Szechuan eggplant with pork and hot bean sauce

My friend Chantal and I were feeling pretty relaxed and rejuvenated after our acupuncture sessions recently.   We left with instructions to refrain from touching our right ears for a couple of hours.   Do you know that your ears alone have dozens of reflex points that address a myriad of ailments including hypertension, nervous disorders and inflammation?   The bursa in my shoulder felt great after being stimulated by a dozen or so tiny needles and we decided on a casual lunch in nearby Chinatown.  

Le Lai Restaurant is situated in the old Dynasty Plaza shopping mall on Bellaire.   One of the original Chinese malls built long before the massive expansion of Chinatown in west Houston, Dynasty Plaza is now in desperate need of a facelift inside and out.   For now, it seems to be holding its own against umpteen spiffy malls nearby, thanks to an old and loyal clientele.

In Le Lai Restaurant, we noticed that were were the only Caucasians present – not an unusual sight considering the size of Houston’s Chinese community.   It is also a great indicator that were about to enjoy an authentic Chinese meal!   A large menu foreign to us both was posted at the counter but our table menus provided us with translations.   Service was terse and brisk and our order of whole fried fish and Szechwan eggplant was delicious.   At $4.50 per lunch plate, our bill came to $9.89 including tax.  To our surprise Chantal’s iced tea, my jasmine tea and two bowls of soup were included for free - quite a bargain!   We were quite satisfied until… 

An Oriental woman walked towards the exit, paused beside our table and smiled at us.  We were somewhat surprised to be acknowledged by this little old lady.   Before she disappeared through the door she gibed sarcastically,  “Cheaper than McDonald’s, eh?” 

Her question took several stunned seconds to digest.   We looked at each other in dismay and sheer disbelief.    We were obviously the result of a common stereotype that all Americans eat at McDonald’s.    We have never taken to fast food since we both grew up in foreign lands and are accomplished cooks.   Much of our friendship revolves around dining on gourmet food and wine, cooking and experimenting in the kitchen.   Heck, our meals and desserts are all made from scratch; my husband and I tend a vegetable garden every year; and for the Chinese lady’s information I make pasta, filo dough for strudel and even her native homeland’s dumplings from scratch!

Stereotypes about the eating habits of groups of people are unfortunate but very prevalent.   We all have them in varying degrees.   Had the old Chinese lady kept hers to herself she would not have shown herself to be ignorant and rude and we would have ended our meal on a more positive note. 

Bad vibes aside, here’s a recipe Chantal shared with me that she learned from Dorothy Huang, a local cooking instructor and author.   It’s important to have all of the ingredients ready before you start to cook as tender Japanese eggplant cooks quickly.   Here it is coated in a rich sweet and spicy brown sauce.

Szechwan Eggplant with pork and hot bean sauce

adapted from Dorothy Huang’s Chinese Cooking

Serves 2

Seasoning sauce:

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons chicken stock

2 tablespoons hot bean sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon dry sherry

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1 teaspoon sesame oil

Mix all of the ingredients listed for the seasoning sauce in a small bowl.  

 

Have all of the following ingredients ready before cooking:

1½ pounds Japanese eggplant (the long, slender kind with thin skins)

3 tablespoons oil

1 teaspoon minced ginger root

2 teaspoons minced garlic

¼ pound lean ground pork

salt, to taste

½ cup chicken broth

2 green onions, chopped

Rinse the eggplant.  If they are small, the peel will be tender and you do not have to peel them; if they are large with a tough skin, peel them first.  Cut eggplant into 1/2 inch chunks.

Heat oil in a wok over high heat.  Add ginger root, garlic and ground pork; stir for 1 minute.

Add eggplant and salt, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Add chicken broth, turn heat to medium, cover and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or more.

Add seasoning sauce and chopped green onions; stir until thickened and serve with steamed rice.

Prijatno!

