Lumpiang Ubod Dish also known as the heart of palm spring rolls, is a Filipino appetizer consisting of juliennedubod (heart of palm) with various meat and vegetables in a thin egg crêpe.
It is commonly served fresh (as lumpiang sariwa), but I can also be deep-fried.
In fact, It originates from the city of Silay in Negros Occidental where an original variant, lumpiang Silay, is still popular.
It is mixed together with minced garlic, onion, and various other vegetables if desired, including cabbage, green beans, singkamas (jicama), potatoes, and so on.
Meat (pork, beef, or chicken), shrimp, or tofu can also be added. These are sautéed with spices and patis (fish sauce) until the ubod is soft and the meat is thoroughly cooked.
The Filipino lumpia come in many forms and lumpiang ubod is one example in fact.
In this fresh variant, strips of palm heart are sauteed with shrimp and pork, rolled in crepe-like wrappers made with cornstarch and eggs, and doused with a sweet sauce infused with peanuts and garlic.
Lumpiang Ubod Dish: Instructions
In a wide pan over medium heat, heat oil. Add onions and garlic and cook until softened. Add pork and cook until lightly browned.
Specifically, add shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until color changes. Add fish sauce and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.
Then add water and continue to cook until pork is tender. Add ubod.
Lower heat, cover and cook for about 10 to 15 minutes or until ubod is tender and pork is cooked through.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Specifically, Remove from pan and drain well.
Lay a wrapper on a flat surface and place a lettuce leaf on top. Spoon about ¼ cup filling across the middle of wrapper and fold sides to cover filling.
Pour sauce on top of prepared lumpia and garnish with additional minced garlic and ground peanuts, if desired.
For the Lumpia Sauce
In a saucepot over medium heat, combine 2-1/2 cups of the water, soy sauce, brown sugar, then salt.
Bring to a boil, stirring regularly, until sugar is dissolved. Add garlic and peanuts. Continue to cook for about 2 to 3 minutes.
In a bowl, combine corn starch and the remaining ¼ cup water. Stir until mixture is smooth.
Whisking vigorously, add corn starch mixture into soy sauce mixture. Continue to cook, whisking regularly, until thickened.
Add peanut butter and stir until dissolved and well combined.
For the Lumpia Wrappers
In a large bowl, combine cornstarch and water. Whisk together until smooth.
Add eggs and salt. Stir to combine until mixture is the consistency of the thin, runny batter.
Set a 9-inch nonstick pan over low heat. Lightly spray the surface of the pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Add ¼ cup batter and gently tilt pan on all sides to cover with batter. Cook for about 30 to 40 seconds.
When edges of the batter begin to pull from sides and small bubbles begin to form in the middle of the crepe, gently flip to other side using a spatula.
Cook for another 10 seconds or until the top is firm and dry.
Remove crepe from pan by gently sliding onto a plate.
Repeat with remaining batter, spraying the pan with nonstick cooking spray in between cooking.
Ingredients: For the Lumpia Filling
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 small onion, peeled and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- ¼ pound pork belly, diced
- ½ pound shrimp, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- ½ cup water
- 2 pounds (about 4 cups) ubod, cut into matchsticks
- salt and pepper to taste
- green leaf lettuce leaves, ends trimmed and leaves separated
For the Lumpia Sauce
- 2-3/4 cups water
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted peanuts, ground
- 1 head garlic (about 3 tablespoons), peeled and minced
- 3 tablespoons corn starch
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
For the Lumpia Wrappers
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 1-1/2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon oil
- nonstick cooking spray
