Foas, I would agree that if you want LUMPIA...they are not interchangeable..if you want a fried, meat and veg roll, they are.. Yes lumpia should be crisp and thin..not chewy or doughy at all...which is what you get from an "egg roll" wrapper. I have tried using a rice/tapioca wrapper(aka spring roll) and they are okay, but really just a bit to thin to with stand the "cooking" process...they work if you can't do a wheat product..but they are not the real deal. To throw another wrinkle out..pot sticker/gyoza wrappers are closer to the "texture" of a lumpia wrapper, but yet again..thicker.. And I would agree that the lumpia wrapper that is frozen is the better product. I can get them frozen or refrigerated..and the frozen are the better "quality" and what 99% of the Filipina's I know use. Every Filipina makes them just a bit different. I prefer one that is ground beef with soy/seasoning, minced cabbage, carrot and celery. Usually no onion or garlic. One neighbor makes them that way, another always uses ground pork and a bit larger veggie mince.(both use raw ingredients, roll and freeze or fry) When I make them..I actually like to brown ground dark turkey, mince then add soy, celery, carrot and onion minced with a bit of garlic..and cook that up..then roll and fry...You don't get a "Log" of inside this way. But traditional is raw ingredients with an egg to make a solid "log" of filling when cooked.

Hi Lars Vietnamese Spring Rolls ingredients 1 recipe Shrimp Filling or Chicken-Crabmeat Filling 1 recipe Lime Dipping Sauce 1 12-ounce bottle warm beer 7 to 9 8-1/2-inch-diameter rice papers 1 head bibb or Boston lettuce, finely shredded Snipped fresh cilantro Snipped fresh mint leaves Snipped daikon (Oriental white radish) directions Prepare Shrimp Filling or Chicken-Crabmeat Filling. Prepare Lime Dipping Sauce; set aside. Pour beer into a pie plate. Carefully dip rice papers into beer, one at a time. Place papers, not touching, on clean, dry kitchen towels. Let soften for a few minutes until pliable. Place 1/4 cup shredded lettuce on bottom part of each rice paper. Place about 1/3 cup filling on the lettuce near the curved edge of the paper. Fold in ends. Beginning at that edge, tightly roll up the rice paper. Place, seam side down, on a plate. Cover with a damp towel. Repeat with remaining filling and papers. Cover and chill up to 2 hours. Diagonally cut each roll in half crosswise. Transfer spring rolls to a serving plate. Serve with bowls of Lime Dipping Sauce, cilantro, mint leaves, and shredded daikon. Makes 14 appetizers. Shrimp Filling: In a bowl pour enough hot water to cover 1 ounce rice sticks and 1 dry wood ear (cloud ear) mushroom. Let stand for 30 minutes to soften. Heat 1 tablespoon cooking oil in a wok or medium skillet. Add 1 tablespoon chopped green onion and 4 minced cloves minced garlic; stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add 1/4 cup shredded carrot and 1/2 teaspoon sugar; stir-fry for 1 minute. Remove pan from heat. Drain rice sticks and wood ear; finely chop. Add to vegetable mixture. Stir in 8 ounces finely chopped, cooked, peeled, and deveined shrimp and 1 tablespoon fish sauce. Chicken-Crabmeat Filling: In a bowl pour enough hot water to cover 1 ounce bean threads (cellophane noodles) and 1/2 ounce dried black Chinese mushrooms. Let stand for 30 minutes to soften. Heat 1 tablespoon cooking oil in a wok or medium skillet . Add 6 ounces finely chopped skinless, boneless chicken breast; stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until no longer pink. Push to side of wok. Add 1/4 cup chopped onion and 1 minced clove garlic; stir-fry for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Drain, remove cartilage, and flake one 6- or 7-ounce can crabmeat, or thaw, drain, and flake one 6-ounce package frozen crabmeat. Stir crabmeat and 1 tablespoon fish sauce into chicken mixture. Drain bean threads and mushrooms; finely chop and add to chicken mixture. Lime Dipping Sauce: In serving bowl combine 1/2 cup fresh lime juice, 6 tablespoons fish sauce, 6 tablespoons water, 2 tablespoons sugar, 3 minced cloves garlic, and 2 seeded and minced red chili peppers. Let stand for 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving. Makes 1-1/3 cups. Here is a link that might be useful: vietnam things to do

That sounds yummy, and I especially like the fact that the spring roll wrappers are wheat free. Is it something that is best served hot - or would they be good served room temperature or cold, do you think? Thanks, Bonnie

