Cheese Sticks

Before, lumpiang shanghai tops among the munchers' choice for finger foods in different celebrations. However, due to complexity of its preparation and the expensiveness of its ingredients, it has evolved into much simpler recipe in the form of cheese sticks.

Lumpiang shanghai, as what we've gotten used with, include grind pork meat, mixed with seasonings like salt, minced black pepper, diced carrots, onions, garlic and others. Of course, they'll have to be wrapped. Carelessness would break the wrapper during the process and even during it's frying stage. In the case of cheese stick, just a slice of it, you already have a complete set and in no time ready to dressed with a quarter cut of the wrapper. To put more bite on the stick, a slice of red bell pepper is often included per stick. It doesn't matter if the wrapper goes off the line when frying. Nothing will spill out of it compared to lumpiang shanghai.

A five to ten-minute dive on hot pan, depending on the degree of fire, is all you need to wait until they turn into bit golden brown. Set aside on strainer until they dry down from excess oil before serving. Napkins may also do the trick.

Cheese sticks are best with a mixed mayonnaise and ketchup dip. And goes along well with bottles of beer. 

(Note: We had these during my parents' anniversary last February 7.)