Steamed Or Fried Meat Dumplings
chinese, dumplings, pork
1 cup bamboo shoots, chopped fine
4 oz garlic chives or scallions,
1 green part, minced
12 oz pork loin, not too lean,
1 chopped fine or ground
1 coarse
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon msg (may be sub'd by
1/4 teaspoon sugar and
1/4 teaspoon salt)
3 tablespoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon pepper, ground fine
2 1/2 cup flour
2/3 cup water, boiling
2/3 cup water, ice-cold
1 flour to prevent sticking
5 tablespoon oil (for frying)
1/2 cup water, boiling
Mix bamboo shoots, chives and pork. Mix all together with seasoning ingredients.
Mix flour and boiling water. Add cold water and knead until it is a smooth dough. Let rest 10 min. Roll out into a long cylinder and divide into 48 or 50 pieces for steamed, 36 pieces for fried. Roll out each piece into a 2" circle for steamed or into a 4" x 2" oval for fried.
Put 1/3 oz filling (appx) in each circle (for steamed) or 1/2 oz (appx) in the center of each oval (for fried). Fold circles over (fold ovals over to make a 4" x 1" ovoid) and seal with water, pleating one side artistically as you go (optional!). If you pleat, you will get one crinkled side and one straight side, and the dumplings will pull into a slightly curved or crescent shape; otherwise you will have straight, flat, boring-looking dumplings that still taste fine. Procedure for steaming:
Steam over water over high heat for 8 minutes. Procedure for frying:
Heat a large flat-bottomed frying pan with 4 T oil until the oil almost smokes. Line pan with dumplings, creased side up. Turn heat to low and fry until golden, about 1 min. Add 1/2 c boiling water and cook covered until water is evaporated, about 4 min. Add 1 T oil, swish around on the bottom, and then invert dumplings onto a serving plate. I have not tried Sauces: use the same sauces as for boiled dumplings, or else just put white vinegar, sesame oil, and soy sauce in separate containers on the table and let the guests make their own.
refined from Wei-chuan cook book Chinese Snacks From: Michael Loo Date: 18 Nov 97
Yield: 4 servings