Lumpia is a dish with pork, shrimp, and vegetables mixed together in a meatloaf kind of consistency and wrapped in spring roll wrappers to be cooked afterward until crisp and golden brown. Filipino lumpia is one of the traditional dishes in the Philippines that has been influenced by Chinese cuisine. In other Asian countries, it is called “spring rolls”, however, the ingredients are distinctly different in the Filipino version. Some recipes only require ground pork, chopped onion, carrots and, sliced cabbage. There are other variations of the fried lumpia with more ingredients like water chestnuts, shrimp and mushroom. It is often called “Lumpiang Shanghai” as well.

The dish is fairly simple to make. The ingredients are basically just mixed together and added with condiments to taste and then wrapped to be cooked with oil in a skillet pan. Others cook the meat mix first, wrap it, and cook it again to make the crispy dish. It is a very versatile dish, that is why there are plenty of variations to it. Other countries such as Indonesia and China have their own variations for they “spring rolls”.

Filipino lumpia can be made fresh. “Lumpiang sariwa” or fresh lumpia is a type of lumpia where the wrapper is not cooked. It is usually a homemade soft crepe. The stuffing includes freshly chopped vegetables that are also soft and easy to eat. This lumpia dish is usually paired with a savory peanut sauce. It is served as an appetizer in restaurants or as a snack at home.

Another variation of the lumpia dish is called “Lumpiang hubad”. Literally translated to ‘naked lumpia”, this dish is as its name suggests. It is served without the wrapper and just the makings of the normal fresh lumpia stuffing. This means that the ingredients are normally what is in the stuffing for the fresh lumpia, which is mostly vegetables like carrots, green beans, jicama, cabbage, and potatoes. It is usually topped with grounded peanut and sweet lumpia sauce.

Lumpiang adobo can also be made from the dish. This is actually a product of resourcefulness from Filipinos. As lumpia is an easy dish to make and “Adobo’ is a staple dish of Filipinos, the Lumpiang adobo variant is made with left-over pork and chicken adobo. Some incorporate vegetables like carrots and cabbages as well just like the original lumpia recipe. The adobo sauce can also be used for a dipping with this lumpia once it is thickened further.

Lumpiang ubod, also as the name suggests is lumpia made with “Ubod”, or the heart of the coconut palm tree. The ubod is sliced in strips and sauteed with shrimps and pork, which will make up the stuffing. The wrapper for this lumpia is like the one made for fresh lumpia, a homemade soft crepe. It is topped with crushed peanuts and paired with the sweet lumpia sauce just like in “Lumpiang sariwa”. The sauce matches well with the light taste of the dish.

This next dish is more of a delicacy itself rather than a subtype of Filipino lumpia. However, as it is wrapped just like lumpia, it can be considered. “Turon’ is a famous “merienda” or snack in the Philippines. It is Saba banana that is coated in brown sugar, wrapped in lumpia wrapper and deep fried until crispy golden brown. It is sweet but not a sinful eat as it is made with a fruit. It is best eaten warm and it is an easy snack to bring along anywhere. It is a feast for the heart when it is paired with vanilla ice cream on top especially when the turon is served warm.