This weekend was a three-day weekend, and I made good on my promise to take D2 to the sunny side of the island for her birthday celebration. What made it extra special for her was that she got to bring a friend (KN), stay at her preferred hotel (HWV), and eat at one of her favorite restaurants (Sansei).
On the way to Waikoloa, we made at stop in Waimea to see D1 in her 1st cheering game of the season and watch the Viks win their first varsity football game in two years. Their 21-18 win over favored Hawaii Preparatory Academy (coached by former UW Husky & NFL center Bern Brostek) was totally sweet. I hope this football season will be a better than last year. Gawd.
This would all have been fun, except that midweek (last week) I caught a cold and have been plagued by a scratchy throat and coughs for days. Add to that a stuffy nose and uncontrollable sneezing and you'll understand why it was difficult to reap all the benefits of a suite at a 4-star hotel. Then Help was very generous this weekend, and D2 thanked him for making this an unforgettable birthday. I am grateful we survived the weekend intact, and I am even more grateful that The Help was able to retrieve his tripod plate after it fell onto the ground floor from the balcony. Yes, I saw it happen in slow motion.
Because I've been under the weather recently, cooking here has slowed. We picked up food a lot this past week (yes, like last week, but who is keeping track). One place we went to again was Hilo Rice Noodle (HRN). Its conveniently located for us...on the Waiakea side of town, and they have li hing soda, which is something I can count on to make me feel better when I am under the weather. The other thing they have, which I have a hard time not ordering, is spring rolls. Most people rave about their summer rolls (unfried), but for me, it is the spring rolls (yes, fried) that get me every time. Spring rolls at HRN are thin and long like a Double Corona and crackle when you bite into the shell.
The spring rolls I make at home are nothing like the ones from HRN. Mine are wider and not nearly as long and elegant looking. Even the filling is different. As I recall, Kilauea Market sells spring roll skins in all shapes and sizes, so maybe I need to buy a different kind of wrapper when I attempt to duplicate the spring rolls at HRN. Of course, I'll post my culinary adventures here, but for now, I can only boast some proficiency in making lumpia, the Filipino cousin of spring rolls.
Like spring rolls, lumpia can be made with all kinds of fillings. My ex-bf's family made lumpia with a pork and potato filling and served it alongside a vinegar-shoyu dipping sauce. My friend's boyfriend (BS) makes lumpia the way I do with a pork and vegetable filling. Of course, not sure how authentic this is because, unlike my ex-bf, neither of us is Filipino. BS serves his lumpia with bottled sweet chili sauce. I prefer mine with sweet and sour sauce, homemade, of course.
 |
| stir-fry filling |
 |
| place filling on wrapper |
 |
| fold wrapper over filling |
 |
| roll up tight |
 |
| pan fry lumpia |
 |
| remove lumpia when golden brown |
 |
| serve with sweet and sour sauce |
click on recipe title for printable recipe
Lumpia
1 lb ground pork
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 pkgs chop suey vegetables
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tbsp fish sauce
2 tsp flour
1/4 c water
1 pkg Menlo lumpia wrappers (in freezer section), completely defrosted or whichever brand
wrapper you prefer to use (TYJ is good too)
oil for frying
Brown pork and garlic. Add vegetables, salt, pepper, and fish sauce. Cook for about 2 minutes. Drain and cool thoroughly. Combine flour and water to form a thin paste. Place 2 tbsp filling on a wrapper. Fold bottom corner up, followed by left side and right side. Spread paste on remaining corner before folding down. Heat oil to 375 degrees. Fry until golden brown. Makes 30-40, depending upon amount of filling used. Serve with sweet-sour sauce.
This weekend was a three-day weekend, and I made good on my promise to take D2 to the sunny side of the island for her birthday celebration. What made it extra special for her was that she got to bring a friend (KN), stay at her preferred hotel (HWV), and eat at one of her favorite restaurants (Sansei).
On the way to Waikoloa, we made at stop in Waimea to see D1 in her 1st cheering game of the season and watch the Viks win their first varsity football game in two years. Their 21-18 win over favored Hawaii Preparatory Academy (coached by former UW Husky & NFL center Bern Brostek) was totally sweet. I hope this football season will be a better than last year. Gawd.
This would all have been fun, except that midweek (last week) I caught a cold and have been plagued by a scratchy throat and coughs for days. Add to that a stuffy nose and uncontrollable sneezing and you'll understand why it was difficult to reap all the benefits of a suite at a 4-star hotel. Then Help was very generous this weekend, and D2 thanked him for making this an unforgettable birthday. I am grateful we survived the weekend intact, and I am even more grateful that The Help was able to retrieve his tripod plate after it fell onto the ground floor from the balcony. Yes, I saw it happen in slow motion.
Because I've been under the weather recently, cooking here has slowed. We picked up food a lot this past week (yes, like last week, but who is keeping track). One place we went to again was Hilo Rice Noodle (HRN). Its conveniently located for us...on the Waiakea side of town, and they have li hing soda, which is something I can count on to make me feel better when I am under the weather. The other thing they have, which I have a hard time not ordering, is spring rolls. Most people rave about their summer rolls (unfried), but for me, it is the spring rolls (yes, fried) that get me every time. Spring rolls at HRN are thin and long like a Double Corona and crackle when you bite into the shell.
The spring rolls I make at home are nothing like the ones from HRN. Mine are wider and not nearly as long and elegant looking. Even the filling is different. As I recall, Kilauea Market sells spring roll skins in all shapes and sizes, so maybe I need to buy a different kind of wrapper when I attempt to duplicate the spring rolls at HRN. Of course, I'll post my culinary adventures here, but for now, I can only boast some proficiency in making lumpia, the Filipino cousin of spring rolls.
Like spring rolls, lumpia can be made with all kinds of fillings. My ex-bf's family made lumpia with a pork and potato filling and served it alongside a vinegar-shoyu dipping sauce. My friend's boyfriend (BS) makes lumpia the way I do with a pork and vegetable filling. Of course, not sure how authentic this is because, unlike my ex-bf, neither of us is Filipino. BS serves his lumpia with bottled sweet chili sauce. I prefer mine with sweet and sour sauce, homemade, of course.
|
| stir-fry filling |
|
| place filling on wrapper |
|
| fold wrapper over filling |
|
| roll up tight |
|
| pan fry lumpia |
|
| remove lumpia when golden brown |
|
| serve with sweet and sour sauce |
click on recipe title for printable recipe
Lumpia
1 lb ground pork
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 pkgs chop suey vegetables
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tbsp fish sauce
2 tsp flour
1/4 c water
1 pkg Menlo lumpia wrappers (in freezer section), completely defrosted or whichever brand
wrapper you prefer to use (TYJ is good too)
oil for frying
Brown pork and garlic. Add vegetables, salt, pepper, and fish sauce. Cook for about 2 minutes. Drain and cool thoroughly. Combine flour and water to form a thin paste. Place 2 tbsp filling on a wrapper. Fold bottom corner up, followed by left side and right side. Spread paste on remaining corner before folding down. Heat oil to 375 degrees. Fry until golden brown. Makes 30-40, depending upon amount of filling used. Serve with sweet-sour sauce.
Thanks for sharing your lumpia recipe.I am always looking out for new lumpia, egg roll, cha gio recipes to try out. I like to serve mine with sweet chili sauce or homemade sweet and sour sauce.
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