Sarma (cabbage rolls)

If you are of Eastern European heritage, one of your favorite winter meals is bound to be sarma.   Sarma varies from region to region and family to family, but the basic ingredients are meat wrapped in fermented cabbage leaves and flavored with smoked pork.  It is made with ingredients taken from the food that was prepared for the long cold winters – known as zimnica  in Serbia.  It has become the comfort food my family longs for at the beginning of winter.  It is the comfort food that my extended family and friends share at our Orthodox Christmas and other gatherings.
Kiseli kupus (sauerkraut) is the key to authentic sarma and can be easily made at home.   Even during our milder Texas winters, my father has had much success with the process.   People have been fermenting cabbage leaves since ancient times.  In remote villages it was a way to preserve food during the cold winter months when fresh vegetables were not readily available.   For my parents, homemade kiseli kupus is superior to the store-bought product and it’s the only sauerkraut they use for their sarma.  It’s a wonderful sight to see the pride in my father’s face when he offers his sauerkraut and smoked pork ribs and neck for sarma. 
My college-age kids requested sarma at the same time a local food critic asked me for the recipe.  My mother follows no written recipe, only the knowledge that it is best made with fermented cabbage leaves, lean meat with a little bit of rice, a generous amount of freshly ground pepper and sweet paprika, and smoked pork to add a depth of flavor to the clear broth.  Tomatoes are not part of mama’s sarma as she believes the acidity in the tomatoes would mask the distinctive flavors of the sauerkraut and smoked pork.  
We spent a wonderful morning together, mama and me.   We cooked and I measured each ingredient as we progressed, and when the sarma was ready, it was packaged and ready to be delivered to my kids who love their Serbian heritage and sarma!

First, you get your human pepper grinder to work.  You need lots of freshly ground black pepper.  Here is our sauerkrautier and meat smoker par excellence - my dad!

Smoked pork neck (left) goes in the filling, and the ribs flavor the sauce.  It’s important to have ample amounts of Turkish coffee on hand when making sarma:

Smoked pork ribs flavor the sarma and broth.  When these cook for 3-4 hours, the meat is very tender and falls off the bone.  You can trim the thick skin if you wish, but remember that a lot of flavor is in the fat.

Fermented cabbage leaves, rinsed and draining:

  

To roll each sarma, cup the leaf in the palm of your hand.  Fill with about 3 tablespoons of the meat mixture:

Fold one side over without straightening the ends:

Then the opposite side, but don’t straighten it at the end: 

 Fold the thick end over and roll:

Keep on rolling!

When you get to the end, tuck the ends into the sides created by rolling.  This way, the sarma won’t unravel as easily.

 Stack them as you go, the largest ones in one pile, medium in another, and small in a third pile: 

In your biggest soup pot, cover the bottom with a layer of the leaf rejects.  Arrange the largest sarme (plural) in a snug fashion:

When you’ve reached the top, nestle in about 6 smoked ribs:

Fill the pot with water but don’t cover the top layer.  Sprinkle with lots of paprika.

Cover the top layer of sarme with more of the leaf rejects.  Cover with the lid and simmer for 3-4 hours. 

Sarma
Makes 78 sarme (plural) 

3 large onions, finely diced
canola or olive oil
6 oz smoked pork, diced. Pork neck is the best – see picture of the smoked meat.
5 lbs ground beef (about 92% lean)
2 tablespoons salt
1½ cups long grain rice
½ cup ‘sweet’ ground paprika, plus more for sprinkling the top
3 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
78 fermented cabbage leaves (recipe below, or you can purchase them at your local imported goods store)
About 6 smoked pork ribs

Please note a slight change in the method below (changes in bold). We no longer sauté the meat beforehand, only the onions. 

