If you’re a fan of mouth-watering savory and sweet street food, you have to try Lumpia. It’s a Filipino staple that’s popular around the world, from Indonesia to Belgium. Most commonly eaten alongside a selection of plate lunches or during a celebration or gathering, lumpia is served fresh or fried and consists of delicious fillings encased in a thin, egg-batter wrapper. Here’s a guide to the origins of lumpia and how food-lovers everywhere enjoy it today.

What Is the History of Lumpia?

Lumpia is the Filipino evolution of the Chinese spring roll, brought to Southeast Asia by Chinese traders and immigrants from the Fujian province of China in the seventh century. The simple, tasty dish that incorporated fresh, seasonal vegetables soon caught on.

Lumpia is now popular in Indonesia and has even traveled as far as the Netherlands and Belgium, where it’s called loempia. Nowadays, it’s commonly served as an appetizer, with a selection of other small plates for plate lunches, or buffet-style at gatherings, its handy size making it the perfect finger food.

How Is Lumpia Enjoyed Today?

The only thing common to all lumpia is the egg-batter wrapper. You can have lumpia served fresh – not cooked after filling – or fried. Fresh egg-wrappers are thinner, whereas wrappers used for fried lumpia are thicker to withstand the heat better.

The ingredients of lumpia depend on personal taste and seasonal availability but can include chicken, prawn, beef, pork, tofu, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, and carrots. When lumpia is made with meat and eaten with a sweet dipping sauce, such as sweet and sour or banana ketchup, it’s called Lumpiang Shanghai. In Filipino cooking, you’ll also find a sweeter, banana-filled version called turon.

When you want the most authentic Filipino food in Maui, there’s one place to go: Plantation Grindz. The team focuses on bringing their patrons the very best of Filipino food fused with Maui flavors, the spices of Southeast Asia, and the cooking techniques from mainland China. Why not join them for breakfast, plate lunches, or dinner and experience it for yourself? Call (808) 873-3663 to place an order or visit their website to look at the menu. You can also connect with the team on Facebook and Instagram for the latest news and updates.