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!

Leche Flan ala mi(a)

This recipe will make 3 small size lyaneras. Just like the ones you see on the photo. (If you have to use a different container, do not use plastic)

Ingredients:
Caramel
- 1 to 1 1/2 table spoon of white sugar (depends on how many caramel syrup you want in your flan)

Leche Flan
- 4 medium sized eggs
- 1 can of Carnation evaporated milk (12oz./354 ml)
- 1 can of Carnation sweetened condensed milk (14oz/414 ml) (you can ad 7 oz more if you want it to be sweeter), the 1 can of sweetened condensed milk is not too sweet for me. Or you can use sugar as a substitute)
- 1 teaspoon (or 2-3 drops) of vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Melt the white sugar in the lyanera. Be careful not to burn the sugar otherwise you will have to repeat the process. Burnt sugar tastes bitter. (Tip: some people (like me) like a bit of a bitter taste so I sometimes burn the sugar just a little)

2. In a mixing bowl, mix the egg, evaporated milk, condensed milk and vanilla. Mix them well. I usually include the egg whites...just because I hate wasting it...unless you'll make a merengue out of it :)

3. Pour the mixture into the lyanera. Cover each lyanera with an aluminum foil.

4. In a steamer, steam the flan for 20-25 mins. (Tip: Make sure that the water is already boiling before you put it in)

5. After 20 mins., stick a toothpick on the flan to see if it has already cooked. If you see a trace of the flan on the toothpick, it means it is not yet ready. Steam it for another 5-10 mins. If there's no more trace, then you can safely say that the flan is ready.

Remove the flan from the steamer (otherwise it will continue cooking and your flan will have a harder texture) and let it cool down.

Serve alone or with a macapuno or put it on top of halo-halo.

Enjoy!

FYI, cost of lyanera in the Pasig wet market is Php11.00

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.