Lumpia wrappers are a staple in preparing lumpia recipes. Lumpia is a traditional Vietnamese-inspired spring roll. It is typically filled with vegetables or protein and has a sauce for dipping.
The lumpia wrapper is typically made of wheat flour and water. Some brands use rice flour instead of wheat flour, which changes the consistency slightly. Some vendors may also use egg to bind the wrapper together.
Lumpia wrappers can be found in most supermarkets or grocery stores in the Asian section. They come in a cylinder shape, are white in color, and have many uses depending on the thickness. Thicker ones tend to be harder to wrap with due to the dough being stiffer.
Preparing your own lumpia is a fun way to do some cooking! Getting the wrapping technique down takes some time, but you will soon be rolling like a pro.
Rice flour
Lumpia wrappers are almost always made of rice flour. Sometimes wheat flour or corn flour is used as well, but not often. Rice flour is a staple in many cultures’ cuisine, so finding it is not difficult.
Rice flour is made by grinding rice into a powdery substance. This can be done by a food processor, mixer, or high-power blender. The rice must first be boiled in water until it becomes soft and doughy. It is then pressed through a mill to get the rice flour texture.
The key thing to look for in good lumpia wrappers is the texture of the rice flour. It needs to be soft enough to work with and hold its shape when rolled, but not too soft or it will break when trying to roll the lumpia.
Wheat flour
Lumpia wrappers are made of wheat flour. You can usually find this in the form of a thin, dense dough. Some recipes include soy sauce or salt, which makes the wrapper slightly pink.
Like rice wrappers, lumpia wrappers are a popular way to make spring rolls. Most places that sell spring rolls will have instructions on how to make them with both types of wrapper.
However, just because you can use both types of wraps does not mean they taste the same. The texture and flavor differ slightly, and some people prefer one over the other.
Spring rolls can be cooked several different ways. They can be fried in oil, baked, or rolled up into a burrito shape and fried until crispy on the outside.
Fiberglass
Lumpia wrappers can be made of fiberglass. These are typically sold in stores, not online, and are a little harder to find. You can find them at your local Asian grocery store or restaurant supply store.
Lumpia wrappers made of fiberglass are typically sold in rolls, just like the rice paper used for spring rolls. The texture is similar to pasta dough, and it is pressed into sheets to be used as the wrapper.
Like rice paper, these wrappers need to be soaked in water to become soft and pliable. Once done so, you can wrap your Lumpia!
The benefits of using a fiberglass wrapper over a rice paper one is that it is stronger and more durable. This makes for better Lumpia! However, it is not vegetarian or vegan-friendly due to the use of insecticide on the plant material it is made of.
You can also make your own Lumpia wrapping using canvas or linen fabric! Try that out next time you want to make Lumpia.
Cellulose acetate
Lumpia wrappers are usually made of cellulose acetate, a water-resistant and grease-resistant material. It is a plastic that is produced as a solution and then formed into a shape.
It is then dried, which causes it to solidify into a durable wrapper shape. Cellulose acetate Lumpia wrappers are typically green in color, which helps with visibility when frying the Lumpia.
Unlike other wrappers, cellulose acetate does not burn when exposed to high heat. This makes it a safer wrapper for frying foods!
Other types of Lumpia wrappers include paper, tofu skin, and waxed paper. Paper Lumpia wrappers are edible, while the other two are not.
Cellulose nitrate
Cellulose nitrate is the main component in Lumpia wrappers. Cellulose nitrate is a chemical compound that is found in nature as a part of plant cell walls.
In Lumpia wrappers, cellulose nitrate is produced when cellulose is treated with a mixture of nitrogen-containing compounds and heat. This process produces a polymer that can be molded into strips for Lumpia wrappers.
Cellulose is a major component of plants, and it acts as the structural material for plants. Nitrogen is an important component of proteins, which are also found in plants.
So, cellulose nitrate basically contains protein molecules! While this sounds weird, it makes sense when you think about how plants are structured. Cells are surrounded by cellulose to form walls, and these cells contain protein molecules within them.
This explains why Lumpia wrappers look the way they do: They have a woven pattern that looks similar to plant cell walls.
Waxed paper
Most lumpia wrappers use waxed paper as the main ingredient. This is most likely because it is cheaper and more accessible than using rice flour dough.
Many people have reported having issues with the waxed paper sticking to the rolling pin and tearing when wrapping the lumpia. Overall, it is harder to handle when wrapping due to its stiffness.
Some chefs say that you can use rice flour dough instead of plain white wheat flour to make it more solid, but this may change the taste of the lumpia. It may also be more difficult to roll out and handle due to the thicker texture of the dough.
Overall, most chefs would agree that rice flour dough is better for wrapping Lumpia due to its softness and ability to wrap easily. However, waxed paper works just as well! Just be careful with it while handling.
Coconut oil
Lumpia wrappers are usually made of wheat flour or rice flour. However, you can also use coconut oil as a wrapper material. Coconut oil is a very strong vegetable oil that has many uses.
Because it is a solid at room temperature, it can be used to make the wrapper thicker. This is useful because then the wrapper will be stronger and harder to break or tear.
It also adds some flavor to the wrapper, which is an extra bonus. When using coconut oil, however, the wrappers tend to be slightly brown in color. This can make the roll-up rolls look a little different than traditional lumpia rolls do.
Soybean oil and canola oil are other common oils that can be used to make the wrapper. These are not as strong as coconut oil, however, so your wrappers may be more prone to breaking.
Salt
Salt is a crucial ingredient in lumpia wrappers. It gives the wrapper texture and structure, making it easier to fold and wrap with. It also adds flavor to the wrapper as it cooks with the filling.
There are two types of salt typically used in recipes: table salt and sea salt. Table salt is a compound of sodium and chlorine, which gives it its salty flavor. Sea salt is extracted from ocean water, which gives it a more diverse flavor profile due to different minerals in the water.
You can use either type of salt in your lumpia wrappers, but table salt is cheaper so that may be a budget-friendly choice. Either one will work well!
Some recipes call for baking powder as an additional ingredient in the dough. This helps create more air bubbles in the dough, helping it bake up fluffy.
