Lumpiang Prito (Vegetarian Spring Rolls) Recipe

Servings: 4
Prep time: 25 minutes
Total time: 2 hours

for the wrappers:
2 ½ cups|315 grams all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons rice flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt

for the filling:
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup|110 grams diced white onion
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 cups|280 grams kamote or sweet potato matchsticks
2 cups|260 grams carrot matchsticks
1 cup|250 grams finely crumbled smoked or extra-firm tofu
2 cups|140 grams thinly sliced napa cabbage
6 cups|540 grams mung bean sprouts
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
fish sauce (optional)
vegetable oil, for greasing and frying
sawsawan, for serving (optional)

1. Prepare the wrappers: In a large bowl, stir together both flours and the salt. Stir in 3½ cups|180 ml water and, using your hands or two wooden spoons, work the dough by lifting and slapping it against the sides of the bowl until it is elastic and well mixed. (The batter should be a little lumpy; if it is too stiff, add water a tablespoon at a time.) Cover and refrigerate overnight.
2. The next day, when you are ready to make the wrappers, remove the dough from the fridge and let it warm up for about 30 minutes. Work the dough with two spoons in the same manner as the day before until the dough is smooth but still very sticky.
3. Heat a 10-inch (25 cm) skillet or crepe pan over low. Grab the ball of dough in your hand and, using a fast, circular motion, rub the dough all over the pan and remove it quickly, almost as if it were a rag you were using to clean the pan. (It is important to use low heat, because the batter won’t stick to the pan if it is too hot, and it’s important not to press down too hard when you smear the dough or you’ll end up with fewer wrappers that are too thick.) The dough should leave a perfectly thin layer on the pan; this is your wrapper. When the edges of the wrapper begin to lift up—in just a few seconds, normally—it is done. Remove it from the pan with your fingers or a spatula and set it aside on a plate. Repeat until you have used all the dough, stacking the wrappers on top of one another on the plate as you finish them. You should have at least 20 wrappers.
4. Make the filling: In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium. Add the onion and garlic and cook until it is just beginning to soften, about 2 minutes.
5. Add the sweet potato and carrot to the skillet and cook until they just begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the tofu and cabbage and cook until the cabbage is just beginning to soften, about 2 minutes.
6. Add the bean sprouts and ½ cup|120 ml water. Cook, stirring almost continuously, for 5 minutes more.
7. Add the salt and pepper, taste, and season with fish sauce, if needed. Transfer the vegetables to a colander set over a bowl or in the sink and let the filling completely drain and cool before filling the wrappers.
8. Assemble the lumpia: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
9. Lay two wrappers out on a clean work surface, one on top of the other. Place 3 tablespoons of the vegetable filling in the center of the bottom wrapper and spread it out slightly horizontally into a rectangular shape. Fold up the bottom over the filling and roll it from the bottom up like a cigar. Place the lumpia on a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.
10. Meanwhile, fill a Dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed pot about halfway with vegetable oil and heat it over medium-high heat until it registers 350°F (175°C) on an instant-read thermometer or just begins to shimmer. Line a plate with paper towels and set it nearby.
11. Working in batches, add the lumpia to the hot oil, being careful not to crowd the pot, and fry, flipping them every few minutes so they cook evenly on all sides, until they are golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Use tongs or a spider to transfer them to the paper towel–lined plate to drain. Repeat with the remaining lumpia.
12. Serve them hot or at room temperature, with sawsawan, if you like.

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