The Chronicle-News Trinidad, Colorado Wednesday, April 7, 2021 Page 3

Classic Fried Chinese Dumplings — WONDERFUL!

This feature first ran on Wednesday, April 19, 2017 Chinese Dumplings Now serving mouthwatering pot stickers

Catherine J. Moser Probably the greatest help when it comes Features Editor to making pot stickers is the fact that you can The Chronicle-News purchase the wrappers already made. It’s very similar to buying phyllo dough to use in mak- If I had a free day just to spend in the ing baklava. Why reinvent the wheel when it’s kitchen, I think I’d make a tray full of Chinese already perfect? Besides, I can’t begin to imag- Images by Metro Creative and Pixabay dumplings. These mouthwatering little meat- ine making dough that’s as thin as paper, can and veggie-filled pot stickers, either steamed you? No need to make apologies here — even or fried, have to be one of the tastiest creations the world’s greatest chefs in the classiest res- them both ways and will sometimes order half If no expert is available, then I say just go for it. ever invented. A great big xiè xie n, which is taurants buy their dumpling wrappers ready and half when eating out in a Chinese restau- It would be pretty hard to mess up a pot sticker Mandarin for thank you, goes out to the Chi- made. It’s the only way to go. rant. As long as there is plenty of awesome assembly. And you know, days like these are nese chef who is said to have invented these As you can see from reading through to- for dipping, I could make a meal on the times wonderful memories are made of. darlings of the dinner. day’s recipes, pot sticker recipes vary slightly these wonderful bites alone. Chinese dumplings are in a world all of There are many ways to make pot stickers. from cook to cook. The most common meat to What is really nice is to get a gang of fel- their own — there’s nothing quite like them. I know I say this about practically everything use is pork, but turkey, chicken and shrimp low cooks together and make an enormous I hope you’ll try making them, but if you just we talk about, but it’s true and is one of the best would be totally awesome as well. Cabbage batch of these guys to portion up and share can’t wait to eat some, then head on out to the things about home cooking. There are a lot of is the other common ingredient and is finely within the group. I used to do that when mak- Wonderful House and place your order. I like stuffing recipes you can use to make custom shredded or minced to accommodate the fill- ing homemade Italian ravioli and noodles — it to do that every now and again and I must say, Chinese dumplings to suit every taste. And ing of the petite wrappers. As a rule, any other was a grand production and a lot of fun too. they are incredible. the — well, the sky is the limit veggies that you would like to use should be The time seemed to fly by and before we knew Happy cooking and eating, everyone! here, too. I love soy sauce combinations with minced as well to fit inside these compact it, there was food for everyone to take home. If brown sugar, a variety of spices and chopped pouches of Chinese beauty. you happen to have a dumpling expert in your — scallions for use with pot stickers. That taste is Now whether you like your dumplings pan network and aren’t so sure you can pull it off Questions or comments? Please email: so yummy and gives dumplings such pizzazz. fried or steamed it is entirely up to you. I like by yourself, then enlist the aid of said expert. [email protected] ~ Tantalizing offerings from the Far East ~

