Lumpiang Shanghai or Deep Fried Pinoy Spring Rolls

Here's a different twist to your normal lumpiang shanghai:

Ingredients:

- 750 grams ground lean pork
- 250 grams minced shrimp (Optional, but it would be great if you have this. I didn't put any the last time I made some)
- 3 medium sized carrots
- 3 medium sized sweet potatoes (This is not usually used in making lumpiang shanghai, actually the sweet potato made an interesting flavor to the lumpiang shanghai. It gave a bit of a sweeter taste)
- few stalks of minced spring onions
- 1 medium sized onions
- half bulb garlic
- 2 medium sized eggs
- ground pepper
- salt

For wrapping:

- 2 packages of lumpia wrapper (I think 12 pcs per pack. If you're in the Philippines, you can readily buy the lumpia wrapper in any wet or local market, groceries or supermarkets. If you're outside the Philippines, you can buy them, maybe, at a Filipino store, like Seafood City in San Diego, California or your Chinese stores. I usually cut them in half instead of using the whole wrapper. You don't want to have a big lumpiang shanghai because of the cooking time. You might end up with a burnt lumpia wrapper and raw meat inside)
- a bit of water with a bit of cornstarch (well actually you can do away with cornstarch) - this is used to seal the lumpia. You don't want the meat coming out of your wrapper right?

For the sauce (optional):

- half a bottle of tomato ketchup original blend 320 grams (So that's 160 grams. Here in the Philippines we have a sweet blend. You can use this if you like and not add any more sugar as it is already sweet. Kaya nga sweet blend e)
- vinegar (it really doesn't matter what kind really, just use the ones you normally use when you make a paksiw. No need to use the expensive ones like the balsamic vinegar, vinegar wine or black vinegar, apple cider etc.)
- water, sugar and salt to taste
- cornstarch (to have that thick consistency)


Instructions for making the lumpiang shanghai:

Since I wanted everything to be fast and I don't have my electric chopper with me (I left it at my home in Pasig), I grated the carrots, sweet potatoes, onions and garlic into a bowl. If you have time in your hands, chop them to itsy bitsy tiny weenie little pieces.

Mix all the ingredients above into one bowl. It's fun using mixing them with your hands or if you feel icky about it, use a fork or a spoon. Mix well.

Salt and pepper to taste. I did not put the measurements for salt and pepper because when I cook I don't really use any measurements at all (besides I know some of you like it salty and I don't). Just lick the tip of your finger to know if it's salty or not. I know all of the ingredients are raw, but I have this habit of giving it a taste using the tip of my finger.

When you have mixed all the ingredients, then you're ready to wrap the lumpiang shanghai.


Instructions for wrapping the lumpiang shanghai:

I realized that I did not take any pictures of wrapping the lumpiang shanghai when I did it the other day...oh well, I'm sure you can search a lot of references in youtube or in other food websites.

But anyway, this is what I usually do:
1. Using the half sheet of lumpia wrapper, put the mixture in the middle and edge of the wrapper.
2. Fold the left and right flaps securing firmly the meat inside the wrapper then roll.
3. Wet the other end of the wrapper with the water and cornstarch mixture to seal.
4. Set aside.


Instructions for making the sauce:
Mix all the ingredients in a sauce pan including the cornstarch. Cook and wait until it boils and until you see that the sauce thickens.

If you need a thicker sauce, add more cornstarch BUT NOT DIRECTLY TO THE HOT SAUCE. Dilute the cornstarch in a bit of normal temperature or cold water and then add it carefully while mixing the hot sauce.


Cooking the lumpiang shanghai:
As with any other fried food, it is needless to say that before you put it in the frying pan, make sure the oil is super duper hot...meaning it's boiling and you can already see smoke coming out of your pan.

But for those who are clueless and for the first time will be cooking the lumpia, DO NOT PUT THE LUMPIA IF THE OIL IS NOT YET SUPER HOT. Otherwise, you'll have a soggy very oily lumpiang shanghai with oil dripping out of your mouth (blech!)

Cook the lumpiang shanghai until it is golden brown. Cooking lumpiang shanghai especially on high heat would take less than 5 mins so make sure that you don't burn your lumpiang shanghai.

Put the lumpia in a strainer to remove extra oil and then place them on a plate with paper towel so to further remove extra oil.

Serve with parsley (just because I think it would look nice) or just serve them in any food platter. I serve myself with it in a bowl with rice and lot of sauce or ketchup on the side.

