Alam mo ba ang Alamat ng Lumpiang Shanghai?

The love of Filipinos for lumpia knows no bounds. With over hundreds of recipes, versions, and modern takes to the humble fried spring roll, everyone knows how much lumpia means to Filipinos all over the world. It is also this profoundness for lumpia that got  cookbook editor, grandmother and now children’s book author Nina Daza-Puyat inspired in writing a children’s book based on the beloved rolled viand.

Everyone knows “Ang Alamat ng Piña,” while other have read about “Ang Alamat ng Saging,” but have you heard about the “Alamat ng Lumpiang Shanghai?” Set in an ancient faraway kingdom, Ang Alamat ng Lumpiang Shanghai, is a tragic yet value-filled tale of kindness and empathy that gave birth to the dish that we know it today. ” I imagined how many years ago, someone thought of combining ground meat with minced vegetables, rolled the mixture in paper-thin wrappers, and then fried them into little logs until they became nice and golden brown. What could have prompted them to do that and what was their inspiration? The result of my playful musings is a children’s book called “Ang Alamat ng Lumpiang Shanghai,” explained Nina during an intimate book launch with family and close friends.

The illustrations of the 40-page picture book were made by visual artist Sean Erwin Santia and every artwork is truly mesmerizing as the story flow. With images these rich and engaging, you could even say it can be made into animation. Also, the children’s book, which is also dedicated to Nina’s granddaughter, can be read in English or Tagalog so that it could be appreciated by kids of all ages. Parents can also scan the QR code in the book for an audio recording to introduce the characters of the story.

There’s even a bonus recipe of Lumpiang Shanghai, but you need to finish reading the book first to make it!

Want to read about the Alamat ng Lumpiang Shanghai? Then order your copy in Shoppee and Lazada.

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