OK, what goes into these again?

Hamburger, that’s the easy one,
fried with chopped onion
remember to drain the grease before seasoning

soyo, pepper, garlic… Oh, the water chestnuts!
crisp and flavorless bits of texture hidden inside like treasures

"Does that smell right?"

Cabbage, hard packed bundle of pale green leaves
slice it to shreds, grate the carrots
orange brightness, not too much
and the sprouts…
Do we even taste them?

"Oh, well."

Toss it in.

"Hey, out of the kitchen! They’re not done yet."

Off to the Asian store for wrappers
round or square? thick or thin?

"They’ll rip anyway…"

Ah, the ensymada is fresh, dried mango, coconut cookies…
Just wrappers? Impossible. white rabbit and ube candy, Chinese sausage…
Home.

"Did you get Shrimp chips? YES!"

Clear off the table, dampen a towel just slightly,
place the wrappers inside to moisten
mix flour and water into a paste to seal each tightly rolled bundle

pour a cup of tea and settle in for the long haul

layer upon layer, delicate cream whiteness stripped apart
too fast, they tear
ten, twenty, thirty

"How many are you making?"

forty, fifty…. done
two spoonfuls of filling in each
colors mix into something new and delicious
fold this side and that, tuck the bottom over
and roll

"Not too tight!"

piled high on the tray
only one more step to go
Heat the oil
only an inch or so

lay the lumpia side by side and watch them darken
Manila scent rising from the pan

Slap!

"Not until they’re all done!"

Crisp and golden, standing at attention in the colander to drain,
Yet another tray, stack them for the moment

"Is the rice done?"

Impatient faces line the table,
Eyes implore a merciful grace…

"All right, go ahead…

I’m too tired to eat."

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