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Nina Daza-Puyat’s “Ang Alamat ng Lumpiang Shanghai” Will Inspire Kids to Cook

Through her book, the author shows the importance of kindness and generosity and encourages children to try their hands at cooking after reading the story

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Janelle Roa Cabrera-Paraiso

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/7d6dd227-11ba-4cf5-b855-953495fe573d_ndp3.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Children" s="" book="" author="" Nina="" who="" wrote="" Alamat="" ng="" Lumpiang=""/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Children&#x27;s book author Nina Daza-Puyat, who wrote &#x27;Ang Alamat ng Lumpiang Shanghai&#x27;<span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none"><em> Photo by Miguel Abesamis  </em></span></span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p><strong><a href="https://metro.style/amp/food/recipes/nora-daza-recipes/17802" target="_blank">Nina Daza-Puyat</a></strong>, daughter of late culinary master <strong><a href="https://metro.style/food/features/nora-daza-culinary-icon/24736" target="_blank">Nora Daza</a></strong>, is now a children’s book author. Her first foray into this genre, <strong><em>Ang Alamat ng Lumpiang Shanghai</em></strong>, is a masterpiece that she decided to work on in the thick of the pandemic. “This all came about because I wanted to express my love for <a href="https://metro.style/food/features/5-reasons-why-eating-filipino-food/9802" target="_blank">Filipino food</a> in a different way,” said the former food magazine editor-in-chief.</p><div><br/></div><p>“I’ve updated my Mom’s cookbook <strong><a href="https://metro.style/food/features/nina-daza-puyat/12774" target="_blank"><em>Let’s Cook with Nora</em></a></strong>, and I’ve been working with different brands developing recipes,” she continued, noting that her mom’s 1965 recipe book has now been updated to a more relevant content that caters to the modern-age foodies and culinary enthusiasts.</p><div><br/></div><p>As someone who has been through eras of culinary evolution, change, and appropriation, <a href="https://metro.style/food/features/isabelle-daza-cooking-with-my-lola/32852" target="_blank">now-grandmother Nina</a> also started wanting to educate the generations after her to be appreciative of original Filipino dishes—be it in the way they taste or the manner of how they are being cooked. </p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/117bda08-5931-49ea-948f-2fe9831387ca_nyc sentro rizal.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Nina Daza-Puyat’s “Ang Alamat ng Lumpiang Shanghai” Encourages Kids to Cook"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Nina Daza-Puyat with one of the children who attended the book launch held at the Philippine Center in New York under the Sentro Rizal program of the Phil Consulate<span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none"><em> Photo by Nikka Arenal  </em></span></span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>“Writing an origin story—an <em>alamat</em>—would be one way to do this because it has to revolve around the ingredients,” she shared with us. “I believe that we must also teach children where our food comes from so that they can also learn to acknowledge the food producers like the farmers, fishermen, the food factory workers,” Nina told <strong>Metro.Style</strong>. </p><div><br/></div><p>As to how she came up with such an idea, Nina revealed that she wants to build around <strong>L</strong><strong>umpiang Shanghai</strong> as it is something simple, but one that can be spiced up, too. “The Lumpiang Shanghai is loved by all—young or old, rich or poor—because it is crispy, savory, and delicious.”</p><div><br/></div><p>“It can be a simple <a href="https://metro.style/food/features/street-food/30602" target="_blank">street food</a> or it can be elevated into a gourmet restaurant dish. It is so versatile that it can be made with any ground meat and a variety of vegetables,” she emphasized, mentioning that the staple dish is also a good introductory food to foreigners who are trying out <a href="https://metro.style/food/features/the-food-that-we-are-with-chef-tatung/25934" target="_blank">Filipino cuisine</a> for the very first time.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/f0655acb-fd79-46b0-828a-ecba4162edc6_phil center cooking.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Nina Daza-Puyat’s “Ang Alamat ng Lumpiang Shanghai” Encourages Kids to Cook"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">During the cooking demonstration of Lumpiang Shanghai the book launch held at the Philippine Center in New York under the Sentro Rizal program of the Phil Consulate<span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none"><em> Photo by Nikka Arenal  </em></span></span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>“I made Lumpiang Shanghai for my F &amp; B professor, <strong>Chef Bob White</strong>, and he loved it,” the author harked back, reminiscing the olden times and her college days at <strong>Cornell University</strong> back in 1985. “Aside from the tasty filling, it’s the delicate lumpia wrapper with its crispy layers that they find so irresistible.”