On medium heat, sauté diced onions in a little canola or olive oil until they are soft and starting to turn brown. Remove from heat and add diced pork and stir briefly. Increase heat to high setting and Add ground beef. Brown quickly to retain the juices. Add salt, rice, paprika and pepper and combine well.
Rinse excess salt off cabbage leaves and allow to drain in a colander. Separate the smaller, broken leaves and set them aside. For the larger leaves: trim the thick middle vein with a sharp knife or kitchen scissors without cutting through the leaf. They will be easier to roll that way.
For each cabbage leaf: fill with about 3 tablespoons of meat mixture. Roll in the palm of your hand by following the photos above, or place each cabbage leaf on a cutting board, and then fill and roll with both hands. Stack sarme on the side until all are rolled.
Drizzle a little oil on the bottom of a large stock pot with a wide base. Using the small, broken cabbage leaves, line the bottom of the pot with a single layer. Arrange sarme seam end up and close together on top of the cabbage leaves. With the seam end up, the sarme will stay intact when you scoop it out underneath it with a spoon when you are ready to serve them. Continue layering sarme until they are all in the pot.
Nestle the ribs in the top layer and fill the pot with water almost to cover the top sarme. Sprinkle generously with more paprika and cover sarme with leftover cabbage leaves.
Bring to boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for 3-4 hours. 
To serve:  Carefully spoon 2 – 3 sarme per person, and rib meat into a bowl.  Ladle some of the broth into bowl.  Serve with warm crusty bread.

Kiseli kupus (sauerkraut)
To make sauerkraut, start with heads of cabbages that have the greenest outer leaves. Wash and remove the damaged leaves and discard. Core the cabbages (the core is delicious eaten raw). Stuff the hole with plenty of salt, pushing it in as tightly as you can. The salt will act as a preservative and prevent decay.
Place the cabbages in a barrel or plastic container large enough to fit them. My parents use a garbage can especially for this. Fill the barrel with water and a very generous amount of salt. You will be rinsing the cabbage leaves off later, so don’t be shy about adding plenty of salt.
Cover the cabbages with a large pan or plate and weight it down with a rock. Place lid on container. Place in the coolest part of the house or garage.
EVERY DAY for 3 weeks, the cabbages must be turned and shuffled in the container. This will prevent spoilage and keep the salt evenly dispersed. The sauerkraut will be ready in 3 weeks for sarma.

Prijatno!

Pork Satay with Peanut sauce and Pepper dip

Indonesian restaurants are a dime a dozen in The Netherlands, but here in sprawling Houston (a city that boasts more ethnic eateries than any other city in the US) it is inconceivable that there are only two (deux, dva, dos, yes only 2) listed.  Compared to Chinese, Vietnamese and Indian restaurants, they are an anomaly.  When visiting my sister and her family during their two stints in Holland, Sama Sebo on Hooftstraat, down the street from the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, was our favorite Indonesian restaurant.  With our little boys, we would stop in for an afternoon snack between sight-seeing and the museums and always order the Sateh.  Normally quiet between meals, we had the entire place to ourselves.  They also serve a nice Rijsttafel.

I have longed for the Sama Sebo recipe.  Their Sateh was served accompanied by a dark and spicy peanut sauce (the likes of which I have not had since) and slices of fresh bread.  I believe this recipe comes pretty close to the real deal, but Sama Sebo’s sauce will always be my sentimental favorite!  My nephews were my taste-testers today – one of them the little boy in a stroller in Sama Sebo sixteen years ago!  He is now 6’4” tall and a freshman in college!  Both he and his brother gave this Satay two thumbs up and made me promise to make it again, as well as Jen’s dumplings!

The January 2010 DC challenge was hosted by Cuppy of Cuppylicious and she chose a delicious Thai-inspired recipe for Pork Satay from the book 1000 Recipes by Martha Day.

The recipe below includes my minor changes.  I chose to use pork tenderloin because I like the leanness factor and I was confident the marinade would inject a lot of flavor into the otherwise bland meat.  I was right and it was tender and moist and very flavorful.  The fish sauce in the marinade is optional but I always include it;  what would an Asian dish be without it?  If you want to see the original recipe, please see Cuppy’s link above.

