Dumpling 101

So last night we had a girls sleep over. It was good to run around in pj’s and paint nails and gossip about cute guys and boyfriends over dinner, Oreos and of course some red wine.

 But Britt and I both agreed that the most exciting part of our slumber party was making dumplings.  Shanghai style. We had the true Chinese experience as Diana our designer turned head chef took us through a step by step dumpling class.

And as requested by some fans on face book we thought we ought to share this yummy recipe with you all.

 Please note that we made the vegetarian version because I am a fussy pot and don’t eat meat. But you meat munchers can definitely add some of our favorite meat to the recipe.
Diana suggests Pork mince.

Ingredients

Dumplings

·         Grab some of your finest dumpling paper.

We used the square shaped ones, which are found in the Asian section of your supermarket or head on down to your closest Asian grocer.

·         3 tablespoons sugar

·         2 tablespoons soy sauce

·         1 large garlic clove, minced

·         3/4 teaspoon salt

·         1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

·         1/2 teaspoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger

·         1/2 teaspoon Shaoxing wine (Chinese rice wine)

·         1/4 teaspoon Asian sesame oil

·         1 bundle of Bok Choy

• 1 packet of hard already cooked tofu

  Dipping Sauce

  ·         1 cup black vinegar

  ·         6 tablespoons soy sauce

  ·         1 tablespoon of chillies finely chopped

  ·         2 tablespoons very thin shallots

  Follow these to make your dinner !!!

  Make the sauce
  Mix 1 cup black vinegar, 6 tablespoons soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon fresh chillies in small bowl.

  Make the filling

  After the Bok Choy is finely sliced, make sure you drain the bok choy until there is little to no water left. If there is water your dumplings will break.!!!

  Combine all filling ingredients in large bowl and mix with fork or your hands just until blended.

  Assemble the dumplings
  Peel one sheet of dumpling paper and place on your palm, if you place on the table it will be hard to flip so using your hands is a better choice. Make sure the lines on your dumpling paper are going in the horizontal direction.

  Spoon one teaspoon of filling to the base of the paper then roll up towards your finger tips. Then for the tricky bit.. Make sure the log shaped dumpling has all the yummy filling in the center. Then make sure the bit of the rice paper is sticking up is up the top then flick the dumpling in at the center so it makes a semi v shape towards you then squish the bottom parts together until the combined.. Then viola!!! You have your first dumpling.. Repeat until all the filling is used or you run out of dumpling paper. if you get confused follow the drawing below. hopefully dumplings will be looking better then my drawings.

  Cooking

  Bring one pot of water to the boil. Then place your dumplings in slowly carefully not to get the water spat on you. Or to break your hand made dumplings. Then leave them until the paper goes semi transparent and then carefully spoon them out then serve.