[Sca-cooks] (OT) Weird Internet thing

[Rosine]

> Can I get your lumpia recipe?  I love it!
>
> Apollonia

I have to laugh. I hope you're used to redacting...(I haven't used a recipe
in so long that I can't even find one!)

Group A
Meat of some kind (I prefer chicken or ham, but have seen seafood, beef,
even hamburger)
carrots
onions
cabbage (small amount in comparison to whole. It's not supposed to overpower
with it's flavor)
water chestnuts
small (purchased canned - never could find fresh) ears of corn
bamboo shoots

lumpia wrappers
cooked rice
eggs
soya sauce
garlic salt, black pepper
oil

Dice everything in Group A into small bits - about the size of "veg all"
vegetables. Mix together everything except the oil and the lumpia wrappers,
pre-cooking the meat as necessary. Your mixture should be heavy but with a
slight "runniness" around the edges (or at the bottom) - if not, add more
eggs and soya until it is. Soggy, you know. While you are doing this, lay
your package of wrappers out so it can thaw - the wrappers are the trickiest
part of the cooking. Make sure that they thaw outside of the package so none
of the layers become soggy.

Sit at a table. Trust me, this is a long enough process that sitting is
good. Separate the wrappers from each other. There's a "good timing" element
in this, so until you are used to it, buy two packages "just in case". It's
easiest to separate the layers by dividing in half or thirds, then dividing
those layers down to smaller... continue until you have separated each
sheet. Don't be too worried if some of the sheets are ragged or have a hole
or two from tearing - you can work around that when you begin to fill them.
There is a speed factor involved in this too - they are very thin and dry
out fast, so you have to begin the process as soon as you can safely
separate the frozen layers into clumps of half or thirds and keep going at a
steady clip. It's one of those "easy once you get the hang of it" things.

Keeping a small bowl of water near your elbow, place one sheet in front of
you, spoon a little of your filler near the edge of the wrapper, then roll
towards the opposite edge like an egg roll. You shouldn't try to tuck the
sides in until it's about half-rolled. Smear a dab of water on the last edge
and use that to seal the roll shut. If it is too dry, just keep smearing a
little more water on it until it softens up enough to stick. Set aside and
repeat until you run out of filling or wrappers.*
   These can be cooked immediately, or frozen for later use. If you roll
like I do, you can get 5 lumpia rolls in a small zip-lock freezer bag, which
in my house is perfect - five is a good serving for one of my menfolk.

Heat your oil to a good browning temp. (medium high, since your range
numbers probably don't match mine. Mine's set on 4-5) You can deep fry,
which is easiest, or use a deep-edged frying pan, but you should try to
ensure that the oil covers at least 3/4 of the roll as it's laying down.
Fry, turning if necessary, until the wrapper turns translucent and tans
slightly on the edges. Remove from pan and place on a plate lined with paper
towels to absorb the oil. The hot oil on/in the roll will continue to cook
for a few minutes and should turn it a lovely golden brown. Adjust your
cooking time and temp as necessary. Warn food nabbers that the oil inside is
*hot* for quite a while!

* If you run out of wrappers first, the filling can be stir-fried to make a
snack for the cook.

Long, but there ya go,
Rosine