Pork Satay with Peanut sauce and Pepper dip

Satay marinade

1/2 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon ginger root, chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon ‘lite’ soy sauce
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon fish sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (or peanut or olive oil)

1 pound pork tenderloin or loin

If you have a food processor, place all ingredients except the pork and blend until smooth.  Otherwise, chop onion, garlic and ginger as fine as you can and mix with the other ingredients until well blended.
Cut pork tenderloin in half crosswise and then into 1 inch wide by 1/2-inch thick strips (the strips should measure about 4 - 5 inches in length).  Place in a bowl or Ziploc bag and add marinade.  Blend together so that the pork strips are completely covered.  Chill for 2 hours for tenderloin and 4 hours and up to 24 hours for less tender cuts.

To cook:

If using wooden or bamboo skewers, soak your skewers in warm water for at least 20 minutes before preparing skewers to try to prevent them from burning.  As you can see from the pictures, my skewers charred, but fortunately they didn’t effect the flavor of the meat.
Gently and slowly slide meat strips onto skewers. Discard leftover marinade.
Broil or grill at 290°C/550° F for 8-10 minutes or until the edges just start to char. Flip and cook another few minutes until cooked through.

Peanut sauce

3/4 cup coconut milk (6 oz or 180 mls)  Next time, I will reduce this amount for a thicker sauce.
4 tablespoons peanut butter (2 oz or 60 mls)
1 tablespoons lemon juice (0.5 oz or 15 mls)
1 tablespoons ‘lite’ soy sauce (0.5 oz or 15 mls)
1 teaspoon brown sugar (5 mls)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin (2.5 mls)
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander (2.5 mls)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup chopped peanuts (as a topping)                                                                

Mix dry ingredients in a small bowl. Add soy sauce and lemon, mix well.  Over low heat, combine coconut milk, peanut butter and your soy-lemon-seasoning mix. Mix well with a whisk until the peanut butter has melted and the mixture is smooth. 

Pepper dip

4 tablespoons ‘lite’ soy sauce (2 oz or 60 mls)
1 tablespoon lemon juice (0.5 oz or 15 mls)
1 teaspoon brown sugar (5 mls)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 finely chopped green onion (scallion)

Mix well. Serve chilled or at room temperature with the Peanut sauce and chopped peanuts.

 

Thanks to Lis and Ivonne for founding our Daring Bakers and Daring Cooks groups and keeping us on track with great ideas. 

Prijatno!

Slow-roasted BBQ pork sandwiches with Sweet-and-Sour Coleslaw from Mustards Grill

Stacey’s Shredded pork tacos in Colorado last year were spicy and succulent and I have been looking forward to experimenting with a pork ‘butt’ again .   Slow-cooked all day, the pork ‘butt’ is actually part of the shoulder and is the perfect example of an inexpensive cut of meat that turns into wonder when cooked in low heat over a long period of time.  Marbling that runs throughout prevents the pork from drying out and eventually melts away allowing it to be ‘pulled’ or shredded effortlessly.  I have considered becoming a vegetarian many times, but I always reconsider when thoughts of tender smoked ribs, sugar-crusted ham and pulled pork come to mind! 

Having dined at Mustards Grill (an institution in the Napa wine country) our wine group agreed that Cindy Pawlcyn and her crew are experts in preparing pork.  Their BBQ Baby back ribs are marvelous and the Mongolian pork chops with braised red cabbage has been a signature dish for many years.  Fortunately for us, the Mustards Grill Napa Valley Cookbook was published in 2001 and it remains a favorite until today. 

It is SOME COOKBOOK!  Our wine group has used it many times:  Hanger steak with watercress sauce and Onion jam at Jeff and Doris’ was to die for and the Crab cakes with red beet and horseradish remoulade and Seared Ahi tuna on sesame crackers with wasabi cream are brilliant appetizers.  Brian and Helen have mastered the Mongolian pork chops.  Strawberry-rhubarb cobbler with black pepper biscuits topped with Caramel ice cream, and Lemon-lime meringue pie (with it’s sky high brown sugar meringue) are most impressive – just ask Nina!  Being a person who doesn’t partake of dessert very often, she scarfed a generous slice of the pie down in no time and we’ll never let her forget it!  

Slow-Smoked BBQ Pork Sandwiches with Ooo-Eee! Sauce is a great recipe that requires the meat to be smoked over a period of several hours.  Having endured unusually frigid temperatures in Houston of late, setting up the smoker was out of the question!  I opted to slow-roast it in the oven and was rewarded with sweet, juicy and very tender meat that took no effort to pull apart.  Apply the seasoning rub the night before you plan to roast it, if possible.

Slow-Roasted BBQ Pork Sandwiches with Ooo-Eee! Sauce and Sweet-and-Sour Coleslaw adapted from the Mustards Grill Napa Valley Cookbook

1 (2½ - 3 lb) bone-in pork butt or picnic roast (I bought a 7lb picnic roast and doubled the rest of the ingredients)

rind of 1 orange, grated finely

1½ tablespoons of freshly ground black pepper

1½ teaspoons ancho chile powder (or chipotle chile powder – for a spicier finish)

½ teaspoon sweet paprika

½ teaspoon hot paprika

1/4 cup kosher salt

3 tablespoons sugar

Ooo-Eee! Sauce

½ cup of your favorite BBQ sauce

½ cup cider vinegar

¼ cup apple cider

¼ cup sugar

¾ cup water

You will also need:

½ red onion, thinly sliced

6 seeded bread rolls

Sweet-and-Sour Coleslaw (see recipe below)

Lay the pork butt skin side up on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut the skin off the pork butt through the fatty layer dividing the skin and the meat. Set the skin aside.

In a small bowl, combine the orange peel, black pepper, ancho chile powder, sweet paprika, hot paprika, kosher salt and sugar. Rub this mixture liberally on the pork, using your fingers to push the seasonings into all the crevices and indentations by the bone. Replace the pork skin on the meat and season it as well. Cover the meat and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.

To slow-roast: Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Place the pork butt in a heavy roaster which is just big enough to fit the roast. You want the roast to fit snugly in the roaster so that the moisture is not dispersed too much. Cover roaster with the lid and place in the oven. Immediately reduce the temperature to 225ºF and allow the meat to roast for about 5-7 hours. You can even do this overnight.

During the last hour of roasting, remove the lid and allow the pork skin to crisp. Remove from the oven and test for doneness: prick the meat with a fork and twist the fork. If the meat falls apart, it is done! Allow the meat to cool for a little while and then pull it apart, removing any fatty parts that have not melted away.

Towards serving time, combine all the sauce ingredients in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook until it is slightly thickened. Carefully add the pulled pork pieces to the sauce and stir together to coat the meat.

To assemble the sandwich: Cut the bread rolls open and remove some of the soft bread inside (this will provide a nice ‘nest’ for the meat). Toast the rolls. Scoop a generous amount of pork on one toasted half of a roll, top with sliced onions, Sweet-and-Sour Coleslaw, and top with the other half of the roll. You can also serve the coleslaw on the side, if you prefer.

Sweet-and-Sour Coleslaw

½ to ¾ head of red or green cabbage, thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

2 carrots, peeled and grated

¼ cup sugar

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup cider vinegar

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine sliced cabbage, bell pepper and carrots in a large bowl. To make the dressing, combine the sugar, mustard, salt and pepper in a small saucepan. Gradually whisk in vinegar and olive oil. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook for 1 minute. Cool for about 5 minutes and then pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture. Refrigerate until ready to be served.

Prijatno!

Colorado Vacation and Shredded Pork Tacos with Grape Tomato and Watermelon Salsa

Paradise on earth!  That’s how I describe the Colorado Rockies.  This picture was taken from the scenic Silver Thread highway, just north of the historic town of Creede, near the headwaters of the Rio Grande River and the Continental Divide.

