english: dumplings, peking ravioli, potstickers (fried)
japanese: gyoza
mandarin: jiaozi, su jiao (vegetarian), shui jiao (boiled), zheng jiao (steamed), guotie (fried)
dumplings are a popular food from northern china, eaten especially during the chinese new year. they're shaped kind of like half-moons, and are supposed to represent prosperity because they're shaped the way money used to be shaped back in the day. dumplings can be boiled, fried or steamed; in or out of soup; vegetarian or non-vegetarian; appetizers or main courses. the most common type contains pork and chives, but here are some tips on making meatless dumplings.
- you can buy the circular skins in the store, or you can easily make them yourself. to make them, just mix, knead, cover and let sit 30-60 minutes (optional), divide and roll into small 1-inch balls, and finally roll into very thin circles (it will help with wrapping if the very edges of each circle are slightly thinner than the center) with a rolling pin on a floured surface:
4 parts flour (each cup of flour will make about 10 dumplings)
1 part hot (almost boiling) water
- here are some suggestions for what to fill your dumplings with:
dumpling filling #1 -- juicy mushroom
dumpling filling #2 -- chive & egg (has eggs)
- to wrap a dumpling, first put a small amount of filling on the wrapper. then dip your finger in water and wet the top side of the wrapper's edges (try this step only if you're having trouble sealing the dumplings). then start to fold the wrapper in half around the filling, pleating one edge and pressing it against the unpleated opposite edge. make sure the end result is firmly sealed and contains no holes.
- if you want to freeze the dumplings and eat them later, just wait for them to dry out a bit (so they don't stick to each other), put them in a sealable bag or container, and freeze. when you want to cook them, don't even bother to thaw them first (all it will do is sog them up) -- just cook them longer.
- if you want to boil the dumplings, just bring a large pot of water to a boil, put the dumplings in, and boil on medium for about 4-5 minutes (longer if frozen) or until the dumplings float to the surface. the dumplings are most likely to break if you boil them, so make sure you wrap them well!
- if you want to steam the dumplings, just cook them in a steamer over rapidly boiling water until your e.s.p. tells you they're done. it helps to place a cabbage or lettuce leaf on the base of the steamer to prevent sticking. click here for some tips on steaming.
- if you want to fry the dumplings, heat a little oil in the bottom of a frying pan and place the dumplings in the pan seam-side up. move the dumplings around a little so they don't stick to the pan, and when the bottoms are fully browned, add about 1/3 cup of water to the pan. cover and let steam for 3-5 minutes or until the water evaporates. this method will give you dumplings with crispy bottoms and soft tops.
- serve the dumplings with any combination of the following dipping sauces:
soy sauce
rice vinegar
chili peppers/paste/sauce/oil
minced garlic (raw)
OR use any variation of my soy-vinegar dipping sauce
- for another good step-by-step illustrated guide to dumpling making, click here.
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