Hej !
I created the following dumpling making guide in response to popular demand from my coworkers after my mom and I hand made 200+ dumplings for my office. Apparently every intern cooks a traditional meal from their native country...is it presumptuous of me to assume my lunch was the best? But to be fair, who doesn't love a perfectly steamed dumpling on a cold winter day?!
A Complete Guide to Mommy Ma’s Dumplings
Background:
Dumplings in
China are called Jiaozi(饺子). They are finely
chopped meat and vegetable fillings wrapped inside a thin sheet of dough and
crimped together around the edges. While dumplings are enjoyed throughout the
year, they are traditionally served at midnight on Chinese New Years. There are
several explanations for the practice but one of the most popular theories
states that the shape of dumplings resembles the old currency of silver and
gold ingots used in historical times, and therefor eating dumplings on CNYs
symbolizes wealth for the family. And for a bit of fun(especially in Northern
cities), a small coin may be folded into one of the dumplings and the person
who finds the coin is regarded as the having the most luck in the new year!
To Master the Art of the Dumpling:
There are MANY variations of dumpling
fillings(some more traditional than others). I have included the recipe for one
of my family’s favorite fillings- “Pork and Mushroom”, but once you have
mastered the basics of dumpling making, you can get creative and change up the
ingredients to suit your taste!
Some traditional ingredient choices include:
ground pork, baby shrimp skins, Chinese cabbage, mushrooms, celery, leek, and
eggs.
“Pork and Mushroom” Dumpling filling:
All
the measurements below are VERY approximate, I would recommend cooking a couple
“tester” dumplings to finetune the taste of your filling.
8 dried shitake mushrooms – soaked-20mins with hot water- and finely
chopped OR you can use fresh shitake mushrooms
200g pork mince/ground
1/2 of Chinese cabbage finely chopped**
2 tsp finely minced ginger
4 shoots of finely chopped green onions
4 tsp soy sauce
4 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp sugar
1 egg white(helps dry ingredients stick together)
Salt and pepper to taste
**Add salt to the chopped cabbage and let it
sit for about 20 minutes – this draws the liquid out of the cabbage. Then,
gently squeeze the cabbage to remove any additional liquid and drain. You
should end up with half the original size of the cabbage.
Combines ingredients and mix well in large
bowl and set aside
Dumpling Skin:
You can hand roll the dumpling skins or I recommend purchasing the
premade dumpling skins(Asian Market).
Set aside a bowl of equal parts Chinese Corn Flour(Trading East Wang)
and water- or you can use any corn flour
Dumpling Dipping
Sauce:
Equal parts Soy Sauce and Chinese vinegar(Chinkiang Vinegar)
If you like it spicy, then mix in some Chinese hot sauce (LaoGanMa)
Method:
**Note on folding
dumplings:
Hopefully, you are now an expert dumpling
folder thanks to my live demonstration at lunch :) But in case you missed it,
here is a nice video demonstrating the classic way to fold Chinese
dumplings(watch the girl on the left, and don’t worry if your initial dumplings
end up more like the ones made by the girl on the right).
Basic Steps:
1. Put filling in center of dumpling skin
2. Wet edges of skin with cornflour/water mixture
3. Pinch together the middle edges of skin
3. Pinch together the middle edges of skin
4. Double pleat one outer corner of skin
5. Double pleat the other outer corner of skin(make sure the pleats are facing the same side)
6. Firmly pinch together the top edge of dumpling and push filling towards the center(this step is crucial to ensure that the dumpling stays intact during cooking)
7. Lightly(very lightly) dust completed dumplings w corn flour to prevent them from sticking together
Now that you have worked so hard to make delicious homemade dumplings, you can cook them fresh or cool them in the fridge and then freeze and enjoy a later date. :)
Three Ways to Cook Chinese Dumplings:
Boiling Dumplings
You can boil both fresh and frozen dumplings. Do not thaw frozen
dumplings when boiling.
1.
Start by
bringing a big pot of water to boil, add your dumplings, then immediately stir
them so they don't stick together.
2.
Bring the
water back to a boil and as soon as the dumplings start to float to the top,
add a cup of cold water. The reason for this has to do with the filling inside.
Most likely inside is still raw so you add the cold water to slow down the
cooking process of the dough so it doesn't break apart while allowing the
filler to finish cooking.
3.
Continue to
cook until those wonderful dumplings start floating again. Now add another a cup
of cold water and wait till they float again.
4.
When done,
remove them from the pot with a Chinese strainer or a slotted spoon. Be careful
not to place them on top of each other or they will stick and break apart.
Pan-Frying Dumplings
If you pan-fry a dumpling, they are called Pot Stickers(锅贴). Why? Because when frying, the bottom sticks
to the bottom of the pan making them crisp and delicious. Also, when pan-frying
dumplings, you don't want to cook frozen ones. You want to be sure to defrost
them or they will burn.
1.
In a large
nonstick pan, add a tablespoon of corn or vegetable oil and heat it up. Add as
many dumplings as you can that will fit into the pan in a single layer without
a lot of touch feely going on. Now for the interesting part.
2.
Add 1/2 cup
of cold water to the pan over the dumplings, cover and cook on low heat for 10
minutes. Don't even think about flipping them or checking them out. Let them cook
until all the water is cooked off and the dumplings are golden and crisp on the
bottom. If they are not golden and crisp on the bottom, continue to cook until
they are. When done, remove and serve or start another batch.
Steaming Dumplings
You'll need a traditional Chinese bamboo steamer(or metal steamer) and
a wok.
1.
Bring 3
cups of water in the wok on high heat to a boil.
2.
Brush some
cooking oil on the steamer surface to prevent sticking. Lay the frozen or fresh
dumplings on the steamer.
3.
Put the steamer
with the lid on the wok, over the boiling water. Keep on high heat, and steam
for 8 minutes. Your dumplings are now ready.
YES! Now you have
officially Mastered the Art of the Dumpling! I hope you have enjoyed my guide
and don’t forget to serve your dumplings with your favorite dipping sauce!
－马然-A Happily Full Nomad
Asian Grocery Stores in Stockholm:
East Trading Wang
Olof Palmes gata 7,
T-bana: Hötorget, Stockholm, Tel. 08-212838.
Olof palmes gata 12
111 37 Stockholm
No comments:
Post a Comment