</p><div><br/></div><p>As to how she narrowed down her food and delicacy options and eventually handpicked Lumpiang Shanghai as the subject of interest for her upcoming book, Nina walked us through her creative process. It turns out that while she also considered other dishes as well, it was particularly this Chinese spring roll that tugged at her heartstrings the most.</p><div><br/></div><p>“I did a quick run-down of the most popular dishes and considered the <a href="https://metro.style/food/restaurants/haliya-reimagines-filipino-cuisine/31829" target="_blank">Adobo</a> and Sinigang, but quickly realized that they have too many variations,” Nina mused. In the Philippines, it is true that while the said dishes are two of the most delectable dishes loved by many, they, too, vary from province to province. </p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/9f25ba0f-178b-43ab-87eb-93f5de8c5a21_ang alamat ng ls front cover (1).png" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt=""/></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>As for the classic Filipino party favorite, meanwhile, Nina highlighted that it just felt right to write about it, since it’s quite universal. Filipinos, after all, always crave Lumpiang Shanghai in almost any occasion, in every season, or no matter the time of the day. “People don’t have too many strong opinions about it—they just like it,” she quipped.</p><div><br/></div><p>Apart from the popularity and timeless appeal of Lumpiang Shanghai to every Filipino table, however, Nina’s book is also about encouraging the youth to dabble into food preparation and cooking. To her, the fun and excitement would not be complete if a recipe is not included in her work.</p><div><br/></div><p>“From the very start, I knew I wanted to include a recipe because I want the children to try their hand at cooking after reading the story. Can you imagine the fun they would have? What an empowering experience for the child to learn that with a little effort and the right set of ingredients, they can create something edible and delicious,” Nina responded when asked why they incorporated into the book an audio recording created by her son. </p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/c6b42943-4262-4e47-b071-2d497a4888ed_bessie alamat reading.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Nina Daza-Puyat’s “Ang Alamat ng Lumpiang Shanghai” Encourages Kids to Cook"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Nina Daza-Puyat at the book reading in San Francisco&#x27;s Bessie Carmichael School. This was for the after-school program called Galing Bata, Filipino Education Center.</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>“The idea to have the QR audio code came towards the end of the process. My son has a recording studio at home and he’s also a voice talent. I would jokingly tell him to hire me if they needed a Mommy voice,” she chuckled, narrating how the thought of incorporating her son’s voice popped up.</p><div><br/></div><p>“One night, while reading the story out loud to myself to test if the lines flow smoothly, I realized that I could make the characters come to life with some voice acting,” she introduced. “I knew that the QR code works for videos, but I wasn’t sure if it would work for just sound. We tried recording voices for each of the characters and it worked!”</p><div><br/></div><p>While the culinary expert and cookbook editor said that her son’s voice recording is only a “small” part of the book, this additional feature is also meant to draw people into the story itself, which is a tragic yet touching tale of kindness, empathy, and cultural rootedness. <em>Ang Alamat ng Lumpiang Shanghai</em> features characters that are inspired by real people, too.</p><div><br/></div><div> </div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/e230a83e-6aab-476e-8c22-986be933ec85_class photo with teacher cybelle.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Nina Daza-Puyat’s “Ang Alamat ng Lumpiang Shanghai” Encourages Kids to Cook"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The children&#x27;s book author with the 3rd graders of the Rudolf Steiner School in New York City (Waldorf education), alongside their teacher Miss Cybelle Afable</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>Scroll down and learn more about this valuable children’s book through our exclusive interview with Nina Daza-Puyat:</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>Who are the characters in the book? Are they inspired by real people?</strong></div><p><strong>Nina:</strong> We have the <em>kontrabida</em> Reyna Carlota, and the <em>bida</em>, Kapitan Gabriel. Those are the names of my granddaughter, Charlotte Gabrielle. The heroine is Pia, and the hero is Prinsipe Loom. They are inspired by lumpia!</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>How different (or difficult) was it for you exactly to write a children&#x27;s book as compared to the cookbooks you&#x27;ve previously authored?