IF ONE MORE PERSON ASKS ME ABOUT MY DUMPLING RECIPE, I’M GOING TO …

I’m going to …, I’m going to call my mom and stalk her for the recipe.

Here it goes. With love to our friends B&M from the West coast!

NAPA CABBAGE PORK DUMPLINGS (A.K.A. JIAOZI)

Ingredients:

For the dough:

8 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 cups ice cold water

For the fillings:

2 pound ground pork
2 TB soy sauce
2 teaspoon salt
2 TB Chinese cooking wine
2 teaspoon ground fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
3 TB sesame oil
1 TB vegetable oil

1 small head of shredded Napa cabbage
1 teaspoon salt

For the dipping sauce:

Pick and mix the following depending on your preference -

Soy sauce, Chinese rice vinegar, minced garlic, sesame oil, hot sauce, even pinch of sugar if you‘re sweet.

Preparation:

Slowly stir cold water into the flour in three stages. Mix well with chopsticks. Make sure you get all the flour sticking on the sides of the bowl.

Then, in my mom’s exact words: “Applying the same strength you relied on as a baby sucking on your mother’s nipples”, use your hand to sperate and knead the dough into two smooth balls. You know it’s done when your mom squeals for pain, no, I mean when there’s no more dough left sticking on neither your hands, nor the bowl. Native Beijinese call this “three shining”. Bowl shines, hand shines, and of course, the dough shines.

Cover a damp cheesecloth over the doughs for 30 minutes (in two speperate bowls). This is called “waking up the dough”. It will make the wrappers chewy with energy later.

In the mean time, scatter 1 teaspoon salt over the shredded Napa cabbage and leave it alone. (Suggested activities during this time: reading my blog or just slap your pet for no particular reason). Come back in 5 minutes to squeeze out and discard the accumulated juice from the cabbage. Mix in the ground pork and seasonings. Stir well.

When the dough is “awake”, (don’t be startled if it utters the sound, “Zao!” It simply means “Good Morning” in Mandarin) place it onto a floured surface. Press the dough ball down and roll it forward with the heel of your palm three times. Turn the dough 90 degrees and repeat the same motion. When the dough has the touch of a baby’s smooth skin, then it’s done.

Press your thumb into the middle of the dough ball until it forms into a doughnut form. Squeeze it bit by bit with both palms to stretch the dough into a 1 inch diametered long suaage shape. Divide it into two long logs. Cut sections every 3" to 4”. Scatter 1/2 teaspoon all purpose flour over these babes and roll them gently to prevent them from sticking.

Use a small wooden rolling pin (I like the size of 3” diameter) to roll each dough ball into a round wrapper (about 3" diameter). Gently nudge the dough forward with your left hand while moving the pin back and forth with the right hand. It’s preferred that the center is slightly thicker than the edges.

HEY! WHAT’S THAT IN YOUR HAND?! A CHINESE TAKE-OUT MENU? PUT IT DOWN, WE’RE ALMOST THERE!

Place about 1 TB of filling into the center of the wrapper. Wet the edges with water. Close the center lightly. Using the thumb and index finger to fold the far end of the dumpling. Then making a pleat with the opening gap. Do the same on the other side. They should be able to sit up like well-fed plump babies. If all these sound too Chinese to u, then for God’s sake, just fold it into a half moon and be done with this.

To Cook:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the dumplings in (be careful not to overcrowd them) and stir gently so they don‘t stick together. Bring the water to boil, add ½ cup of cold water, cover and turn the heat down to medium flame. Repeat again. When the dumplings come to a boil for a third time, they are done. Drain and remove.

To Eat:

Place the chop sticks between your index and middle fingers while anchoring with your thumb. Pick up one dumpling, open your mouth -

ALRIGHT ALRIGHT, YOU GET THE POINT.

And some say it’s easier to make a film than dumplings ...