Her question: You guys! My Italiano husband and I host our entire family at our home for Christmas every year. Everyone (on both sides) but mostly my husband’s side of the family always asks for Lumpia but I never make it simply because it smells up my home (I’d rather have my house smell of pine and cinnamon) but more importantly I’m afraid the lumpia will be soft and soggy by the time everyone arrives. I’m thinking perhaps I’ll make it a go this year (MAYBE) but do you guys have any suggestions on what I can do? (*not my picture) Help a mestiza out!! H E L P!
ANSWERS/HINTS:
- Fry up smaller batches at a time.. And then fry up more as needed so they’re not soggy. I also got a deep fryer that has a lid on it so the smell is not so strong. With these you can also use them outside, so if you want that option it’s easy too. I got mine at walmart and still use it even here in Italy!
-I was also going to suggest cooking them outside. Or perhaps you can have them catered?
-Deep fry when people are at the house so it stays crispy but do it outside. Even most Filipino people prefer to cook outside so it doesn’t stink up the house (hence: why we have this thing called the dirty kitchen)
But you gotta monitor it- don’t just fry for a dew minute and shut it because you wanna be sure it doesn’t burn or undercook.
- I’ve learned this from my Vietnamese friend, put 1/4 tsp of white vinegar on non-heated oil before frying. Keeps it crisp for days!
- When I don't want too much of a smell, I use Crisco. What smells is the burning of the vegetable oil or peanut oil. Solid Crisco, even once it melts for frying, doesn't smell so bad.
-Buy a little portable butane stove and fry it outside. My lumpia’s stay crispy all night. Leftovers too still crispy in the morning. After I fry it I stand them up to drain the oil out good then transfer it to something else but still standing.
- Reheat them in an oven or air fryer if you have one. That should keep them crunchy
- my aunt does this for family parties but she has a mini deep fryer and cooks the lumpia in the backyard so it doesn’t stink up the house. You can try to cook them right before they arrive so they dont get soggy, and then throw another batch in there when you run out
- Tips from a chef #25
Frying lumpia
Frying in your house can leave a smell. So fry outside to avoid the smell. DO NOT fry ahead of time. Wrappers of any kind do not have a strong enough lecithin in the mix to hold together the crisp and there is no trick to keeping it crispy when reheating if they get cold.
So solution is to fry in batches.
However what you can do is fry a little for the party so everyone can have one and freeze the rest. Write on the bags DO NOT THAW. As that will also cause sogginess. They can be fried frozen straight to the fryer. This can make a great xmas gift for them to have within six months of expiration
Sincerely, Chef Sy V
- I make ahead lumpia, store them in freezer, fry them frozen outside my house in the deep fryer. Keep them warm and crispy in the oven just set the oven to 175. My husband friends and family loves it.
- Fry in peanut oil usually they are super crisp...not very healthy though. Or after frying store in oven on low temp maybe 200 to stay crisp
- Make the lumpia ahead of tome and freeze them. Fry em in a deep fryer (electric fryer which has a calibration for temperature) to avoid getting much oil into the lumpia.
For some fun let your hubby’s family participate in frying them! Lol
I warm it up to 400 degrees then put it down to 375. The key to a crispy lumpia is to fry them while its still frozen. And cook them in small batches , don't overcrowd them. It will stay crispy for over an hour. (I used to cater and make thousands if lumpia,
- Make a slurry(cornstarch with water) then soak 1 by 1 before frying it,it become crispy for a longer time. Get a fryer. Use peanut oil. Do not cover the lumpia’s when they’re done. Leave them standing to drain the oil.
- Before putting the lumpia, put a drop of vinegar to the heated oil, then after it splatters, put the lumpia. Do it again every time you put new lumpia to fry. It will keep the lumpia crispy for a longer time
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And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.
10All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him? ( Psalm 35: 9-10)
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