It’s always a special treat to spend time at the Smith Cabin at Pearl Lakes Trout Club.  Our hosts, Ralph and Barbara Smith, are dear friends.  We met when our daughters, Stephanie and Emilia, now nineteen years old, were in second grade.   Common interests in gardening, wine, cooking, photography, travel and books has kept our friendship lively and we cherish it.

This is the cozy Smith cabin near Creede, Colorado, a perfect setting in which to trade the Texas heat, emails, texts and phone messages for hiking, fly-fishing, morning walks and games.

Five lovely teenager girls kept us amused at all times: Karley, Stephanie, Emilia, McKenzie and Rachel (with her big, burly blanket I named Mečka – a descriptive Serbian word for ‘bear’, which describes it perfectly).

 

Russell, Stacey, Barbara, Ralph and Mrs. Lura Smith enjoying an assortment of artisanal cheeses and champagne on the deck before dinner:

 The hummingbirds were marvelous to watch for their speed and agility.

I found them highly territorial after getting caught by surprise in the midst of war between two hummingbirds.  They are so fast that by the time you hear them buzz by you, they are already gone.  The Master of them all guarded his feeder from this perch, just a few yards away:

Mrs. Smith delighted in feeding the birds and chipmunks and she distributed seventy-five pounds (yes, 75) of bird seed on every possible surface around the cabin, and was panicked when there was only one bag left at the caretaker’s store!

By the end of the week, she had spoiled them rotten and they were eating out of our hands: 

This little guy is filling up his cheeks before running up the hill to hide his winter provisions. 

 A Cassin’s Finch joined in the feast:

 Girls can outfish boys any day!  Stacey and her catch - a Rainbow Trout!

 

Emilia weighing her fish - a Brown Trout:

Ok, ok!  Boys can fish too!

Every evening there were intense dart throwing competitions.  The girls could out-smack the men in the smack-talking department, much to their surprise!  Here’s McKenzie showing us her form:

Cupcakes at the Fourth of July celebration.

After two hard days of driving over one thousand miles and two speeding tickets (awarded me on the same day while driving through *charming* north Texas towns which shall remain nameless), we were pleasantly greeted in the cabin by the aroma of a pork shoulder braising on the stove.  It was heartwarming. 

Towards the end of the braising, Stacey did a wonderful thing:  she slathered the roast with chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.  It added a touch of heat and spice which was complemented by the sweetness of the salsa.  Simple but delicious! 

Stacey’s Pork Tacos with Grape Tomato and Watermelon Salsa

We generously served 11 hungry hikers and fishermen by doubling the recipe and had meat left over for sandwiches the next day. 

One 6-8 lb pork butt (contrary to popular belief, it’s actually cut from the shoulder)

¼ cup oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ bottle red wine or port.  In typical Smith fashion, Ralph pulled out a ‘99 Shafer Port – sweeeeet!

2 cups beef or chicken stock

4 tablespoons chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, mashed with a fork

24 corn or wheat tortillas

Grape tomato and watermelon salsa (see recipe below)

Salt and pepper the pork butt on all sides.  Heat the oil in a heavy pot.  Carefully place the pork in the pot and brown it on all sides. 

When pork butt is browned, carefully add ½ bottle of red wine or port and the stock.  Reduce head to low and cover pot tightly with a lid.  Simmer gently on stovetop for 4-5 hours or until the meat separates easily when twisted with a fork.  Remove from heat. 

When the meat has cooled a little, shred it into bite size chunks and serve with salsa and warm corn tortillas.

Grape Tomato and Watermelon Salsa

2 cups halved yellow grape tomatoes, or cherry tomatoes

2 cups watermelon, cut into 1/2" pieces

½ large or 1 small red onion, finely chopped

½ - 1 cup finely chopped cilantro

salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Gently combine all ingredients in a bowl and serve with shredded pork and warm tortillas. 

A delicious addition to the taco would be my Cilantro Crema: a mixture of sour cream, lime juice and chopped cilantro. 

Prijatno!

