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Dumplings! I like pork - got to admit it - maybe not as much as Meghan - but I like it. This is a variation on a recipe I lifted from a New York cookbook - so it helps if you live in NYC and can get yourself on a train to Chinatown. I like to make a heap of these and freeze them - you can boil them for soup from frozen or thaw them and steam or fry them. Step one: Get the fixins' (you can vary the amounts of things to suit your taste). If you are in NYC there is a fish store/butcher on Grand and Christie (I think) by the now "S" shuttle train where you can get your ground pork, shrimp, veggies & dumpling wrappers all in one go - and dried mushrooms are available in shops on Grand Street. 1 pound of ground pork or beef (extra pork for Meghan of course) 1 1/2 pounds shrimp Cilantro (1 bunch) essential! Watercress (1 bunch) optional Green onions (1 bunch) Dried or fresh shitake mushrooms (about 8) 2 eggs Dumpling wrappers (white one are thicker - yellow thinner if you buy in Chinatown) Salt & White pepper (black will do) Sesame oil
Step two: Chop up everything real small. I have gotten lazy and use a food processor but hand chopping things gives your dumplings much more texture. I even chopped up some pork chops once which was pretty unpleasant. I start by separating the eggs - whites in a small bowl and yolks in a big bowl. Add a generous teaspoon of salt and pepper to the egg yolks and 3 table spoons of sesame oil and give it a good stir. Chop up the greens of the onions real small and add those. Add your ground meat and chopped up shrimp (shelled and cleaned first). Soak your mushrooms if they are dry - cut up real small and add. Same goes for the watercress and/or cilantro. Mix it all up nice with a fork. Step three: Stuff your dumplings! Once you have your stuffing all you need is the dumpling wrappers (I use nearly 2 packs), egg whites and a small paintbrush or your finger tips and a mindless TV program to watch while your doing the stuffing. I have been known to do this in total silence for a meditative effect. Take a wrapper and wet it around the edge - spoon in a large teaspoon of stuffing onto the center. Lift up your dumplings like a taco and seal the edges. At this point you can make the fancy fold of your choice or leave them as is. I like to crimp the edges up - hard to explain but I'd guess you have seen a proper dumpling before.
Step four: Cook those babies. Freshly made dumplings steamed and dipped in soy sauce with some added rooster sauce is a dream come true. As I mentioned you can fry them up in a pan with some sesame oil - just make sure they cook through, about 15-20 minutes flipping sides ought to do it - or steam them for 15 minutes. They can also be deep fried - yummy but sinful. Or you can get some high quality ramen - boil the dumplings for 10 mins and then add the ramen. Enjoy - and send me your creative variations. I am going to try just shrimp and watercress and see how it goes.
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