The Philippines is an archipelagic country, meaning it is made up of a group of islands. Although not even half are inhabited, for three centuries, these islands were a Spanish colony. This allowed the Spanish to influence many aspects of the Philippines. This is specifically shown in their cuisine, as many Filipino dishes resemble those found in Spanish culture which came to be indigenized by local tastes. In the sixteenth century, the Spanish exposed the Philippines to flavors such as olive oil, paprika, saffron, cheese, and cured sausages. Centuries later, convenience cooking, which includes methods like freezing and pressure cooking, were introduced to Filipino cooking as the Philippines became a colony of the United States. A part of Filipino customs, as well as eating the regular breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Filipinos fit in a light meal as well. Food is a big part of the Filipino culture. What makes Filipino cuisine is the mix of different cultures and the added local flavors of the Philippines.

 Soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic are all a major part of Filipino cooking because it is found to be an effective way to preserve meat. Garlic and soy sauce can be found in lumpia, or lumpia shanghai, the Filipino version of spring rolls. They are often made with either ground beef or pork, and wrapped tightly in lumpia wrapper with other vegetables and flavors. Senior Charles Villazor said, “The smell of the food makes me think about the culture of the Philippines, and the taste makes me think about my heritage.” Lumpia is a tasty finger food that is light and serves as a nice appetizer before other dishes. For a fuller meal, it can be served alongside a bowl of rice. There is a lot of chopping and mincing in this recipe, but it is definitely worth the effort. Pick up some lumpia wrappers and fresh ingredients and get to cooking!

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil + 2 cups for frying
• 1 pound ground pork
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• ½ cup chopped onion
• ½ cup minced carrots
• ½ cup thinly sliced green cabbage
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• Lumpia wrappers

Directions:

1. Place a wok or large skillet over high heat and pour in 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Place the ground pork in, stirring frequently, until no pink is showing. Then remove pork from the pan and set aside. Drain the grease from the pan, being sure to leave a thin coating. Cook the garlic and onion in the same pan for 2 minutes. Stir in the cooked pork, carrots, green onions, and cabbage. Then season with pepper, salt, garlic powder, and soy sauce. Remove the mixture from the heat, and set aside until cool.
2. Place three heaping tablespoons of the filling diagonally near one corner of each wrapper, leaving a 1 ½ inch space at both ends. Fold the top side over the filling, tuck in both ends, and roll neatly. Keep the roll tight as you assemble, and moisten the other side of the wrapper with water to seal the edge. Cover the rolls with plastic wrap to retain moisture.
3. Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat, add oil to ½ inch depth, and heat for 5 minutes. Slide 3 or 4 lumpia into the oil. Fry for 1 to 2 minutes, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.