Recipes

Chinese dumplings (Jiaozi) are very famous. During the Chinese New Year season, every family should eat dumplings. That means a family reunion. My mom made dumplings for us when I was young. That was my happiest time.

Ingredients:

You will need flour, ground pork or beef, soy sauce, sesame oil, green onions, fresh ginger and two cloves of garlic.

Dumpling dough:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• Up to 1 ¼ cups cold water
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Filling:

• 1 cup ground pork or beef
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• ¼ tsp freshly ground white pepper
• 3 tbsp sesame oil
• ½ green onion, finely minced
• 1 ½ cups finely shredded Napa cabbage
• 4 tbsp shredded bamboo shoots
• 2 slices fresh ginger, finely minced
• 2 clove garlic, peeled and finely minced 

Instructions

Prepare filling

Combine ground pork, ginger, soy sauce, Chinese rice wine, salt, and white pepper, green onion, sesame oil, shredded Napa cabbage, shredded bamboo shoots, ginger and garlic in a large bowl. Stir with a spatula until the ingredients are well combined and form a sticky paste. Thorough mixing is essential here, so your dumpling filling will stay together when you wrap the dumplings.

Cut 6 to 8 pieces of napa cabbage leaves (just enough to line the steamer) and keep for later. Cut the rest of the cabbage into small cubes and set aside.

Wrap

Work on the dumplings one by one. Scoop about 1 to 2 tablespoons (depends on the size of dumpling wrapper you use) of dumpling filling and place it in the center of the wrapper. If you’re using pre-made dumpling wrappers, dip your finger into a small bowl of water and wet the outer edge of the dumpling wrapper. Fold both sides into a half-moon shape and pinch the middle points together. Hold the dumpling with one hand and start sealing the edges into pleats with the other hand. Once you have sealed the dumpling, firmly press the pleated side with your fingers to make sure the dumpling is well sealed. If you put in too much filling and have trouble sealing the dumpling, remove the extra filling and fold the dumpling again.

Cook

Line the bamboo steamers with the napa cabbage leaves. Place dumplings into the steamer a finger width apart. Add two inches of water into a wok or a large pan that can comfortably fit your steamer. Place the steamer into the wok making sure the water doesn’t touch the dumplings when it begins to boil. Cover the steamer and cook over high heat for 10 minutes.

When the steaming dumplings are out, at this time, friends or family members can sit around and enjoy this delicious dish. Dumplings are a traditional Chinese cuisine. You must have it when the family reunites. It contains a rich cultural significance, like harmony, tolerance, low-key and unity.

Come, enjoy it!