Rec: Boiled or Fried Pork Dumplings, Northern Style..Here's the entire recipe, the dough recipe is
part of it. If you attempt it, I sure would like to know how it works. I think they would be a little thicker than the purchased gyoza?
From Time/Life Foods of the World series Chinese Cooking.
Chiao-tzzi and Kuo-tioh (Boiled or Fried Pork Dumplings, Northern Style)
To make about 4 dozen dumplings
THE DOUGH
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cold water
THE FILLING
1/2 pound Chinese cabbage (celery cabbage or bok choy)
1 pound lean boneless pork, finely ground
1 teaspoon finely chopped, peeled fresh ginger root
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine, or pale dry sherry
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sesame-seed oil
2 tablespoons peanut oil, or flavorless vegetable oil
1 cup chicken stock, fresh or canned
1/4 cup soy sauce combined with 2 tablespoons white vinegar
PREPARE AHEAD: To make the filling:
1. With a cleaver or heavy, sharp knife, trim the wilted leaves and root
ends from the cabbage, and separate the cabbage into stalks. Wash the stalks
under cold running water, drain and chop them very fine. Then place the
chopped cabbage in a kitchen towel or double layer of cheesecloth and
squeeze it firmly to extract as much of its moisture as possible.
2. In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, chopped ginger root, wine, soy
sauce, salt and sesame-seed oil, and then add the chopped cab-bage. With
your hands or a large spoon, mix all the ingredients together until they are
thoroughly blended.
TO MAKE THE DOUGH:
1. Sift the flour into a mixing bowl and, with your hands or a large spoon,
gradually combine it with the water, mixing until a stiff dough is formed.
Knead the dough in the bowl for 5 minutes, or until it is smooth, then cover
the bowl with a dampened cloth and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
2. Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and knead it for another
2 or 3 minutes. Divide the dough into two parts, and, with your hands,
firmly shape each piece into a sausagelike cylinder about 12 inches long and
1 inch in diameter.
3. With a cleaver or sharp knife, cut the rolls of dough crosswise into
1/2-inch slices. Lay the slices on a lightly floured surface and sprinkle
their tops with a light dusting of flour. One at a time, press the slices
with the palm of your hand to flatten them to about 1/4 inch thickness. Then
roll each slice with a rolling pin into a 3-inch-round shape about 1/8 inch
thick, turning it an inch or so in a clockwise direction as you roll so that
the circle keeps its shape. Arrange the rounds side by side on a lightly
floured tray or cookie sheet. Cover with a dry kitchen towel.
TO ASSEMBLE:
For each dumpling, place 2 teaspoonfuls of the filling in the center of a
round of dough and shape the filling into a strip about 1 1/2 inches long.
Fold the round in half to make a half-moon shape and pinch the edges
together at the center of the arc. With your fingers, make three or four
small pleats in one side of the opening at each end of the arc to gather the
dough around the filling. Pinch all along the top of the dumpling to seal
pleated and smooth edges together. Transfer the finished dumpling to the
floured tray or cookie sheet and keep it covered with the dry towel while
you proceed with the rest.
TO BOIL:
In a 4- to 5-quart pot, bring 2 quarts of water to a bubbling boil. Drop in
the dumplings and turn them about in the water once with chopsticks or a
large slotted spoon to prevent their sticking together. Cover the pot and
cook over high heat only until the water comes to a boil. Immediately pour
in 1 cup of cold water, re-cover the pot and bring the water in it to a boil
again. Repeat this process twice more, adding 1 cup of cold water each time.
Then remove the dumplings from the water with a bamboo strainer or slotted
spoon.
Arrange the boiled dumplings on a heated platter and serve them at once.
Serve the combined soy sauce and vinegar separately as a dip or sauce for
the dumplings.
TO FRY:
Set a 12-inch skillet over high heat for 30 seconds. Pour in 2 tablespoons
of oil and swirl it about in the pan. Place the dumplings, sides just
touching, pleated side up, in the pan. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, or
until the bottoms brown lightly. Add 1 cup of chicken stock, cover the pan
tightly and cook over moderate heat for about 10 minutes, or until all the
liquid has evaporated. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and gently
swirl it about in the skillet. Let the dumplings fry uncovered for 2 minutes
longer. With a spatula or large spoon, gently loosen the dumplings from the
bottom of the skillet and transfer them browned side up to a heated platter.
Serve the fried dumplings as soon as they are finished. Accompany them with
the soy sauce and vinegar, combined in a small bowl, to be used as a dip or
sauce for the dumplings.
