Lumpia Shanghai

Lumpia Shanghai, filled with ground chicken, water chestnuts, carrots, and green onions, is a hearty and tasty appetizer or main dish that will surely be a crowd-pleaser. Golden, crunchy, and in fun bite-size, these Filipino-style meat spring rolls are addictive!

⏱ Prep: 0 min ⏱ Cook: 400 min

Ingredients

1 lb ground chicken or pork
0.5 cup green onions, finely chopped
1 can water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and shredded
3 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp salt
0.5 tsp ground black pepper
20 piece spring roll wrappers
0 canola oil

Instructions

Mix ground chicken, green onions, water chestnuts, carrots, garlic, soy sauce, salt, and pepper until well distributed.
Separate wrappers into individual sheets and lay on a flat working surface.
Spoon about 1 heaping tablespoon of meat mixture on the lower end of the wrapper, closest to you.
Fold the bottom of wrapper over filling and continue to roll tightly into a thin log about ¾-inch thick. Wet the remaining edge of the wrapper with a dab of water to completely seal.
Repeat with the remaining mixture. Using scissors, cut each lumpia roll into about 3-inch lengths.
Get a pan on medium heat and warm up about 2-inch deep of oil. Add lumpia in batches and cook turning on sides as needed, for about 3 to 4 minutes or until it turns golden and crisp and meat is cooked through.
Remove from the oil and drain on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. serve immediately with sweet and sour sauce or banana ketchup. using slotted spoon or tongs
Do a taste test! Fry a small amount of the meat mixture and adjust seasonings as needed before wrapping.
Use fresh spring roll wrappers. Check manufacturing dates on packages, as the older the wrappers get, the less pliable and harder they are to roll.
While rolling, cover the rest of the wrappers with a damp cloth to prove them from drying out.
Do not overfill wrappers to ensure quick cooking. Roll the logs as tight as possible to prevent grease from seeping in.
Lumpia are best deep-fried. Use enough frying oil to cover the rolls fully. Watch your temperatures! If too low, the lumpia will absorb more grease. If too high, the wrappers will burn before fully cooked.
Cook in batches to prevent the oil from plummeting, and bring the oil back up to the optimal 350F to 375 F range before adding the next round. Skim the oil in between batches to remove any burnt bits.