The sauce is optional. If I feel lazy making the sauce I either use the tomato ketchup or the banana ketchup. Some people use soy sauce with calamansi. Depends on your palate really.

Enjoy!

Ay nako itay.

Sabado Lunch:

Papa: Alam mo dapat tinitigilan mo na ang pag-inom ng softdrinks. Malakas makataba yan.
Ako: Masarap kasi sa ulam na 'to (laing) parang magkapartner sila.
Papa: I'd rather see you drink beer than drink softdrinks
Ako (sa sarili ko lang): Ayos ah!
Papa: Did you know that beer is a food? (Insert history of beer here)

Tuesday Agahan:

Papa: (smiling deviously)
Ako: O bakit mo ako nginingitian ng ganyan?
Papa: Wala lang...I'm trying to figure out how I can outwit my daughter...
Ako: Mukha mo!

Bier!

just got Erdinger beer from my boss...at 2 in the afternoon...makes a recommendation to take it with white sausage through text...while he was just about 5 steps (or less depends on how long your legs are) away from my table....to which i replied "this is going to be my first time to have German beer. thank you po!"...also through text.

funny.

i said "this is a sign!!!" (why the fuck do i automatically think that this is a sign?)...instead of asking why did my boss gave me beer in the afternoon (are we going to have a happy hour at this hour?)...in the office?

do we look overworked? (no...not really, i still have time to blog and fb)

anak ng lekat!

Mexican Chicken Churva Recipe

Well, yan ang tawag ko kasi di ko alam kung ano ang itatawag ko sa experimentong yan. Bakit Mexican? Pag natikman mo malalaman mo kung bakit.

1 kilo chicken cut into medium size pieces (safe na yung tinola cut)
about 10 pcs. tomatoes
2 big white onions
1 medium sized red onion
1 clove garlic, minced
3 big potatoes, cubed and fried
2 big green bell peppers
pepper, salt and taragon leaves
around 2 tbsp tomatoes paste (for coloring lang actually if tomatoes are pale in color)
grated cheese (Queso ginamit ko by Kraft)
tobasco sauce (optional, wag gumamit kung may hemorrhoid ka)
cooking oil

1. Blender mo muna ang lahat ng tomatoes at ung 1 1/2 ng white onion. 1 and 1/2 white onion lang. Set aside.
2. Saute garlic, onion and chicken
3. Put salt, pepper, and taragon leaves. (Ingat lang sa paglalagay ng salt dahil maglalagay ka pa ng cheese mamaya)
4. Let the chicken simmer hanggang sa wala ka nang nakikitang dugo sa buto nya. (You can also use chicken fillets, pero kung ito ang gagamitin mo, wag ka masyado magpakulo ng matagal para hindi malabog, iprito mo na lang sya at maghanda ka na lang ng chicken stock)
5. Wag ka maglagay ng tubig dahil magtutubig yung chicken lalo na kung frozen. Kung fresh sya hindi sya masyado magtutubig so hayaan mo lang syang maprito sa pagkaka-saute mo. Kung matubig sya prito mo sya on a separate pan. At hayaan mo lang kumulo yung broth with the sauteed garlic and onions. After 30 sec or less na kumukulo sya ihalo mo na yung na-blender na tomatoes at white onion. Hayaang kumulo.
6. Pag nakita mo na medjo pale yung mixture, maglagay ka ng tomato paste para lalong pumula.
7. Ilagay ang bell peppers
8. Maglagay ng cheese. (Ingatan ang paglalagay ng cheese dahil baka mapaalat ka)
9. Let it simmer until sauce becomes thick. (or until mawala yung masyadong pagtutubig
10. Sa isang white dish (gusto ko white kasi magandang tingnan...bakit ba!?) ilagay ang na-saute na napritong manok at fried potatoes...saka ilagay ang tomatoes churva sauce. Saka maglagay ng grated cheese sa ibabaw.

Serves 5 to 10 people...depende kung gutom ang kumakain o kung malakas o mahina kumain yung tao.

Patok sa mga kabarkada ng bro ko..who were clamoring for more.

Pix? Wala e...naubos na ung luto ko e.

Feeling ko hyper ko ngayong araw na ito...kagagawa ko lang din kasi ng coconut cream pie (ung instant na nasa box of course + graham crackers for the crust, naunahan ako ng langgam dun sa crust at coconut toppings, so I used grated hershey's chocolate as the replacement)

Tomorrow will try Shepherd's pie...un e kung may momentum pa rin ako.

