Lumpia (Indonesian Spring Rolls)

About This Recipe

Lumpia are Indonesia's answer to the spring roll, introduced by Chinese immigrants to the Dutch East Indies centuries ago and transformed into something uniquely Indonesian. The filling typically combines ground pork or chicken with shrimp, bamboo shoots, and carrots, seasoned with garlic, soy sauce, and white pepper, then tightly wrapped in thin wheat-flour wrappers and deep-fried until the skin shatters with a satisfying crack. Lumpia Semarang — from the city of Semarang on Java — is the most famous variety, featuring bamboo shoots and the mildly sweet-savory filling that has made it a fixture at Lebaran celebrations and family gatherings alike. Served alongside sambal cabe rawit or sweet chili sauce, lumpia are as much about texture as flavor: the thin, lacquered shell gives way to a moist, aromatic interior that carries the umami of shrimp paste and the brightness of scallions.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 20lumpia wrappers (thin wheat-flour spring roll sheets)
• 250 gground pork
• 150 gsmall shrimp, peeled and roughly chopped
• 200 gcanned bamboo shoots, drained and julienned
• 2 mediumcarrots, peeled and julienned
• 4 clovesgarlic, minced
• 4scallions, sliced
• 2 tbspsoy sauce
• 1 tspoyster sauce
• 1 tspsesame oil
• 0.5 tspwhite pepper
• 1 tspsugar
• 1egg, beaten (for sealing)
• 1 literneutral oil, for deep-frying
• 2 tbspvegetable oil, for stir-frying

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the filling

   Heat vegetable oil in a wok over high heat. Add garlic and stir-fry 30 seconds until fragrant. Add ground pork and cook 4 minutes, breaking it up. Add shrimp and cook 2 more minutes.

   High heat is essential — you want stir-fry, not braise.

2. 2

   Add vegetables

   Add bamboo shoots and carrots to the wok. Stir-fry 3 minutes until just tender. Season with soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, white pepper, and sugar. Toss well.

3. 3

   Cool the filling

   Transfer filling to a strainer set over a bowl and let drain and cool completely, at least 20 minutes. Excess moisture will make the wrappers soggy and cause oil splatter.

4. 4

   Fold the rolls

   Lay a wrapper diagonally. Place 2 tablespoons of filling in the lower third. Fold the bottom corner over the filling, then fold in both sides, and roll tightly upward. Seal the top corner with beaten egg.

   Roll tightly — air pockets will make the lumpia burst open in the oil.

5. 5

   Heat the oil

   Pour oil into a wok or deep saucepan to a depth of 5 cm. Heat to 175°C. Test with a small piece of wrapper — it should sizzle and float immediately.

6. 6

   Fry in batches

   Fry lumpia 5–6 at a time for 4–5 minutes, turning occasionally, until deep golden and the wrapper is blistered and crisp. Drain on a wire rack.

7. 7

   Serve

   Serve immediately with sweet chili sauce or sambal cabe rawit on the side. Add sliced scallions as garnish.

Variations

• •

  Lumpia basah (wet lumpia): skip the frying and serve the filling in a soft wrapper with peanut sauce.

• •

  Vegetarian version: replace pork and shrimp with firm tofu and glass noodles.

• •

  Semarang style: use more bamboo shoots and add a small amount of shrimp paste (terasi) to the filling.

Storage

Fried lumpia are best eaten immediately. Unfried rolled lumpia can be refrigerated up to 24 hours or frozen up to 1 month; fry from frozen, adding 2 extra minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions