Chinese Dumplings

 

 

 

I think this one dish exemplifies both my introduction to creating serious, yet still home-style Chinese cooking, and the practicing of my cooking skills, trying to become more effecient so I could cook this dish more often and rationalize the time spent preparing these. And you know what, it's not that time consuming if you split the duties, one to prepare the stuffing and the other to stuff the wrappers. Serving these turns a party into a cacaphony of full-mouthed "yums" and "wows", and they are a hearty appetizer so you can spread the courses out farther.

 

 

FILLING
1 large head Napa cabbage

1/4 t salt

3/4 in. fresh ginger, finely chopped

4-5 scallions, finely chopped

3/4 # ground pork

3 T thin soy

1 T Shao Xing wine, or other rice wine

1 t sugar (optional)

1 1/2 T sesame oil

1 pkg. Su Gow, Shu Mai, or wonton wrappers

(if using wonton skins, trim corners with a

very sharp knife, to an almost stop-sign shape)


SAUCE
4 cloves garlic, slightly crushed

1/4 t salt

2 T rice vinegar

1/3 c soy sauce (thin or Superior, reg.)

2 t hot pepper paste (or 1 1/2 t hot pepper

flakes in oil)

1/2 t dried shrimp, powdered

1 t sugar (optional)

1 1/2 t toasted sesame oil

1 scallion, finely chopped

 

Begin by thinly slicing the cabbage, then finely chopping it to the size of a match head. Put chopped cabbage into bowl, sprinkle with salt, toss to incorporate, and let sit for 15 minutes.

Chop ginger and scallions finely, the same size as the cabbage, put the ground pork in a bowl, and add the ginger and scallions. Now add the soy, wine, sesame oil, optional sugar, and combine briefly.

Using your hands, squeeze all of the water from the cabbage, as you would a wet towel, and add it to the pork mixture, using your fingers like a large fork or whisk until it begins to stick together.

Using a heaping teaspoon at a time, put the filling in the middle of the wrapper and bring all ends up evenly, forming a little pot o' gold (the Chinese say they represent money purses, endowing prosperity), and give them a slight pinch at the top to help them hold their shape.

To cook, either; put a single, uncrowded layer in a steamer lined with a thin, damp cloth, or cabbage, and steam for approximately 13 minutes, or; using a egg wash to seal, purse the top so that it seals well, and boil, about ten at time, for 3-4 minutes.

For the sauce, begin by lightly crushing the garlic, to flatten. Mash it with the salt, in a morter and pestle, or in a coffee mug with the handle end of a cleaver, into a paste, add the rest of the sauce ingredients, stir well and transfer to dipping bowls.

Let the dumplings cool for a few minutes before serving, as the filling will steam the roof of your mouth if bitten into just out of the cooker, so exercise caution for your guests sake. Stand back and be prepared to be congradulated (or eschew that, and jockey for a place in line, too often I get so busy that my wife has to sneak them in to me, or they would be gone before I got there)