(no subject)
Happy Chinese New Year!
It's finally the year of the bull, ox, cow, bovine. I'm certainly very happy to see it here. Finally I do not need to wear my red bracelet anymore! But I guess I'll keep it on for a few days just in case.
My parents always used to say that all Chinese holidays are starch holidays, while American holidays are meat holidays. This is obviously true, we have sweet rice balls on Lantern festival, rice tamales on the Dragon Boat festival, moon cakes on Mid-autumn festival, and dumplings and rice cakes on the new year, while Americans have barbecues on Independence day and turkey on Thanksgiving and some other chunk of meat on Christmas. But it's a sign of changing times that Chinese food no longer seems to come off badly in comparison, as it was meant to originally.
.
It's not just another recipe for dumpling, but the truly authentic Beijing style dill dumpling, which you will not find anywhere on the internet, and seems to be completely undiscovered outside of Beijing. How often do you get that nowadays when everything seems to be available via google? ^__^
Dill-stuffing for dumplings:
2 package Shanghai style dumpling skin
(I'm leaving making fresh dumpling skins for another post)
1 large bunch dill, about 1 1/2 lb, chopped fine. (The proportion of dill to pork should be 2 to 1 in volume. I always eyeball it, but generally you can use 1 cup ground pork to 2 cup chopped dill)
1 lb ground pork, (slightly fattier type is preferred).
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger (If not available then leave it out. Do not use dried ginger as substitute)
3 scallions, chopped very fine
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp salt or to taste
1 tbsp cooking wine
1 tbsp soy sauce
In a large mixing bowl, combine the pork, ginger, scallion, 1 tbsp oil, soy sauce and cooking wine. Mix it vigorously with a fork or a pair of chopsticks for a few minutes until the pork becomes pulpy. This is hard to describe, but basically you need to mix it to a state where you can see little thin threads of meat instead of little globs. It takes only about a couple minutes of mixing, you'll know you're there when you see it. As you're mixing incorporate the water by the spoonful until you get to a thick gruel like consistency.
Add the dill, remaining vegetable oil, sesame oil, and salt to the meat and mix well. Adjust the sesame oil and salt to taste. It sounds a little gross, but you might need to taste it a little to figure out if you need more salt. It should be just slightly on the salty side if you plan to boil the dumpling, but normal if you plan to fry.
To fill the dumplings you can follow directions anywhere on the net, here is one with pictures
To boil the dumpling bring a large pot of water to boil, add the dumplings, and cooked covered until the dumplings float up. Add half a cup of cold water and bring to a boil again uncovered and the dumplings are puffed up with air, about 10 min.
To pan-fry the dumplings, heat a nonstick pan over medium. Add enough oil to cover the bottom. When the oil is hot add the dumplings and cook until the underside is browned. Add 1/4 cup of water to the pan, cover, and turn the heat to very low to steam. When all liquid is absorbed remove the cover and continue cooking for a few minute to crisp the bottom.
Traditionally fried dumplings are eaten with a thin rice and lentil congee. It's very easy to make. Take 1/4 cup rice and 1/4 cup split mung bean or red azuki beans, add 4 cup water and simmer for 1 hour. If you wish to be fancy you can add a handle of sweetened lotus seeds or jujube to it. It's a very bland, but comforting accompaniment to the dumplings.
It's finally the year of the bull, ox, cow, bovine. I'm certainly very happy to see it here. Finally I do not need to wear my red bracelet anymore! But I guess I'll keep it on for a few days just in case.
My parents always used to say that all Chinese holidays are starch holidays, while American holidays are meat holidays. This is obviously true, we have sweet rice balls on Lantern festival, rice tamales on the Dragon Boat festival, moon cakes on Mid-autumn festival, and dumplings and rice cakes on the new year, while Americans have barbecues on Independence day and turkey on Thanksgiving and some other chunk of meat on Christmas. But it's a sign of changing times that Chinese food no longer seems to come off badly in comparison, as it was meant to originally.
.
It's not just another recipe for dumpling, but the truly authentic Beijing style dill dumpling, which you will not find anywhere on the internet, and seems to be completely undiscovered outside of Beijing. How often do you get that nowadays when everything seems to be available via google? ^__^
Dill-stuffing for dumplings:
2 package Shanghai style dumpling skin
(I'm leaving making fresh dumpling skins for another post)
1 large bunch dill, about 1 1/2 lb, chopped fine. (The proportion of dill to pork should be 2 to 1 in volume. I always eyeball it, but generally you can use 1 cup ground pork to 2 cup chopped dill)
1 lb ground pork, (slightly fattier type is preferred).
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger (If not available then leave it out. Do not use dried ginger as substitute)
3 scallions, chopped very fine
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp salt or to taste
1 tbsp cooking wine
1 tbsp soy sauce
In a large mixing bowl, combine the pork, ginger, scallion, 1 tbsp oil, soy sauce and cooking wine. Mix it vigorously with a fork or a pair of chopsticks for a few minutes until the pork becomes pulpy. This is hard to describe, but basically you need to mix it to a state where you can see little thin threads of meat instead of little globs. It takes only about a couple minutes of mixing, you'll know you're there when you see it. As you're mixing incorporate the water by the spoonful until you get to a thick gruel like consistency.
Add the dill, remaining vegetable oil, sesame oil, and salt to the meat and mix well. Adjust the sesame oil and salt to taste. It sounds a little gross, but you might need to taste it a little to figure out if you need more salt. It should be just slightly on the salty side if you plan to boil the dumpling, but normal if you plan to fry.
To fill the dumplings you can follow directions anywhere on the net, here is one with pictures
To boil the dumpling bring a large pot of water to boil, add the dumplings, and cooked covered until the dumplings float up. Add half a cup of cold water and bring to a boil again uncovered and the dumplings are puffed up with air, about 10 min.
To pan-fry the dumplings, heat a nonstick pan over medium. Add enough oil to cover the bottom. When the oil is hot add the dumplings and cook until the underside is browned. Add 1/4 cup of water to the pan, cover, and turn the heat to very low to steam. When all liquid is absorbed remove the cover and continue cooking for a few minute to crisp the bottom.
Traditionally fried dumplings are eaten with a thin rice and lentil congee. It's very easy to make. Take 1/4 cup rice and 1/4 cup split mung bean or red azuki beans, add 4 cup water and simmer for 1 hour. If you wish to be fancy you can add a handle of sweetened lotus seeds or jujube to it. It's a very bland, but comforting accompaniment to the dumplings.