soy sauce, green parts of scal- Fast Pot Stickers lions and . Uncover dumplings, re- 3/4 pound ground pork or other meat turn heat to medium-high 1 cup minced cabbage and cook another minute or 2 tablespoons minced two, until bottoms are dark brown and crisp and water 1 tablespoon minced 6 scallions, the white and evaporates. (Use more oil if green parts separated, both necessary.) Serve hot, with minced sauce. 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons good soy sauce 48 dumpling wrappers Pot Sticker Perfection 1 egg, lightly beaten in a bowl 1/2 pound ground pork 4 tablespoons peanut oil or 1/4 cup finely chopped , more or less scallions 1/4 cup rice vinegar or 2 tablespoons finely white vinegar chopped red bell pepper 1 egg, lightly beaten Combine meat, cabbage, 2 teaspoons ginger, garlic, scallion whites 1 teaspoon yellow 2 teaspoons Worcester- Chinese Dumplings — ready to steam as you like! and 2 tablespoons soy sauce shire sauce in a bowl with 1/4 cup water. 1 teaspoon light brown Lay a wrapper on a clean, sugar dry surface, and using your 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher Heat a 12-inch sauté pan Place a tablespoon of the be mixed and refrigerated for Garnish with green on- salt over medium heat. Brush pork mixture into each of the up to 6 hours in advance). ions. finger or a brush, spread a 1/2 teaspoon freshly bit of egg along half of its cir- ground with vegetable oil once hot. wonton wrappers. Fold the On each wrapper (keep cumference. Place a rounded 1/4 teaspoon cayenne Add 8 to 10 potstickers at a wrappers, and seal the edges them covered with a damp Simple Spicy Dipping teaspoon of filling in center, pepper time to the pan and cook for with a moistened fork. cloth so they do not dry out) 35 to 40 small wonton 2 minutes, without touching. In a large, deep skillet, place about 2 teaspoons of Sauce fold over and seal by pinch- wrappers Once the 2 minutes are up, heat 3 tablespoons vegetable the mix and seal the edges, ing edges together. (Do not Water, for sealing wontons 1 1/2 tablespoons soy overfill.) Place dumplings on 3 to 4 tablespoons veg- gently add 1/3 cup chicken oil over medium high heat. use a bit of water on the edge, sauce etable oil, for frying stock to the pan, turn the Place the pot stickers into the try to press out all the air a plate; if you want to wait 1 1/3 cups chicken stock, 1 tablespoon seasoned rice a few hours before cooking, divided heat down to low, cover, and oil seam sides up. Heat 30 sec- and ensure they are tightly vinegar cook for another 2 minutes. onds to a minute. Pour water sealed (At this point you can 1 tablespoon chili-garlic cover plate with plastic wrap sauce and refrigerate. Or freeze up Preheat oven to 200 de- Remove wontons to a heat- into the skillet. Gently boil 7 freeze them individually on a 1 teaspoon hot chili oil to two weeks. grees F. proof platter and place in the to 8 minutes, until oil and wa- cookie sheet and then place in To cook, put about 2 table- Combine the first 11 in- warm oven. Clean the pan in ter begins to sizzle, then add a plastic bag. They will keep In a medium bowl, com- spoons oil in a large nonstick gredients in a medium-size between batches by pouring remaining oil. When the bot- for a month. Defrost in fridge bine the soy sauce, vinegar, skillet and turn heat to me- mixing bowl (pork through in water and allowing the pan toms begin to brown, remove before continuing). chili-garlic sauce and hot chili dium-high. A minute later, cayenne). Set aside. to deglaze. Repeat until all the pot stickers from heat. In 2 large skillets heat 1 ta- oil. Mix well and serve with add dumplings, one at a time; To form the dumplings, re- wontons are cooked. Serve In a small serving bowl, blespoon oil, fry 16 dumplings warm pot stickers. they can touch one another, move 1 wonton wrapper from immediately. mix together the chili oil, soy for 1 minute or until golden but should still sit flat in one the package, covering the oth- sauce, and vinegar, adjusting on one side add 1/4 cup of Easy Thai layer. Cook about 2 minutes, ers with a damp cloth. Brush Classic Fried proportions to