3 Festive Filipino Finger Food Recipes

What are Filipino finger food recipes for the holidays?

1. Lumpiang Shanghai
2. Chinese Pan-fried Dumplings
3. Chicken Dynamite Lumpia

  What goes well with traditional Pinoy-style spaghetti and pancit? You may be thinking of fried chicken or hotdog-on-a-stick. But skip those usual sides and try these tasty treats! Here are some Pinoy finger food recipes you can try at home for post-Christmas celebrations and the New Year! Get your steamer, broiler, and stove ready for some frying and steaming cooking sessions.  

Lumpiang Shanghai

Lumpiang Shanghai is pork, shrimp, and vegetables wrapped into an egg roll goodness! They are a big hit at any type of family gathering. Regardless of whether you are celebrating a simple birthday party or a massive reunion, your menu must consist of lumpiang shanghai.  

Ingredients

• For the lumpiang shanghai
  • Ground pepper, to taste
  • 1 teaspoon salt, add more according to taste
  • ½ cup onion, minced
  • 6 -7 tablespoons of soy sauce
  • ½ cup celery, minced
  • ½ cup carrot, minced
  • 2 lbs ground pork
  • 1 ½ shrimp, peeled and minced
  • 5” square spring roll wrappers
  • 1 large egg
  • Oil
• For the sauce
  • Salt, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 4 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon banana ketchup
  • 2 cups and 6 tablespoons water

 

Instructions

1. Mix the ground pork, minced shrimp, onions, celery, carrot, soy sauce, egg, and a drizzle of salt and pepper in a large bowl. Heat enough oil in a small frying pan and test a tablespoon of the filling to check the taste. Adjust the taste accordingly.
2. Once the seasoning fits your preference, go ahead and wrap the raw filling in lumpia wrappers. Put the wrapper in a diagonal position so that one point is facing you. Place a tablespoon of filling and roll it. Ensure there are no air pockets. Dip your fingertips in the water and lather on top to fully seal the edges.
3. To make the sauce, combine the vinegar, water, sugar, banana ketchup, and salt in one small pan. Bring the mixture of ingredients to a boil. Simmer and cook until the liquid is thin and clear. Gradually add cornstarch and whisk until smooth. Continue stirring until the sauce becomes thicker.
4. Heat the deep fryer to 350 degrees and add the oil. Once the oil is boiling, put the wrapped lumpia. Work in batches of 4 to 6 lumpia at a time and fry until golden brown.
5. Serve with the sauce!

 

Chinese Pan-fried Dumplings

The Chinese pan-fried dumplings go through a two-stage cooking process. Dumplings are initially fried in oil and steamed for a couple of minutes. This results in a crispy bottom, soft top, and tender filling. The bok choy and cabbage ingredients make the dumplings nutritious and sumptuous finger food. Chinese pan-fried dumplings are commonly served with hot chili oil and soy sauce.  

Ingredients

• For the filling
  • Ground pepper
  • ¼ chopped onion
  • ½ cup cabbage, finely chopped
  • ½ cup bok choy leaves, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine
  • 1 teaspoon oil
• For the dumplings
  • 48 pieces of wonton wrappers
  • 1 cup of water
  • 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch, mixed with water or egg white

 

Instructions

1. Combine the filling ingredients in a large bowl. Using your fingers, continuously mix the ingredients.
2. Place the wonton wrapper on a clean surface. Put a spoonful, or fill ¼ of the wrapper, adequately with the dumpling filling. Take note, wrapping dumplings is different from wrapping lumpiang shanghai. You must put the filling in the middle of the wonton wrapper. Moist the empty area of the wrapper.
3. Using your fingertips, gently lift the moist edges and bring them together at the top center. Crimp the edges and pinch together to fully seal the wrap.
4. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add oil. Cook the dumplings for 2 to 3 minutes until the bottoms are browned or golden brown.
5. Using a steamer, continue cooking the dumplings with ⅓ cup of water for 5 minutes. Take out the steamed dumplings and repeat step 4.
6. Serve with your choice of dipping sauce!

 

Chicken Dynamite Lumpia

Chicken dynamite lumpia is like lumpiang shanghai with chicken and long green pepper. As much as the finger food is made to be an appetizer, many Filipinos eat it with rice. Chicken dynamite is usually paired with banana ketchup or sweet and sour sauce.  

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ground
• Salt, to taste
• 10 pieces green pepper, preferably long or large ones
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1 lumpia wrappers
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• 2 eggs
• 1 lb ground chicken
• 1 ½ cups of cooking oil

 

Instructions

1. Combine the ground chicken, garlic and onion powder, a piece of egg, as well as the bread crumbs in one bowl. Gradually add salt and ground black pepper. Mix well.
2. Arrange a green pepper in the middle of each lumpia wrapper. Cover the green pepper with at least 2 tablespoons of ground chicken. Wrap in the pepper and chicken mixture. Seal the edges with water.
3. Heat the cooking oil in a frying pan. As you are heating the oil, beat an egg in a wide bowl.
4. Dip the wrapped lumpia into a bowl of beaten egg and roll over panko bread crumbs.
5. Fry each lumpia over a low to medium heat for 6 minutes per side until each turns golden brown.
6. Once the lumpia is golden brown, take it out of the pan and dry with a paper towel to absorb the oil. Serve with your favorite sauce and enjoy!

 

Key Takeaway

Eating with a spoon and fork is nice, but where’s the fun in that? Try these Pinoy finger food recipes like chicken dynamite lumpia and pan-fried dumplings for the holidays. They will surely be a delicious surprise for you and your family. Make sure to use the right kitchen equipment to obtain the best results.