of the anchor of a meal.
Filipinos, like much of the world, appreciate their drink. And just as rice is essential in a Filipino meal, pulutan, or finger food, is crucial to the enjoyment of a cold bottle of San Miguel beer, tuba coconut wine, or Tanduay rum. Pulutan is the Filipino equivalent of “bar food” and can vary in range from simple snacks featured in this chapter, such as Adobo-Flavored Pecans, spicy Spiced Anchovy Crisps, or Grilled Chicken Wings, to more elaborate stir-fried dishes like sigsig, a native delicacy of stir-fried crispy pig skin with onions and chiles, or even the exotic snake, turtle, or monitor lizard pulutan desired for its supposed aphrodisiac qualities. Whatever the pulutan may be, the point is that it’s best served with a potent beverage equally suited for toasting the joys of life and clearing the throat for the second (or third) round.
SHANGHAI EGG ROLLS LUMPIA SHANGHAI
These egg rolls are unique for a few reasons. The pencil-thin rolls have an elegant striking appearance very different from the thick stuffed egg rolls typically seen at the local Chinese takeout restaurant. They are primarily filled with a thin line of seasoned pork and wrapped with a special lumpia wrapper, which once cooked, has a perfectly smooth surface and an extra crispy crunch.
Makes 30 8-in/20-cm lumpia
1 lb (450 g) lean ground pork
1 clove garlic, minced
1½ teaspoons peeled and minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Dash of freshly ground black pepper
½ cup (50 g) finely shredded Napa cabbage
1 package (11 oz/310 g/25 sheets) lumpia wrappers (substitute frozen Chinese-style spring roll wrappers or Vietnamese rice paper wrappers)
1 large egg, beaten
Make the filling: Combine the pork, garlic, ginger, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and pepper in a large bowl and mix very well so that the seasonings are evenly distributed throughout the meat. Add the cabbage and mix again to evenly distribute through the meat. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Prepare the wrappers: Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the square of wrappers in half through the center so that you have two stacks of rectangular wrappers. Gently pull apart each wrapper. They are much easier to separate once they have been cut into smaller sheets. Once separated, keep the wrappers stacked together and covered with a towel or in a plastic freezer bag so that they do not become dry.
Form the egg rolls: Place one rectangular wrapper horizontally on your workspace with the long edge facing you. Take a tablespoon of filling and, using your fingers, form it into a thin continuous line about ½ inch (1 cm) above the wrapper’s bottom edge. Lightly moisten your fingertips with water to prevent the meat from sticking to them. Pull the wrapper’s bottom edge over the filling and roll it up like a cigarette. Brush the top edge with the beaten egg to seal the egg roll. Lay the egg roll seam side down on a cookie sheet or tray lined with parchment or wax paper. Continue rolling egg rolls with the remaining meat and wrappers.
Once you’ve filled the tray, place a sheet of parchment or wax paper on the first layer of egg rolls and place a second layer on top. Do not stack more than two layers on one tray. The weight of a third layer will flatten the first. To freeze lumpia, cover your tray of egg rolls with plastic wrap and place the entire tray in the freezer for 2 to 3 hours until firm. Once firm, remove from the tray and store in freezer bags for up to 3 months.
Cook the egg rolls: Fry in 350°F (175°C) oil for 3 to 5 minutes, until golden brown on all sides. Drain on paper towels and cut in half to form 4-inch (10-cm) pieces. If lumpia are frozen, fry 5 to 7 minutes until golden brown on all sides and the meat filling is cooked through.
These crunchy egg rolls are best served immediately while hot. It is possible to fry lumpia 2 to 3 hours ahead of time and still serve them hot and crisp at a gathering. Place previously fried egg rolls in a single layer on a baking sheet. Place in a preheated 250°F (120°C) oven for 25 minutes to recrisp the wrappers before serving. Serve immediately with commercially-prepared or homemade sweet chili sauce (page 18).
PORK AND GINGER DUMPLINGS SHUMAI
Two of my loyal Rambutan customers, Jennifer and Langdon Vaningen, lovingly coined these open-faced dumplings “Oh my! Shumai,” which instantly became the restaurant’s unofficial name for these bite-sized gems packed with a mouthful of flavor. I use the same meat filling in my Lumpia Shanghai (page 24)—long, cigar-thin egg rolls that, despite sharing a common filling, taste very different due to their being fried instead of steamed. Be patient with the dumpling-making process, which can be frustrating at first. Once the learning curve kicks in, usually by the fifth or sixth dumpling, you’ll be making them with impressive speed. Although these dumplings are served more as an appetizer or midday snack, the simple addition of rice and a vegetable turn shumai into a complete and satisfying meal.
Makes 30 dumplings
1 lb (450 g) lean ground pork
1 clove garlic, minced
1½ teaspoons peeled and minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
½ cup (50 g) finely shredded Napa cabbage
1 package (50 pieces) round dumpling wrappers
Make the filling: Combine the pork, garlic, ginger, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and pepper in a large bowl and mix very well so that the seasonings are evenly distributed throughout the meat. Add the cabbage and mix again to evenly distribute through the meat.
Form the dumplings: Start by very lightly moistening the edges of a dumpling wrapper using a pastry brush and water. Turn the wrapper over and on the dry side spread 1 heaping teaspoon of pork filling evenly toward the edge using the back of your spoon.
If you are right-handed, place the tips of your left thumb and forefinger together to form a circle. Use your right hand if left-handed. Center the dumpling wrapper, meat side up, on top of your fingers so that the center of the wrapper is in the circle of your fingers. With your spoon, gently push the center of the wrapper into the circle of your fingers while tightening your fingers around the dumpling to give it its tulip shape, leaving the top of the dumpling open. Take a little more filling and pack it in the top to give it more shape if necessary and smooth the meat.
Place the dumpling on a tray lined with parchment or wax paper. Continue with the remaining dumplings. It is important that the dumplings are not touching each other on the tray; they will stick together.
Cook the dumplings: Place the formed dumplings in a steamer. Steam for 8 to 12 minutes until the dumplings are firm when gently squeezed with tongs. Serve immediately with the dipping sauce.
DIPPING SAUCE
2 tablespoons