taste. stock into the pan, reduce or until bottoms are lightly 2 of the edges of the wrapper Chinese Dumplings heat to low, cover and cook, Dumpling Sauce browned and most of the oil lightly with water. Place 1/2 Chinese Pot Stickers without turning for about 7 has been absorbed. Add 1/4 rounded teaspoon of the pork minutes or until the dump- 8 teaspoons finely minced 1/2 pound ground pork with Shrimp & Pork ling is translucent and most garlic (about 8 medium cup water per dozen dump- mixture in the center of the 1/2 medium head cabbage, cloves) lings to pan, and cover. Lower wrapper. Fold over, seal edges, finely chopped of the liquid has evaporated. 4 tablespoons Asian fish 1 green onion, finely DUMPLINGS: heat to medium, and let sim- and shape as desired. Set on 2 cups cabbage, finely Uncover and on higher heat sauce chopped cook for another 5-7 minutes 4 tablespoons fresh juice mer about 3 minutes. a sheet pan and cover with a 2 slices fresh ginger root, chopped 1 teaspoon salt or until the bottoms are dark from about 4 limes To make the dipping damp cloth. Repeat procedure finely chopped 2 tablespoons light brown 2 water chestnuts, drained 1⁄2lb. shrimp, peeled, dev- brown, drain put on a platter sauce, combine remaining until all of the filling is gone. eined and finely chopped sugar and finely chopped and keep warm. 2 tablespoons finely 1 teaspoon salt 1 lb. lean pork, ground 2 tablespoons soy sauce Repeat for the remaining chopped fresh cilantro leaves 1/2 teaspoon white sugar and fine stems 1 teaspoon 2 tablespoons rice wine, 32 dumplings. sherry or 2 tablespoons white 1 teaspoon crushed chili 1 (14 ounce) package won- Mix the dipping sauce flakes ton wrappers wine 1 tablespoon green onion, and serve with warm or hot 5 tablespoons vegetable oil dumplings. 3/4 cup water chopped Combine garlic, , 1 tablespoon chili oil 1 tablespoon sesame oil 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, lime juice, brown sugar, cilan- 1 tablespoon soy sauce Asian Dipping Sauce tro, and chili flakes in a small 1 teaspoon rice vinegar chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced bowl and stir until sugar is 64 wonton wrappers (usu- 2 tablespoons soy sauce dissolved. Serve with Chi- Crumble pork into a large, ally 1 pkg.) 1 tablespoon water 1⁄4 cup vegetable oil 1 tablespoon rice vinegar nese dumplings. deep skillet. Cook over me- NOTE: This sauce is also dium high heat until evenly 1 cup chicken stock 1⁄8 teaspoon ginger powder excellent to dress and brown. Drain and set aside. DIPPING SAUCE 1⁄4 to use as a marinade for steak. In a medium bowl, mix 2 tablespoons light soy teaspoon garlic powder together the pork, cabbage, sauce 1⁄4 1 tablespoon rice vinegar teaspoon red chili paste Coconut & Curry green onion, ginger, water 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, () chestnuts, salt, sugar and ses- minced 1⁄2 Dipping Sauce Asian Dipping Sauce is simply terrific! ame oil. Chill in the refrigera- teaspoon minced garlic tor 6 to 8 hours, or overnight. 1⁄8 6 tablespoons coconut milk Sprinkle salt over the teaspoon chili sauce (sambal shredded cabbage and let 1 tablespoon Thai red curry oelek) paste stand for 5 minutes, then 1 teaspoon brown sugar 2 1/2 teaspoons fresh juice squeeze out liquid. Dash from 1 lime flakes 2 teaspoons soy sauce Squeeze out any liquid 1 teaspoon thinly sliced from the shrimp. 2 teaspoons Asian fish green onion top (optional) sauce Mix cabbage, shrimp, 2 teaspoons honey pork, soy, wine, onion, oil, Combine all ingredients in 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger and garlic (filling can a small bowl and mix well. peeled ginger Combine coconut milk and curry paste in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring, until slightly thick- ened and fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat and set aside. Meanwhile, combine lime juice, soy sauce, fish sauce, honey, and ginger in a small bowl. Add coconut-curry mix- ture and stir thoroughly to combine. Serve.

NOTE: This sauce is de- Fast Pot Stickers — fried to perfection Chinese Dumplings — so many ways to enjoy! licious served with grilled chicken.