I love chinese dumplings. I don’t know how to cook this but I vow to learn so I can eat to my heart’s content!

Here’s the recipe I found over at Yummy Food:

Ingredients:

1/2 kg (1Lb) pork mince (ground pork)
1/2 Kg (1 LB) Shredded Chinese cabbage
200g (1/2 Lb) Dumpling pastry ( check your local oriental grocery for this)

Sauce: *
8 Tbsp Soy sauce
1 Tspb Rice Vinegar
2 tsp Sesame oil

* You may change proportions according to your taste.
Directions
Step: 1 Mix pork mince and Chinese cabbage together and wrap with dumpling pastry. Boil for 15 minutes.
Step: 2 Mix sauce ingredients to make dipping sauce.

I will let you know once I try it.

Happy cooking!

Post from: Blisstree

Chinese Dumplings Recipe

Uncle Yip’s Seafood and Dim Sum Restaurant
10736 Reading Road, Evendale
Cincinnati, OH 45241
I-75 Exit 14 (Next to Papa John’s and Tokyo Foods)
513-733-8484
open M-Th 11-10
Fri-Sat 11-11
Sun 11-9:30

Post from: Blisstree

Uncle Yip’s, Cincinnati

Mix dough ingredients in a bowl or food processor. Flour a platter or line with wax paper. Knead dough lightly on floured surface until elastic, then divide into 80 pieces or so, each about the size of a regular gumball.

Roll out each piece into a round about 3 inches in diameter.

Follow instructions for filling and pleating the dumplings in Part 1.

Now that they’re cooked, there’s nothing left to do but to chow down.

This is a basic dumpling wrapper that contains nothing but flour and water. A more enriched dumpling wrapper is available containing egg. If you want, you can add an egg yolk into your dough to replace some of the water.

Post from: Blisstree

Making Jiaozi, Part 2: Dumpling Wrappers

This recipe is from the book Mrs. Chiang’s Szechwan Cookbook, a favorite of mine for many years. I know the Chinese are very particular about how to make this recipe, and some recipes for jiaozi specify how to stir the filling, what to add first, etc. However, in the interest of simplicity (and because my taste buds, though probably more refined than some, are not refined enough to distinguish results made different by the use of a stirring technique), I’ve chosen to vary the instructions here a bit — I sure hope the Chinese purists won’t mind too much. This should enable the beginner as well as the advanced cook to prepare something that’s very basic in Chinese cuisine.

You will recognize this as the pork dumpling which comes in many different shapes and guises at dimsum houses and other Chinese restaurants. You can make your own dough, or use store-bought dumpling wrappers at Asian stores. At any rate, it’s a dish worth making in the home because it’s fun, especially when you get your kids to help. You can freeze some for future use (emergency stash, for a party, etc.). You can steam, deep-fry, or cook it the traditional way (the boiling method posted here). Or, you can cook it “pot-sticker” way (see instructions below), which is how you will usually find this at most restaurants, where it shows up on menus as “Peking ravioli”, “wraplings”, and “crescents”, among other things.

The filling is so versatile that you can also use it to make siu mai, the steamed pork dumpling with an open top (with a little piece of shrimp or a sliver of shiitake mushroom on the top), or spring rolls (wrap in spring rolls and fry, that’s all there is to it), and as the meat and flavoring component for a vegetable stir-fry.

Ingredients for filling:

15 scallions, finely minced
1/2 inch piece fresh ginger, finely minced
1 lb. ground pork
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon ground roasted Szechwan peppercorns (available at Asian stores, whole and unroasted)
1 egg

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Here’s what szechwan peppercorns look like:

Ingredients for dough:

3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup water

Or, use store-bought dumpling wrappers

I’ll let you in on my secret. This is somewhat tedious work. I’ve found that a pasta machine, while not traditional, is very handy for making and rolling the dough, and I’ve been making my dumpling wrappers using this for years (purists may frown on the method, but hey, it works!

Cutting the dumpling wrappers:

You can either roll everything out, then fill, or alternate between filling and rolling to break the monotony.

Fill each dough circle with 1 1/2 teaspoons meat mixture. Put the filling in the center, then fold the dough over the filling (but do not seal). Holding the jiaoz in one hand, start on one end of the folded circle, pleating the top half-circle with your other hand and pressing both halves to seal with the other as you pleat. You should end up with a little crescent-shaped pouch. This can get a little tricky, but it gets easier with practice.

Lay the filled jiaozi on the floured or lined platter, making sure they don’t touch as they tend to stick together. [You can freeze the dumplings at this point, then put them in a resealable plastic bag when they're completely frozen.]

Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Cook jiaozi in batches, making sure they don’t crowd. The traditional way is to add jiaoz to the boiling water, then wait for the water to boil again, then add cold water to stop the process. Repeat boiling and adding cold water three times more, for a total of four times. The fourth time, remove jiaozi to a colander. Drain and serve hot.

If you would like to try cooking it “pot-sticker” style, pan-fry in a large skillet filmed with a bit of oil, in batches over medium heat. When the bottom is crusty, add water and simmer until completely cooked, about 15 minutes.

