Delicious Indonesian fried rolls filled with a savory mixture of chicken, shrimp, and bamboo shoots, served with a spicy homemade sauce.

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The first thing you notice in the narrow alley of Gang Lombok, in Semarang, is the sharp crackle of oil hitting the zinc roofs. Then comes a scent of palm sugar and chopped garlic—sweet at first, then pungent, before turning mellow again as a breath of bamboo steam escapes. Locals lean on their motorbike saddles, waiting for generous rolls rich in history.

Shrimp spring rolls on a cabbage leaf on a white plate — If you like Vietnamese spring rolls, you’ll love lumpia

Chinese origins

The story begins in the 19^th century, when a traveling merchant from Fujian, Tjoa Thay Joe, set up a cart near the port of Semarang. His ” lun pia “, literally ” soft cake “, contained pork and thinly sliced bamboo shoots—comforting memories of his homeland.

A few stalls down, the Javanese cook Mbak Wasih served a lighter roll, brimming with shrimp, potatoes, and a touch of palm sugar, so prized in Central Java.

Chicken samosas — The same dough is used for lumpia and samosas

They met, married, and struck a culinary compromise: pork gave way to halal chicken; the shrimp stayed; the bamboo was non-negotiable. The hybrid roll made its way through the lanes of the local Chinatown and the kampung, each family jealously guarding its own version of the recipe.

In the early 20^th century, tourists at Pasar Malam Olympia Park (the colonial-era night fair of Semarang) nibbled the rolls between turns on the Ferris wheel, spreading word of this crisp, bamboo-studded lumpia to Batavia and beyond.

In 2014, the Indonesian government listed Semarang lumpia as intangible cultural heritage, cementing its status as an emblematic snack and a city souvenir.

What defines a true Semarang lumpia

Various ingredients on a wooden table: dough, shrimp, meat, eggs, vegetables, sauces, and spices.

The classic core : bamboo, shrimp, and sometimes chicken

At the center of the roll is always the rebung: young bamboo shoots cut into matchsticks, then boiled with salt and a pinch of sugar until their notorious pesing odor disappears. Indispensable, this crunchy bamboo sets the tempo for the rest.

Fresh shrimp, nearly ubiquitous, add a briny note; chicken appears only at some stalls to round out the flavor; scrambled eggs bind it all together. Many cooks slip in a spoonful of ground ebi (dried shrimp) for an extra hit of umami.

The seasoning blends Chinese and Javanese influences: garlic and shallot sautéed in oil, white pepper for heat, oyster sauce and light soy for depth, then a drizzle of kecap manis or melted palm sugar so the finish is sweet-salty rather than strictly salty. The goal: a coherent contrast—crunchy bamboo, yielding proteins, and no stray moisture that would make the wrapper soggy.

Cooking, rolling, and the essential garlicky-sweet sauce

Vendors spread the cooled filling over nearly translucent wheat wrappers, roll, tuck in the edges, and seal with a dab of flour paste. Some customers prefer their lumpia basah: unfried, soft, with the aroma intact. Others queue for the goreng version, fried at just the right temperature : hot enough to blister the skin, yet gentle enough to keep the bamboo supple.

Whichever side you’re on, the accompaniments rarely change: a brown, viscous sauce made from palm sugar and minced garlic, lightly thickened with starch; a marinated cucumber–shallot condiment for freshness; and a handful of green bird’s-eye chiles or lokio bulbs in vinegar to crunch between bites.