Mexico

Nagpunta kami ng El Centro last night para bisitahin namin ang pinsan ko dun at para pumunta kami ng Mexico kinabukasan. On the way to El Centro...ang gara ng mga nakikita ko! Actually medyo madilim nun talaga siguro sa araw di maganda pero sa gabi WOW! Dahil maliwanag ang buwan at maraming stars tapos puro bundok. Ang romantic actually...sana may jortner ever ako nun. Haay...

Nung andun na kami sa Mexico. Kumain kami sa Laguna Azul (Blue Lagoon) its a seafood restaurant. Haven for shrimps. All I can say is the food is great but the place...parang nasa Pinas lang din...mas maganda pa sa Pinas dahil mukhang tuyot ang lugar. I mean para bang hindi mabubuhay ang halaman mo dun saka maalikabok.

Eto pa ang nakakatuwa kasi akala ko dati ang mga avocados ay for deserts lang pero dito ginagamit siya na parang gulay...halos kasama sa lahat ng mga pagkain. Nag-order kami ng shrimp cocktail - sabetse (yata ang tawag) and rice with shrimps ulit na iba't iba ang luto ng shrimps. Grabe! Heaven na itech!

Ayun lang...bondat na naman. Haaay!

New Fave Drink: Smirnoff's Twisted V (AlcoPop) Wild Cherry...sarap tunggain di nga lang masyadong nakakalasing.

Ilo-ilo

Barko

Sumakay kami ni papa ng barko papuntang Ilo-ilo, thinking that this would be fun. Just like my childhood days when we would go every summer. Nyeta, it was a bad idea to take tatami instead of the cabin or the budget fare. Parang daycare center yung part ng barko na yun. Soooobrang daming bata ages from 0-5 years old ang nandun! Kainis! Until I discovered the rear side of the ship.

After we settled down, we went to the canteen ang then dun sa dulo ng barko. Mas tahimik dun, mas mahangin, at mas peaceful. Walang mga batang sabay-sabay na nag-iiyakan. Kitang-kita mo pa ang mga bundok ng cavite, batangas at quezon. Nagkaroon kami ng papa ko ng time na makapag-usap tungkol sa aking pag-alis.

Nang kinagabihan, hindi ako masyado makatulog. Pumanhik ako sa tuktok ng barko. At doon nag-star gazing at magmuni-muni. Sarap. Mahangin pero hindi masyado malamig ang hangin. Kakaunti ang taong nasa paligid na nagmumuni-muni rin.

Medjo naaamoy ko ang usok mula sa chimney ng barko. Pero ayos lang di naman ganun kasama. Nakikita ko pa minsan na may lumalabas na siga mula sa barko, parang upos ng sigarilyo sa kadiliman. Naglalaro sa hangin at sa ibabaw ng barko. Sumasayaw. Ang ganda. Sana laging ganun.

Kala ko sa San Dionisio kami pupunta. Dun sa bahay ng lola ko sa bundok na malapit sa beach. Yun pala sa city pero ok lang, maganda rin naman yung bahay at tabing dagat din. Very peaceful except for the punyetang mga aso ng kapitbahay at mga nakapaligid na mga borders na papampam.


Talaba at Kugon

I could not believe the price of talaba dito sa Ilo-ilo. 30 pesos lang ang isang parang basket nila, na kung sa Manila ang cost nun ay around 200 pesos!!!!

Sarap actually...parang three buckets of talaba yun! Ako ang may pinakamarami na nakain. Ganyan ko ka-love ang mga sea foods! Mas masarap sana kung kasama nun ay beer. As in! Pero syempre kasama ko ang tita ko at ang menor de edad ko na pinsan hindi pwede. Nag-shandy na lang kami. AT oo nga pala nakalimutan ko na hindi nga pala ako umiinon ng beer

Ganda ng ambience. Parang boracay ang dating. Yun nga lang instead na nakaharap sa beach ang mga restaurants nakatalikod sila sa beach.

Tatoy's Manukan at Seafoods Restaurant

If ever you will visit Ilo-ilo, don't miss Tatoy's, sarap! Lalo na ang manok nila. Native chix kasi at sarap ng marinade na ginamit.

Balita ko din na dito nagpupunta daw si GMA for dinner or lunch pag nandito siya sa Ilo-ilo.

Grabe sarap ng mga pagkain dito talaga. Wag nyo na akong pansinin if you see me gained a few pounds. Can't help it eh.