</strong></div><p><strong>Nina:</strong> Oh, it was very different. This felt more like playing because I could let my imagination run wild. With my Mom’s cookbook, I had to observe certain parameters to keep as close to the original as possible. I thoroughly enjoyed envisioning each scene and writing the dialogue between the characters. I wanted people reading it to feel the range of emotions felt by the characters.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/f69b13dc-6a35-441c-9c2e-adb8be50183f_nypl michael santangelo collection mgmt.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Nina Daza-Puyat’s “Ang Alamat ng Lumpiang Shanghai” Encourages Kids to Cook"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">With Philippine Consul General of New York Senen Mangalile and Mr. Michael Santangelo, Deputy Director for Collection Management of the New York Public Library. <span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none"><em> Photo by Nikka Arenal  </em></span></span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>How long was this book in the making?</strong></div><p><strong>Nina:</strong> The actual story writing took about a month and a half, working on and off. While the illustrations were being drawn page by page, I continued to edit and fine-tune lines all throughout the five-month period.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>With this book, you&#x27;re not only promoting Filipino food but also Pinoy talent. You collaborated with illustrator Sean Erwin Santia, and it&#x27;s also his first foray into a children&#x27;s book. Why did you opt for working with an artist you&#x27;ve never worked with before? What is it about Sean&#x27;s style that you like the most?</strong></div><p><strong>Nina:</strong> Oh, yes, Sean is really a treasure and I was truly fortunate to find him online. When he submitted his first two drawings of Carlota and Loom, I told myself: “That’s it, he’s the one. No need to keep looking.” I’d like to think that we were meant to work together because we immediately had a meeting of the minds. He was not only able to create the faces and costumes of the characters, but he also drew the indoor and outdoor scenes so beautifully. The night scenes are particularly dramatic.  </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>What Filipino values did you highlight in the book that you think are worth teaching to kids today?</strong></div><p><strong>Nina:</strong> I think it’s important to point out the importance of kindness and generosity, as well as caring for others and sharing with those in need. We see Pia as the dutiful daughter who readily helped her father. She showed compassion and love for her Gabriel and their people. While Reyna Carlota was initially selfish, she became repentant and sorry for not readily helping Pia and her people.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Are there other children&#x27;s books that you grew up reading yourself or to your kids?</strong></div><p><strong>Nina:</strong> I grew up reading the usual fairy tales from Hans Christian Anderson and the Grimm’s Fairy Tales. There were a few <em>alamats</em> too but I found them boring and somewhat unimaginative. My husband and I read all kinds of stories to our four kids who now all grown up. Now I read to my two and a half year old granddaughter, Charlie. I just introduced my next story to her and I think she likes it very much.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/a17a352c-40b3-41a8-aeef-68a6220c52f0_phil consulate of san francisco with cg neil ferrer &amp; abe ignacio.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Nina Daza-Puyat’s “Ang Alamat ng Lumpiang Shanghai” Encourages Kids to Cook"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">With the Philippine Consul General of San Francisco Neil Ferrer and Mr. Abe Ignacio, head of the Philippine-American Center of the San Francisco Public Library </span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><div><em>Ang Alamat ng Lumpiang Shanghai is available in <a href="https://shopee.ph/ANG-ALAMAT-NG-LUMPIANG-SHANGHAI-i.19184734.23632915646?sp_atk=93388f38-f891-4699-9066-9f9ad4661e90&amp;xptdk=93388f38-f891-4699-9066-9f9ad4661e90" target="_blank">Shopee</a> and <a href="https://www.lazada.com.ph/products/ang-alamat-ng-lumpiang-shanghai-i3657567670-s19129972171.html?c=&amp;channelLpJumpArgs=&amp;clickTrackInfo=query%253Aang%252Balamat%252Bng%252Blumpiang%252Bshanghai%252Bbook%253Bnid%253A3657567670%253Bsrc%253ALazadaMainSrp%253Brn%253Abbf6eead7f8de826c3697b75f8fefa6a%253Bregion%253Aph%253Bsku%253A3657567670_PH%253Bprice%253A395%253Bclient%253Adesktop%253Bsupplier_id%253A500334304327%253Bpromotion_biz%253A%253Basc_category_id%253A6918%253Bitem_id%253A3657567670%253Bsku_id%253A19129972171%253Bshop_id%253A4074046&amp;fastshipping=0&amp;freeshipping=0&amp;fs_ab=2&amp;fuse_fs=0&amp;lang=en&amp;location=Metro%20Manila&amp;price=395&amp;priceCompare=&amp;ratingscore=5.0&amp;request_id=bbf6eead7f8de826c3697b75f8fefa6a&amp;review=5&amp;sale=41&amp;search=1&amp;source=search&amp;spm=a2o4l.searchlist.list.i5.4fc73ffaNt4wit&amp;stock=1" target="_blank">Lazada</a> for P395.</em></div><div><br/></div><p>Photos courtesy of <strong>Nina Daza-Puyat</strong></p><div><br/></div>