(via glynnis)
The process of making dumplings is one where it’s essential to get your hands dirty. Firstly, the key to making a good dumpling is that the dough needs to be thin so when you bite into it you really taste the delicious filling. To flatten the dough, you can use the palm of your hand in a semi-circle motion or a cleaver on a cutting board. Secondly, don’t be afraid to put hearty amount of filling into your dumpling (so long as it closes you are safe). A general rule of thumb is 1 teaspoon of filling per dumpling.
You’ll need a frying pan, a bowl for your dipping sauce, flour or water on hand. For the filling, you’ll need 3/4 lb. of Shrimp, 1/2 lb Ground Pork, 3 Scallions (chopped finely), 2 Tablespoons of Cornstarch, 1 Tablespoon of Rice Wine, Sesame / Canola Oil, 1/2 Cup of Bamboo Shoots, 2 Tablespoons of Light Soy Sauce, Salt. For the sauce, it’s 1:4 ratio of Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce to Soy Sauce, 1/4 Teaspoon Sugar, 2 Teaspoons of Sesame Oil, 1/2 Rice Wine Vinegar
*The Holy Trinity of Asian Cooking = Ginger, Scallions, Soy Sauce
Prep: Make sure you wash, dry and de-vein your shrimp before you blitz it in the food processor. To de-vein shrimp, you need to cut two slits down the back of the shrimp in order to remove the black vein. The time you spend cleaning up the gunk now, will pay off later on. All your ingredients are put into a food processor until you get a thick, well-mixed filling that is moist. Likewise, when handling raw meat always remember to wash your hands.
1. Use an eggwash around the edges of the dough, which will act as the glue holding the dumpling together.
2. Bring the opposite sides together and pinch in the middle.
- To make the intricate pleats, start from one side using your pointer finger and your thumb, fold the dough over your nail. Then repeat until you have a total of 6 pleats. Another way to describe this step is rubbing your thumb and pointer finger together like you are opening a garbage bag. Essentially what you want to have by the end is a cresent moon with 6 pleats.
3. Put one lug (1 Tablespoon) of Sesame Oil into a pre-heated pan. You can tell if a pan is preheated right when it begins to smoke. Start putting the dumplings flat side down and away from you to avoid splatter. Fry for a minute then pour 1/4 Cup of Water into the pan and let the dumplings steam for 3 minutes with the lid on and another minute with the lid off.
4. Before serving, cut into a dumpling to ensure that the filling is fully cooked.
Reblogged from Far From Home.
November 03, 2009, 10:48am
