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Making the dumplings
is part of the fun of the occasion, and starts with preparing the
dough, which is then rolled out into small parcels.
The parcels
are stuffed with a mixture of minced pork or other meat, finely
chopped vegetables, oil, salt, water and soya sauce.
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| These jiaozi
have minced pork and a combination of green bean and celery.
They were delicious! |
The dumplings
are sealed then boiled for a few minutes and eaten with vinegar,
hot chili oil or soya sauce.
If you are very
fond of them, you can make a meal of several dozen of the little
parcels, or combine them with a few other Chinese dishes.
The Chinese
consider them to be good luck and often eat them at other times
of the year as well.
Making the dough
may sound easy, but preparing a good one is very tricky.
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| Rolling
the dough is tricky! |
You
need just the right consistency so it rolls easily, isn't too sticky
or too dry and doesn't break up either while stuffing the dumplings
or boiling them. Practice makes perfect.
Here's the recipe:
Chinese stuffed
dumplings
Dough ingredients:
6oz/350g plain
flour (not self-raising)
8oz/300ml lukewarm water
Put flour in
a bowl, add the water gradually and mix. Try to make the consistency
soft and supple, but not too gooey or wet.
Cover with a wet tea towel and leave for 30 minutes.
Turn the dough onto a flat, dry surface that is sprinkled with flour.
Knead well. Form the dough into the shape of a long snake, and cut
into 2.5 cm/ 1 inch pieces. Roll each piece into a small circle
with a small rolling pin.
Stuffing ingredients:
8 oz minced
pork or chicken
1 tbsp soya sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 cups finely chopped celery, spinach, green bean or other vegetable
some salt to taste
1 tbsp cooking oil
some chopped spring onion (optional)
some water (a few spoonfuls) to make mixture moist
Mix all the
ingredients in a bowl, and leave for a few minutes. Stuff the dumpling
wrappers or parcels with a bit of the mixture, not too much!
Put the stuffing
in the middle and press the sides together, joining along the top.
Try to make neat, triangular parcels, but the shape isn't too important
as long as they stick together during boiling.
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Eating
them
is the reward!
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Cook in boiling
water for about six minutes. You can put them in boiling water and
add a cup of cold water, then let them come back to the boil and
repeat two more times, and they will be ready to eat.
Serve in a bowl
with various toppings, such as chili oil, sesame oil, soya sauce
or hot bean sauce.
Enjoy!
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