Jiaozi can be served plain, or with a simple sauce of just soy sauce and vinegar mixed together, or if you prefer, with this Szechwanese sauce:

4 cloves garlic, mashed to a paste with 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon hot pepper flakes in oil (Heat oil in a saucepan until hot and just beginning to smoke, then add red pepper flakes and remove from heat; let stand for 1 minute before using.)
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons soy sauce

Mix all ingredients in a bowl.

A vegetable and meat filling can also be made by adding 2 cups of chopped cabbage or Chinese cabbage (salt lightly, set aside for 15 minutes, then squeeze out the excess moisture before using)

Green beans can also be used, pre-cooked for about 7 minutes before chopping and adding to bowl.

Spinach can also be used, but do not salt it; just chop and add to meat mixture.

You can also make vegetarian jiaoz by using a combination of green beans, cabbage, shiitake mushrooms and carrots, all chopped finely.

The finished product, ready for consumption:):

Adapted from:

Part 2, Coming up, with the other instructions for making dumpling wrappers.

Post from: Blisstree

Making Jiaozi (A Repost), Part 1

Wei Hong is closed on Tuesdays, but the rest of the week you can order from one of the most extensive menus in St. Louis as far as Chinese restaurants go. Some of our favorites: Congee with Preserved Vegetable and Beef, Ha Moon Mai Fun, Roasted Pork with Shrimp Sauce on Rice, Bitter Melon with Spareribs, the Combination Lo Mein is excellent, as is the West Lake Beef Soup, and Salt and Pepper Squid (though the last is really best enjoyed eaten on premises; otherwise the travel home may render it soggy and lifeless). Try the Sizzling Chicken Tenderloins in Black Pepper Sauce. Yum! As is the You Shan Pork. Can’t really miss with anything you order.

There’s a second Wei Hong Branch in Olivette, on Olive Blvd. This one is sparsely furnished, more a take-out bakery than a restaurant like the one on Grand. They do have the usual baked goods made on a daily basis, as well as steamed sugar rice cake, both kinds (white and brown) and deep-fried sesame seed balls. These are very good, but of everyday quality, so don’t expect anything beyond that. Prices run cheap, with not many items over a dollar, so you can splurge on a snack for one or for a group. Take your order home and have some tea.

Wei Hong Bakery and Restaurant
3175 S Grand Blvd
St Louis, MO 63118
(314) 773-8318

7740 Olive Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63130
(314) 726-0360

PS There’s another Chinese bakery on Olive Boulevard, but do yourself a favor and don’t go there. Service is not as friendly, there was a fly zipping through inside the bakery case last time I was there, and when I ordered bubble tea, I was given this tepid chemical-tasting beverage (they all taste that way to some degree but this takes the cake) mixed with some giant ice cubes. Apparently their blender was dead and so was the machine that applies the cellophane lids. They did apologize saying things weren’t working, but if I had been feeling snarky that day I would have asked, “What does?” They should at least inform customers that they’re experiencing technical difficulties before taking payment for the order.

Post from: Blisstree

St. Louis: Wei Hong Bakery

At any rate, if you’re a dim sum lover like my family is, try any or all of these; they won’t disappoint you! Any book by Eileen Yin-Fei Lo is, of course, outstanding. But I have a special affection for Ellen Blonder’s books because of the beautiful drawings. I sometimes think of her as the Mollie Katzen of Chinese cuisine. Being a sporadic artist myself, I wonder whether I can make a pretty illustration of adobo… but something tells me I should leave the illustrating to professionals, like Cynthia Bauzon-Arre, who makes isaw look so artsy and yummy at the same time!

Dim Sum books to add to your library:

Classic Deem Sum
Dim Sum Book – also by Eileen Yin-Fei Lo
Chinese dessert, dim sum & snack cookbook – an older book, 20 years old, that I chanced upon at a used bookstore — no illustrations, but there are many recipes not found in other books, mostly for the desserts and light fruit compotes
– This is one I don’t have in my collection. It’s not a cookbook, but a pocket guide for people planning a visit to a teahouse — has pictures of the most basic dim sum dishes you’re likely to find, plus their Chinese names and pronunciations. Cute and specially recommended for dimsum newbies!

Post from: Blisstree

My Favorite Dim-Sum Cookbooks

Uncle Yip’s Fusion Cuisine/Seafood
7275 Dixie Hwy # A
Fairfield, OH 45014
(513) 942-6512
11:00a.m. – 10:00p.m.Monday – Thursday; 11:00a.m. – 11:00p.m.Friday – Saturday; 11:00a.m. – 9:30p.m.Sunday

Pacific Moon Cafe
8300 Market Place Ln
Cincinnati, OH 45242
(513) 891-0091
11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday.

