community as “generous”! I set my phone out to record Minda explaining how she made the fresh lumpia, which is a Filipino spring roll. As she described how she made the spring rolls — two different versions, fresh and fried — I must admit that I was not only a bit overwhelmed but quite humbled.

First, I had never photographed food, nor had I ever written a recipe piece. Second, and most importantly, I was almost ashamed I had even made the initial request. I say that because Minda, who began preparations days in advance, had so willfully and happily prepared a part of her culture with such care just to share with me, one person she had never met before. Even after I was treated to the delicious spring rolls and delectable fruit salad, the major highlight was being treated with such unassuming kindness. The Parica sisters and Anne didn’t agree to help with the project out of mere cultural pride; on the contrary, they were simply living their Filipino culture, exemplifying warmth, cheer, and selflessness.

If generosity had a taste

 

For Minda’s other recipes, please visit

onevoicebhm.org/culture

Fresh lumpia

 

Filling

INGREDIENTS

  • Three small cloves of garlic, minced
  • One medium onion, thinly sliced
  • Six stalks of celery, finely chopped
  • One small bunch of green onions, finely chopped
  • One pound of ground pork
  • One cup of fresh shrimp, chopped
  • Black pepper to taste
  • Fish sauce to taste
  • Six cups of water
  • One jicama, thinly sliced
  • Five whole carrots, thinly sliced
  • Four medium Yukon gold potatoes, thinly sliced
  • One pound of fresh green beans, thinly cut lengthwise
  • Salt to taste
  • One quarter head of cabbage, shredded
  • Green leaf lettuce

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Sautee garlic, onion, celery, and green onions in a large pan or wok. Add in pork and shrimp, season with pepper and fish sauce, then cook fully (roughly 30 minutes), making sure to keep pork from sticking together.
  • Add water and bring to a boil.
  • Add in jicama and cook for 20 minutes.
  • Add potatoes and carrots, then cook until tender.
  • Add cabbage, cook, and remove from heat and drain.
  • In another pan, cook green beans, season with pepper and salt, cook until tender, and drain.
  • Combine green beans with the other mixture and place in the fridge.

 

Peanut sauce

INGREDIENTS

  • Three cups of water
  • One teaspoon of salt
  • One cup of white sugar
  • Three tablespoons of soy sauce
  • Three tablespoons of corn starch
  • One cup of dry roasted peanuts, finely ground

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine water, salt, sugar, and soy sauce. Add corn starch, making sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the bowl. Cook over medium-low heat until thick, stirring constantly. Let it cool.

 

Wrapper

INGREDIENTS

  • One cup all-purpose flour
  • Two cups of water
  • Three whole eggs
  • One teaspoon of salt
  • One half of a teaspoon of corn oil

INSTRUCTIONS

  • In a large bowl, combine one cup of all-purpose flour with two cups of water. Using a wire whisk, beat in three whole eggs, a teaspoon of salt, and a half of a teaspoon of corn oil.
  • Take care to incorporate all ingredients so no lumps are present, which should take several minutes.
  • Pre-heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat, and, using a silicone brush, quickly and evenly “paint” the mixture very thinly to create one round wrapper.
  • After about ten seconds, the wrapper will start separating from the pan along the edges. Do not flip. (Minda uses her bare hands to remove the wrappers, but to avoid burns, try carefully sliding the wrapper out of the pan.)
  • Place the wrapper onto a dry paper towel and cover with another dry paper towel. Repeat with each wrapper to avoid them sticking together. The recipe should make 20-24 wrappers. Set wrappers aside at room temperature.

 

Prepare the lumpia

  • Filling is made first, so it has time to chill, preventing torn wrappers.
  • For each roll, place a small piece of lettuce on a wrapper, put two tablespoons of filling on top, then add sauce on top of the filling and sprinkle with ground peanuts.
  • Carefully fold over the wrapper and repeat until all wrappers are used.
  • Peanut sauce can be poured over wrappers or served on the side. Garnish with ground peanuts.
  • If not serving right away, make each roll on a piece of wax paper and wrap individually. Store in the refrigerator.
  • Enjoy, but be sure to honor the hospitality of the Philippines and try to share!

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