BUNGA CHINA UBOD RECIPE 2009

Adonidia merrillii

Adonidia merrillii or Veitchia merrillii –this palm was named to honor Mr. James Veitch a British nurseryman (1792 -1863) .Common names: Bunga China , Bunga de Jolo, Christmas palm, Manila palm

Manila palm is a small, fast growing; palm not taller than 25′ and often much smaller.

It resembles a dwarf royal palm.This is a straight trunked palm with indistinct rings.

Adonidia has clusters of bright red, drupe-like fruits and inconspicuous unisexual, white – yellow flowers.

By late September the green fruits are beginning to ripen and by late November they are bright red!The fruits are 1¼” in diameter while the seeds are ½” and borne below the crown shaft. The leaf is feather – shaped and the leaflets are trusted in on it.

Bunga China Ubod  Recipe courtesy by Mr. Nonito Dolera

Ingredients:

Filling:

• 2 tbsp. oil
• 2 piece garlic clove, crushed
• 2 piece onion, thinly sliced
• 4 oz/100 g parboiled lean pork, diced
• 2 oz/50 g ham, shredded ( shredded bacon bits/ chicken breast optional )
• 4 tbsp. peeled chopped prawn
• 2 oz/50 g cooked chickpeas
• 8 oz/200 g ubod (manila palm hearts), shredded thinly sliced.
• 6 oz/150 g French beans, shelled
• 1 carrot, shredded
• 12 oz/250 g cabbage, shredded
• sprigs onions
• salt and pepper
• 12 crisp lettuce leaves
• 12 lumpia wrappers

Lumpiang Bunga china ubod sauce

• ¼ pint (or more) chicken stock
• 2 oz/50 grams brown sugar or muscovado sugar 
• 2 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch / corn flour
• 3 tbsp. cold water
• 2-3 tsp. finely minced garlic
• crushed peanuts

Lumpia Wrapper:

• 2 to 3 eggs
• 3 oz/75 g cornflour
• ½ pint/250 ml water
• vegetable oil

How to cook the ingredients:

Filling:

• Heat the oil and lightly fry the onion and garlic until soft.
• Add the pork and ham, cook, stirring for a few minutes.
• Add prawns and chickpeas and cook a little longer.
• Stir in the ubod, beans, carrot and cabbage.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Cover and simmer until the vegetables are just tender. Drain and cool.
• Wrap a portion of the filling and a sprigs onion in a lettuce leaf and then in a pancake.
• Serve with Lumpiang ubod sauce.

Lumpia Wrapper:

• Separate the eggs and whisk the whites until very stiff. Fold into the lightly beaten yolks.
• Blend the cornstarch with water, adding the water gradually to ensure smoothness.
• Stir thoroughly into the egg. Lightly brush the frying pan with oil and heat.
• Using 2 tbsp. of lumpia batter at a time, fry very thin pancakes.
• Tilt the pan to spread the batter evenly, do not turn and do not allow the pancakes to color.

Sauce:

• Bring the stock to the boil with the sugar, soy sauce and salt.
• Blend the cornstarch with the cold water and stir it into the stock.
• Simmer, stirring for 3 to 4 minutes, until the sauce thickens.
• Sprinkle the minced garlic and chopped peanuts on the top.
• Add sesame seeds ( optional)

(oct 28,2009)