Chic 'n Cheap Living

I ♥ dumplings.

Yes, I love dumplings of almost any size, shape, and ethnicity (gyoza, veriniki, pierogies, etc.). I particularly like savory dumplings and fried dumplings are the best (though you'll find this recipe below actually uses light frying and steaming).

My friend, Kent was visiting Singapore and he was gracious enough to teach me how to make Chinese style pork dumplings from scratch (I've added a few seasoning revisions). He learned this recipe from his grandmother and mom and was a pro at making this at our house parties in France and Singapore.

Freshly friend, homemade dumplings are so seriously delicious.

If you ever have a few friends over, I'd recommend this as a fun and edible activity (the dough part is actually a bit tedious since it needs to be kneaded smooth).

Basic Chinese Dumplings (makes about 30-50 dumplings depending on the size of your wrappers)

Ingredients:

- 1.5 cups flour

- 1/2 cup water plus up to 1/3 cup of water for steaming each batch

- 1/8 cup canola oil plus 1-2 tablespoons for cooking each batch

- 1 tablespoon salt

- 3/4 pound pork or other meat

- 1/2 inch ginger (minced)

- 1 stalk green onion/scallion (minced)

- 2 tablespoons soy sauce plus 2 tablespoons for sauce

- 1.5 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon rice wine

Note: Feel free to add chopped cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, eggs, tofu etc. to balance out or replace the meat
Tip: Don't have time to make the dumpling wrappers? Save a few hours and grab a pack from a Chinese or Asian supermarket - note that many store made dumpling wrappers tend to be thin so be careful!

Tools

- Large mixing bowl

- small bowl for sauce

- chopping board

- floured surface or cutting board for rolling wrappers
- plates for holding freshly wrapped dumplings

- rolling pin

- skillet

- cover for skillet

Instructions:

Dough prep

1. Make the dough by combining first 4 ingredients (only half of salt) in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are combined.

2. Create a large ball of dough with some flour at the periphery of your kneading surface.

3. Knead dough with palm of hand - spread dough with the heel of your hand from the middle and upward so dough is spread thin.

4. Continue until dough is smooth. This make take up to 10 - 15 minutes.

5. Roll dough into several (our case 4) logs about 3/4 inch thick and about 10" long.

6. Cover dough to keep moist.

Meat prep

7. Mix pork, remaining salt, sesame oil, and about 80% of the ginger, scallion, two tablespoons of soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and rice wine.

8. Cover mixture and keep it ready.

Dumpling assembly

9. Cut off about 1.5 - 2" of dough from a log.

10.Roll into a ball form. Use a floured rolling surface and rolling pin to flatten and roll out the dough. Roll outward from center and flip over.

11. Gather a bit more of a tablespoon of meat (too much will make the dumpling first so start small and add a bit) into the center of the rolled skin. Start folding dumpling into a crescent shape by gathering the circle, folding in half, and pinching at the top.

12. Form small pleats by gathering 1/4" of dough and pushing towards other side to create a fold.

13.Pleat both sides and place on a tray/plate (ok there were circular shapes thrown in for fun).

Cooking

14. Heat up your skillet on medium heat and pour in the tablespoon of oil.

15. Place dumplings in a circular pattern.

16. Pour in 1/8 - 1/4 cup water (1/8 cup at a time). Water will dissipate in a few seconds. Pour in remaining water and cover for about 5 minutes. Picture below shows a bit too much water - don't let your pan look like this!