When Mommy Dory is in the Kitchen

Whenever I make traditional Filipino food, it's either I get a "wow this taste like Mommy Dory's" comment, which means I nailed it, or a "hmmm, you should ask Mommy Dory how she makes it" from my husband.  The latter is my husband's subtle way of saying it's not as good as his grandma's cooking.

Mommy Dory is my husband's 90 year old grandmother.  She hails from Bulacan, a province known for its authentic Tagalog dishes.   We are blessed to have eaten Mommy Dory's cooking through the years.  I believe no one would oppose when I say that she is the best cook in our family.  From traditional Filipino desserts to savory hearty dishes, she definitely cooks like a pro.  She's also very particular in her mis en place, something that you wouldn't want to mess with... or else, you're going to hear it from her, hahaha!  That's why when Mommy Dory is in the kitchen, it's never a dull moment. Because with her cooking also comes a lot of words of wisdom about life.  You will definitely hear  her usual "papunta pa lang kayo, ako pauwi na" (been there done that),  and whether you like to hear it or not, you will get a piece of her mind.  And we just love her for it!  Thank you Mommy Dory, for sharing your food and your wisdom with us.

I have shared in my blog some of her recipes, such as dinuguan (pork blood stew) and polvoron.  I always stay faithful to her recipes, unless I won't hear the end of it from my husband saying "you  should ask Mommy Dory...".

Today, let me share this with you:

Lumpiang Shanghai ala Mommy Dory
 Lumpiang shanghai is the Filipino version of fried egg rolls (filled with meat and shrimp).  It's as popular as our adobo and the ubiquitous pancit (noodles). It's crunchy, flavorful and addicting, it disappears quickly at most parties. Lumpiang shanghai is my default Filipino food whenever I am asked to bring a dish for a potluck party, especially with my non-Filipino friends.  

1/2 lb. ground pork

1//4 lb shrimp, chopped

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 fresh egg

1/4 c water chestnut, chopped

2 medium carrots, chopped

green onions thinly sliced

1 tsp sesame oil

1 clove garlic, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

spring roll wrapper/pastry (she normally cuts it into halves already to make rolling faster)

cooking oil for frying

cornstarch dispersed in water

Mix all ingredients in a bowl.  Crack one fresh egg and stir briefly.  Now you're ready to make the roll.

On a flat surface, lay the wrapper.  Put a spoon full of the pork mixture.  Spread it evenly and roll.  Seal the edges with the cornstarch mixture.

Deep fry the rolls in a hot pan of oil until golden brown.  Drain excess oil and serve while hot.

For the dipping sauce, I prefer to use a sweet and sour sauce with some spice.  My favorite dipping sauce (in a bottle) is Mae Ploy, a Thai sweet chili sauce, which brings a spicy bite to the crunchy lumpia.