Pan Fried Dumplings
Dumpling Skins jiao zi pi
The texture of these fresh pasta products is positively silky
in comparison to the commercially prepared kind. Making them
by hand is a very time-consuming process (not really), but the result is
certainly worth the effort. Commercial dumpling skins
(gyoza) will work just fine.
Fifty skins:
2.5 cups all-purpose flour
1.25 cups boiling water
1. Place the flour in a mixing bowl and add the boiling water.
With a wooden spoon, mix the ingredients to a rough ball.
If the dough is too hot to handle, let it cool a bit; then
turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and need for about
5 minutes, until it is smooth and elastic. If the dough is
too sticky, need a few tablespoons of flour into it.
Cover the dough and let it rest for 25 minutes (full 25 min. not nec., I did 25, 10, and nothing and didn't notice any difference)
2. Cut the dough in two and form each half into a long snakelike
roll about 1 inch in diameter. Cut each half into 25 pieces. (Doesn't seem to add up right. Just make as many 3-4" circles as you can)
with a cut edge down, press each into a circle. Using a small
rolling pin or a tortilla press that has been lightly floured,
roll out each piece into a 3-inch circle. Cover the circles
with a cloth or towel to prevent drying.
Meat
1.5 cups finely minced Chinese cabbage (Napa)
1 tsp salt
.75 pounds ground pork
1 cup finely minced Chinese garlic chives, leeks, or scallion
greens
2 Tbs soy sauce
1 Tbs rice wine (shaohsing)
2 Tbs sesame oil
1.5 tsp minced ginger (I think this is really good. Smells really good.)
1.5 tsp minced garlic
1. Place the minced cabbage in a large mixing bowl, add the
salt, toss lightly to mix evenly, and let sit for 30 min.
(this is done to remove the water from the cabbage, so the
filling will not soak through the dumpling skin.) Take
a handful of minced cabbage and squeeze out as much water
as possible. Place the cabbage in a mixing bowl. Squeeze
out all the cabbage and discard water. Add the pork, minced
chives, and "dumpling seasoning". Stir vigorously in to
combine the ingredients evenly. (If the mixture seems loose,
add 2 Tbs cornstarch to bind it together.) (Yeah, right).
2. Place a heaping tablespoon of filling in the center of
each dumpling skin, and fold the skin over to make a half-moon
shape. Spread a little water along the edge of the skin. Use
the thumb and index finger of one hand to form small pleats
along the outside edge of the skin; with the other hand,
press the two opposite edges of the skin together to seal.
The inside edge of the dumpling should curve in a semi-circular
fashion to conform to the shape of the pleated edge. Place
the sealed edge dumplings on a baking sheet that has been
lightly dusted with cornstarch or flour. You can just fold them right over if you don't want/can't make the pleats.
3. In a large wok or pot, bring about 3qts of water to a boil.
Add half the dumplings, stirring immediately to prevent them
from sticking together, and heat until the water begins to boil.
Add 1/2 cup cold water and continue to cook over high heat
until the water boils. Add another 1/2 cup cold water and
cook until the water boils again. Remove and drain.
Cook the remaining dumplings in the same manner. (this is the
traditional method of cooking dumplings; for a simpler method,
boild for about 8 minutes, uncovered, on high heat.
Serve the cooked dumplings with one (or both) of the following
dipping sauces:
Dipping Sauce I
1/2 cup soy sauce
3 Tbs Chinese Black vinegar or Worcestershire sauce
Dipping Sauce II
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 Tbs Chinese Black vinegar or Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbs chili oil or chili paste with garlic
Variation
add 1 Tbs shredded gingerroot or minced garlic to either
of the sauces.
To pan fry:
Literally translated, guo tie means "pot stickers," and anyone
who has not used a well-seasoned pan to cook these dumplings
will understand the appropriateness of this title; the
dumplings often refuse to dislogde themselves from the pan.
If you use enough oil and keep them moving, they will not stick.
25 dumplings(?) These numbers are questionable.
3.5 Tbs peanut oil
5 meat dumpling from above
1 cup boiling water
Heat a large wok or well-seasoned skillet until very hot.
Add three tablespoons of oil and and heat until hot. Place
the dumplings in the pan, pleated side up. Fry the dumplings
over medium heat until their bottoms are a deep golden brown.
Add the boiling water to the pan and cover. Reduce the
heat to low and cook for about 10 minutes. Uncover, and pour
out the water. Lightly rinse the dumplings for 5 seconds under
hot running water to remove excess starch*. Drain. Place
the pan containing the dumplings over medium-high heat.
Drizzle 1/2 Tbs of oil around the dumplings and fry until
the bottoms are again crisp (about 2 minutes). Loosen
any dumplings that seem to be stuck to the bottom.
Another spicy dipping sauce that actually comes from another
recipe in the book, spicy steamed eggplant. The sauce is
supposed to be poured over the steamed eggplant. We like
it but love the sauce for just about everything.
1/4 cup soy sauce
1T rice wine
1T rice wine vinegar
2t sugar
1T minced scallion
1.5T minced garlic
2T sesame oil
1 or 2t chili oil (if you use 1, you'll just get the flavor,
which I think is delicious)