Lumpiang Shanghai (Filipino Spring Rolls)

Directions

1. 1
   Heat a little oil in a frying pan on medium heat.
2. 2
   Saute the garlic just until aromatic (less than a minute). Brown the ground pork in the pan and season with a little salt and pepper (just to give the meat initial flavor). Stir the meat to prevent clumping. When the meat has changed its color add the onions. Cook for another 3-4 minutes or until a little softened.
3. 3
   Add the carrots and season with the soy sauce. Stir to mix. Lower the heat and simmer for about half an hour (to allow the meat to absorb the seasonings). At this point, I add the water chestnuts or jicama and just let it cook for another couple of minutes. Adjust seasoning to your taste. Set aside to cool down.
4. 4
   Drain completely to remove any excess liquid. It should be dry. Prepare the spring roll wrappers and have a small bowl filled water near you.
5. 5
   Place about 1 heaping tablespoon of the cold pork mixture in one of the corners of the wrapper.
6. 6
   Spread the filling into the wrapper horizontally.
7. 7
   Roll the meat mixture towards the middle. Fold both sides inward to seal, then continue to roll until you have about an inch left of the wrapper. Using your finger, brush the edges with a little water to seal completely. Make sure it is tightly secured.
8. 8
   Place the finished roll on a deep baking dish (casserole) with the sealed side downwards. Repeat until all the meat is gone. To ensure that the seal does not open while you are frying it, I keep the rolls overnight in the refrigerator. This way they seal properly and won't open easily. Before you heat the oil, take the spring rolls out of the fridge so it will be a little warmer when you fry it.
9. 9
   Pour cooking oil (enough to cover the rolls) in a deep pan and turn heat to medium and let heat up for about 10-12 mins. (If you have a deep fryer, preheat to about 350 F). To make sure the oil is hot enough, test one roll and see if it browns quickly. Fry the lumpia in batches until they turn golden brown. This shouldnt take too long if the oil is hot enough and because they have been previously cooked. Do not overcrowd the rolls to allow them to brown evenly.
10. 10
    Place the cooked rolls in a strainer with paper towels to drain the oil while the other rolls are cooking.
11. 11
    Transfer the cooked ones in a serving dish. You may again wrap them in paper towels to extract any remaining oil. To double the amount, cut the rolls in half.
12. 12
    Serve with sweet chili sauce, a yummy chutney or even plain old ketchup as dip! Yum!