Green Cabbage and Egg Dumplings

Li demonstrated how to make Green Cabbage and Egg Dumplings in the South Arm Community Kitchen. Making dumpling is common during the Chinese New Year eve. The whole family will gather together to make dumplings.

Cabbage-Dumplings-10

Many hands made this job so much more fun. Some will make the wrappers while others make the dumplings.

Cabbage-Dumplings-15

This Green Cabbage and Egg Dumplings has a crunchy filing as it just need to be boiled until the dough is cooked as the filling does not contain meat. It is almost a vegetarian dumpling if you substitute the egg with tofu, mushroom, etc.

Ingredients

  • 5 eggs
  • 1 kilogram (2 pounds) green cabbage
  • 100 g (3 to 4) green onions, finely chopped
  • 2 inches ginger, minced
  • salt to taste
  • 60ml vegetable oil
  • soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil for dipping sauce

For the wrapper

  • 1200ml all-purpose flour
  • 540ml water
  • Cabbage-Dumplings-1

Source: Li

(more…)

Continue ReadingGreen Cabbage and Egg Dumplings

Vegetarian Dumpling

Ming made this Vegetarian Dumpling in the South Arm Community Kitchen. She made it based on Vanessa’s description of the dish which Vanessa had in a restaurant. Since Ming came from Beijing, she is good at making dumpling and noodle which are the staple food of Northern China.

IMG_6063
The dumpling is steamed and the vegetarian filing tasted pretty good.

Ingredients

For the dumpling skin:

  • self rising flour
  • warm water

For the filing:

  • vermicelli
  • cloud ear
  • fried tofu puff
  • shiitake mushroom

For seasoning:

  • salt
  • soy sauce
  • sesame oil
  • chicken powder

Ming made her dish by eyeball and filing, often, she cant give me the exact amount of the ingredients.

Click on the link below for the instructions.

(more…)

Continue ReadingVegetarian Dumpling

Garlic Chives Jiaozi

At the South Arm Community Kitchen, Vanessa brought along a new friend, Ming. Ming is from Beijing and she was a chef back there. We are fortunate to learn from Ming how to make jiaozi from scratch. Yes, even the dough is made from scratch.

The timing is just right as Chinese New Year is just around the corner. Jiaozi is a traditional food during Chinese New Year. Ming enlightened us on why jiaozi is eaten during Chinese New Year. For one, the shape of jiaozi resembles the gold ingots which is a form of money used during the past. Therefore, jiaozi is believed to bring wealth in the new year. Also, the Cantonese believes that the way the filings is wrapped in a wrapper keeps the wealth within the family.

IMG_3410

Jiaozi is also believed to get its name from the shape which resembled horn shape.

IMG_3420

There are various filings for jiaozi. Garlic chives or also known as Chinese chives is the most common one. The mild garlicky flavour of the chives complements the flavour of the pork very well. I had blogged about other types of jiaozi here and here.

Ingredients

  • ground pork (can also use ground beef or lamb), about 2 lbs
  • garlic chives, 1 bundle, finely chopped
  • minced ginger
  • salt
  • sesame oil
  • cooking oil
  • chicken bouillon powder (optional)
  • flour
  • water

IMG_3365

The garlic chives has flat leaves unlike the regular chives which has hollow rounded leaves.

(more…)

Continue ReadingGarlic Chives Jiaozi

Chives Pocket

Once again, Julie shared in the South Arm Community Kitchen. Julie made two types of dumplings with chives. The first dumpling is called Chives Pocket, a giant dumpling which is pan fried. I’m not sure if I translated it correctly as it is called ‘Jiu Chai Hert Zi’ in Mandarin which literally means chives in a container.

_MG_4922_edited-1

Chives have a beneficial effect on the circulatory system, in lowering the blood pressure. Chives are also rich in vitamins A, C, and contain trace of sulfur and iron. Chives are also rich in fiber.

Chives are grown for their leaves, which are used for culinary purposes as condiment.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground pork
  • 1 bunch of chives, finely chopped
  • 1 bunch of vermicelli
  • 2 squares of dried spiced bean curd
  • 1 piece of ginger about 1 inch, minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
  • 2 teaspoons soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon chicken seasoning
  • 2 green onions, finely chopped (optional)
  • 3 eggs

Ingredients for the dough

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour (or mixture of 3 cups of all-purpose flour with 1 cup whole wheat flour)
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon salt

_MG_4872_edited-1

Click on the link below for the instructions.

(more…)

Continue ReadingChives Pocket

Suey Choy (Napa Cabbage) Pork Dumpling

Betty made Suey Choy Pork Dumpling in the Caring Place Community Kitchen a couple weeks ago.

This is the pan fried version which I find is more tasty than the boiled version. The boiled version is best served in hot broth to keep it warm. You can check out the technique of making the boiled version at this link.

IMG_9368_edited-1

Ingredients

  • 1 package of fresh dumpling skin (about 50 pieces)
  • 1 lb lean ground pork
  • 1 1 small suey choy (napa cabbage), finely chopped
  • 3 green onions, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon of minced ginger
  • 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon white pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt

IMG_9339_edited-1

(more…)

Continue ReadingSuey Choy (Napa Cabbage) Pork Dumpling

Jiaozi (Chinese Dumpling)

Polly also showed me how to make Jiaozi (Chinese Dumpling) when she came over to make the salted mustard with pork belly dish. Polly learned how to make Jiaozi from Xiao Qin who came from Taiwan.

Jiaozi is a Chinese dumpling which consists of minced meat and chopped vegetables wrapped into a piece of thin dough. The more popular meat filings are ground pork, ground beef, ground lamb, or shrimp. The vegetables can be Chinese cabbage, green onion, leek, chives, shiitake mushroom, water chestnut, etc.

Jiaozi can be boiled or shallow-fried and then steamed. When shallow-fried and steamed, it’s call potsticker.

On Chinese New Year’s eve, making and eating dumpling is a tradition in China. Family members would get together to make jiaozi.

IMG_7356_edited-1

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs lean ground pork
  • 1 bunch green onions
  • 8 pieces shallots
  • 2 medium onions
  • few celery sticks
  • 10 pieces of dried shiitake mushroom, soak overnight
  • 4 packages of dumpling skins, about 200 pieces

Seasoning:

  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 3 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 teaspoons corn starch
  • 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
  • 2 eggs

IMG_7349_edited-1

All the ingredients except the dumpling skins and eggs have to be chopped finely. Mix all the ingredients except the dumpling skins together with the seasonings in a large bowl.

IMG_7351_edited-1

Click on the link below for the instructions.

(more…)

Continue ReadingJiaozi (Chinese Dumpling)