Grand Oriental Buffet
4800 Fields Ertel Road
Cincinnati, OH 45249
(513) 677-3388
11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 11:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday

Just Outside Cincinnati:

Cathay Kitchen
8049 Connector Drive
Florence, KY
(859) 282-0770
11:00 AM to 10:00 PM Monday through Thursday, to 10:30 PM Friday/Saturday, and 9:00 PM Sunday

Of these, our long-time favorite is the award-winning Pacific Moon Cafe, though we haven’t been there since we moved back to the area. It was a ritual we followed on Sundays after Mass — Mass at Good Shepherd on Kemper at 9, getting out around 10, just in time to get to Pacific Moon before the crowd started trickling in at around 11. The place can get pretty crowded, but since there are windows all around and table linens and settings are all in white, there is never a feeling of stuffiness. Get there early and sometimes even owner Alex Chin or manager Michael Ly will make the rounds, talking to customers and offering tea or simply saying hi. There’s also a bar where the singles usually meet, and the kids are always mesmerized with the huge aquarium right by the entrance. We are eagerly awaiting the Chins’ opening of a second Pacific Moon, this time at the Levee in Newport, KY — where the Newport Aquarium is located. Sometime this summer, we hear… (The Chins also own LuLu’s Noodle Shop, another Cincinnati institution, in Springdale.)

In the meantime, I continue my hunt for a dim sum place. My appetite was whetted over the weekend when a friend graciously fed us some char xiu bao from Grand. And I’ve got cousins coming in this weekend, so we’re looking for a place to take them…. dim sum just might be it!

Post from: Blisstree

Dim Sum Places in Cincinnati, OH

Needless to say, we both love dim sum. And this is a cute read for before or after a trip to a dim sum house.

Do you have a favorite dim sum place where you are? What’s the one dim sum dish you would have if you could have only one?

Post from: Blisstree

Yum Yum Dim Sum

This recipe is for Ruth, who requested Filipino buchi. Ruth, there are variations to this; what I’m giving you right now is the simplest one with the shortest ingredient list.

To make 12 sesame balls, you need:

1 1/2 cups sweet rice flour (a.k.a. glutinous rice flour or Mochiko)
more or less 3/4 cup water, plus more for moistening your hands
1/4 cup sweet red bean paste (homemade or store bought)
about 1/2 cup sesame seeds, for coating the balls
peanut or other high-heat oil for deep-frying

Put the sesame seeds in a platter or bowl. Form 1-level-teaspoonfuls of the bean paste into balls. Set aside on a plate.
Combine rice flour and water (a bit at a time) in a bowl, stirring with a wooden spoon until homogeneous. The dough will not come together like bread dough, but will be rather crumbly. If you can take a small amount in your hand, squeeze it and it stays together, then you know you’ve got enough water in there.

Take a heaping tablespoonful of the dough and form it into a ball in your palm, about an inch in diameter. Make an indentation in the middle with a round implement or your thumb — I used the handle of a baby spoon — large enough to accommodate the bean paste ball. Drop the ball in and enclose in the dough, pressing gently to make sure none of the bean paste peeks through. At this point you may find it helpful to moisten your hands while you continue to form the dough into a ball shape. Make sure you seal all fissures or cracks that appear in the dough. You will have a ball about 1 3/4 inch in diameter.

Moisten the balls, if they appear to be dry, with some water, then dip into the sesame seeds and coat well. Preheat the oil in a deep-fryer or wok to 350°F.

Deep-fry the balls, 2-3 at a time, carefully dropping them into the hot oil so they keep their shape. If necessary, shape them with two wooden spoons. It is essential to do this in the beginning stages of cooking before the dough hardens and crisps. Cook the balls until the dough is cooked through, ball has puffed a bit, and sesame seeds are golden, about 3 minutes total. Remove with a slotted spoon or Chinese skimmer/strainer. Drain on paper towels and serve warm.

Try it and let me know if you like it!

There are many variations to jin dui. You can add mashed sweet potatoes or taro to the dough, about 1/2 cup mashed taro or sweet potato for every cup of rice flour you’re using — add water judiciously. This will give you a nicely-textured dough that’s a bit easier to work with. If you want the dough to be crispier, replace 1 tablespoon of the water with vinegar. If you want a puffier buchi, use cooked sugar syrup (made with equal parts sugar and water) instead of just water. Or, if you want, use half-coconut milk-half water to make the dough. If you are feeling particularly industrious, make the dough from scratch using glutinous rice soaked overnight, then grind in a food processor. If you have a grinder, you may also want to try grinding sweet brown rice into flour and use that instead of storebought rice flour.

Other fillings can be used instead of the customary bean paste, such as chopped up peanuts. You can add chopped “baby coconut” — Philippine buco — to the bean paste filling, or even macapuno, or those things by themselves, minus the bean paste. (Buco is available in Asian stores in the frozen section, and macapuno is available preserved in syrup in jars, also in the Philippine section.) You can also use char siew. Or try the the filling used for Filipino Brazo de Mercedes! The biggest and yummiest sesame balls I ever ate were on a Japanese ship — they were 3 inches in diameter, and filled with a ground pork mixture.

Here are more Jin Dui/Buchi recipes for you to try:

Lily Ng’s Jin Dui
Jas’s Jin Dui
Kai’s Baked Buchi

Post from: Blisstree

Reader Request: Buchi / Jin Dui / Jien Duy / Lek Doi /Bean-Filled Sesame Balls