CHOCLATE KUMQUAT SPRING ROLLS Make sure you use thin spring roll wrappers, which can be found in Asian markets, not egg roll wrappers. Makes 3 dozen spring rolls, about 10 servings Ingredients 5 whole kumquats, cut into 1/4-inch slices and seeded, juices reserved 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream 1/8 teaspoon salt 8 1/4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped 1 large egg yolk 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened Thirty-six 5-inch square spring roll wrappers 1 large egg, lightly beaten Canola, vegetable, or other neutral oil for deep-frying Directions Put the kumquat slices and their juices into a small saucepan, add the cream and salt, and warm over medium heat just until bubbles form around the edges of the pan. Remove from the heat. Put the chocolate into the bowl of a food processor and pour the hot kumquat cream over it. Let sit for 2 minutes, then process until the mixture becomes smooth and shiny. Add the egg yolk, Grand Marnier, and butter and process to combine. Line an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap. Pour the chocolate mixture into the pan and transfer to the freezer. Freeze, uncovered, until completely hard. Unmold the chocolate bar and peel off the plastic wrap. Cut the bar lengthwise in half, then cut each half crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. You should have 36 chocolate bars. Lightly brush the entire surface of a spring roll wrapper with a bit of the beaten egg. Turn the wrapper so that you see a diamond, and lay a chocolate bar across the end closest to you so that the ends of the bar meet the edges of the wrapper to form a triangle. Take the corner of the wrapper closest to you and wrap it around the chocolate, then roll the chocolate away from you one full rotation. Tightly fold the sides in toward the center, then continue to roll up to the end of the wrapper, making sure the end is tightly sealed. Set on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and chocolate. Freeze the spring rolls for at least 10 minutes or up to 2 days; take them out only when you are ready to fry them. Fill a saucepan with oil to a depth of 2 inches and heat to 350F. When the oil is ready (a tiny pinch of flour will sizzle), add a few spring rolls, taking care to not crowd the pan, and cook, turning occasionally and adjusting the heat as necessary to maintain 350°F, until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels and cook the remaining rolls. Serve warm. --------------------------- CHAMPAGNE KUMQUAT-TANGELO MARMALADE Makes about 12-24 servings Ingredients: 1/2 pound kumquats 1 whole tangelo or tangerine** 1 bottle champagne 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup water Directions Chop kumquats coarsely and remove seeds. Thinly slice tangelo/tangerine and remove any seeds. Bring to boil all ingredients. Reduce heat. On low heat for a light bubbling simmer, reduce to thick syrup stage  about 2 hours ** Substitutes: Tangerine (Mandarin/Satsuma, Citrangequat, Taiwaniquat, Citrange, Orangequat ------------------------------------- PAN-SEARED SCALLOPS WITH KUMQUATS Serves 2-3 Ingredients 1/2 cup orange juice or tangerine juice 1/2 cup seeded, thinly sliced kumquats 1 clove shallot, thinly sliced 1 tsp fresh lime juice 1/2 fresh green jalapeno, seeded, finely diced 1 tsp honey 6-8 whole sea scallops 1 Tbs butter 2 tsp olive oil cooked basmati or jasmine rice 1-2 tsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped 1 Tbs pistachios, chopped Directions Combine juice, kumquats, shallot, lime juice, jalapeno, and honey in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Pat scallops completely dry with a paper towel before cooking to produce less splatter and to sear more effectively. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, add butter and olive oil. Once melted and bubbly, add the scallops; cook for 2-3 minutes per side or until golden and browned and just opaque in the center. Arrange rice on plates; add 3-4 scallops, and top with kumquat sauce. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and pistachios. ------------------------- MARMALADE GLAZED BABY CARROTS Serves 4 to 6 as a side dish. Ingredients: 2 pounds fresh baby carrots 1/2 cup marmalade (Champagne Kumquat-Tangelo Marmalade!!) 1 Tbs water 2 Tbs brown sugar 1 Tbs butter 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1 Tbs cornstarch 2 Tbs water salt and pepper to taste Directions Combine all ingredients in a crock pot and cook on low for 7 to 9 hours, until carrots are tender. About 15 minutes before serving, make a paste of the cornstarch and cold water; stir into carrots. Taste and adjust seasonings. ---------------------- "PRESERVED" KUMQUATS Makes about 2 cups Ingredients 1 pound kumquats 2 cups sugar 1 cup boiling water Directions Use a knife to cut a slit at both ends of the kumquat, or stab the kumquat several times with a (sterilized) needle. In a medium saucepan, add the sugar to the boiling water at medium-high heat, stirring. Turn the heat down to low, cover and simmer for 10 - 15 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved. Add the fruit. Simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes, until the kumquat is tender (Adjust the heat up or down as needed to keep at a simmer; the total cooking time should be about 45 minutes). Place the kumquats in sealed jars and refrigerate. Joe