25 Jan 2009: Lumpia Chronicles: Chicken & White Shanghai

Last week the topic of lumpia came up. Tina and Gya were supposed to come over on Saturday to help roll. I didn't really have that many skins so more than anything it was gonna be a lumpia rollin lesson. Well on Friday night I was just wiped out - even though I'd taken a half day from work I was just wiped. So I told the girls I needed to buy chicken but I still hadn't gone to buy any but would in the morning.

Usually on saturday mornings I wake up automatically around 7am. I didn't even wake up until like 830. I ran to buy produce and chicken and scored chicken breasts at $1.27/lb. So I bought like uhhhh - 20 lbs. hahaha. Then I stopped to get produce and 3 kinds of lettuce and some tortilla chips.

I texted the girls you don't even have to come until 1pm coz I haven't even started cooking yet...So I parboiled the chicken breasts and got to work...

chop



drain and shred



pre saute the potatoes



defrost the wrappers



saute in the usual fashion and season



add mixed and chopped veggies then cool to room under a fan



Roll with or without the Homies





I calculated I can roll 50 lumpias in the time it takes Julian to finish 3 quarters on NBA live and I think those are 3 minute quarters. hahaha. not bad right...

Just roll steadily and text friends with your pinky finger so you don't get rice flour glue on your new phone. LOL



So I had a whole bowl of boiled chicken and didn't know what to do and Benjo was enroute with extra wrappers...So I decided to create a "white shanghai"...Usually Filipinos make lumpia shanghai with half beef half pork with some garlic and some green onion which makes it cook brown or pink. I mixed fresh ground pork with boiled chicken breast, 1 cup (yeah a CUP) of minced fresh ginger, green onion and 5 cloves of garlic, garlic powder and red Korean chili powder...So when they cook it has a bright white interior. I humped out about 100 of those and just rolled my little hands off...



Fortunately for me Benjo and Bebe were here to taste test...Benjo took his cut of 25 each home sayin,"thanks now i've replenished my stock..." hahahah.

I told Kibby - call JR/Vic Damone and tell him to come get his cut.
jr: oh i'll be there at 6pm, believe it.
vic: yeah yeah yeah man - I'm there.

Someone come help us eat these MoFo's there's no room in the freezer.
Even the door is full. Ridiiiiiiiiiiiiiculous.

14 Oct 2008: Family Dinner...last Saturday

Last Saturday I was visiting my manager at the hospital because he had some pancreatic issues. I'm happy to report he's doing well and up and about. All I gotta say is if I drive all the way to Surprise to visit from Tempe. That's love.

So as I'm leaving the hospital I get a call from Mr. Man indicating that he would like to invite a few people to dinner in addition to the famous Wendy Lee. I said sure no problem, what would you like? He said Asian. So I stopped at my favourite Asian joint and picked up the groceries, prawns, lumpia wrappers, a few liters of sake and bottles of soju...Then I went home and threw down and in an hour and a half i had 5 dishes and steamed rice. Voila!

The best part is...sitting together saying grace and laughing over food...then Wendy coming later on and getting her plate and chat and catch up on. The cool part is...I can still cook all this food in 90 minutes flat without any help and the kitchen stays pristine.

What.

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Sidenote: I will be throwing down for Worm's party/benefit. Look out for that kids.