The Daring Cooks make Chinese dumplings and potstickers

This is the first official challenge for the Daring Cooks and what a way to begin – one of my family’s favorites – Chinese dumplings, or potstickers (also known as Gyoza in Japan).   I have made them in the past using store bought wrappers -  until now!  The dough comes together in seconds and rests for about 15 minutes.  Once you have the chopping for the filling behind you (I won’t lie, it takes some time to chop the veggies), it’s easy to roll, fill and pleat the dough. 

Thanks to the remarkable Jen Yu at use real butter for organizing our challenge and also to the amazing duo, Lis and Ivonne, for founding this ever-growing group of fearless bakers and cooks.

 

I have been a follower of Jen’s blog ever since I read this post at ‘use real butter’.  It was my first encounter with a food blog and it blew me away.   Jen is multi-talented, humorous, insightful, intelligent and always honest.  Her posts and photographs have awed and inspired me and some have even made me cry. 

Of Chinese decent, Jen’s recipes are not limited to specialties of the Far East, but encompass many drool-worthy non-Asian delicacies as well.  Her generosity in sharing her family recipes is well-noted and her instructional photos and detailed commentary make every step look easy.  In a couple of words: Jen rocks!

Now for the dumplings:  The whole point of Jen’s challenge is to make the dumpling wrappers from ‘scratch’ and to roll the dough with a rolling pin by hand.  This way, the wrappers will be uniform and the thickness consistent.  The ‘skin’ should be delicate and not dominate the dumpling.  I found the dough very easy to make – two ingredients in all - and a breeze to roll out. 

I was fortunate to have my dear friend, Chantal, visit from Provence on dumpling making day!  Cooking with Chantal is always a fun-filled affair and I look forward to every opportunity.  Chantal’s expert chopping techniques are evident here:

Chinese Dumplings/Potstickers

Jen’s instructions are here.   

Pork filling:
1 lb (450g) ground pork
4 large Napa cabbage leaves, minced
3 stalks green onions, minced
7 shitake mushrooms, minced (if dried - rehydrated and rinsed carefully)
1/2 cup (75g) bamboo shoots, minced
1/4 (55g) cup ginger root, minced
3 tbsp (40g) soy sauce
2 tbsp (28g) sesame oil
2 tbsp (16g) corn starch

OR

Shrimp filling:
1/2 lb (225g) raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and coarsely chopped
1/2 lb (225g) ground pork
3 stalks green onions, minced
1/4 cup (55g) ginger root, minced
1 cup (142g) water chestnuts, minced
1 tsp (5g) salt
3 tbsp (40g) sesame oil
2 tbsp (16g) corn starch

Combine all filling ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix thoroughly by hand. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use (up to a day, but preferably within an hour or two).

We added finely chopped Chinese chives to the pork dumplings.  I happened to have some growing in a pot outside – fancy that Jen?  They are a little different from regular chives in that they have a flat surface similar to grass and have a garlicky aroma.  We added several blades for good measure!

Dough: (double this for the amount of filling, but easier to make it in 2 batches - or just halve the filling recipe)
2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (113g) warm water
flour for work surface

Make the dough: Place the flour in the work bowl of a food processor with the dough blade. Run the processor and pour the warm water in until incorporated. Pour the contents onto a work surface and knead until uniform and smooth. The dough should be firm and silky to the touch and not sticky.[Note: it’s better to have a moist dough and have to incorporate more flour than to have a dry and pilling dough and have to incorporate more water).  It will NOT be a soft bread dough.

Knead the dough about twenty strokes then cover with a damp towel for 15 minutes. Take the dough and form a flattened dome. Cut into strips about 1 1/2 to 2 inches wide. Shape the strips into rounded long cylinders. On a lightly floured surface, cut the strips into 1/2 inch pieces. Press palm down on each piece to form a flat circle (you can shape the corners in with your fingers). With a rolling pin, roll out a circular wrapper from each flat disc. Take care not to roll out too thin or the dumplings will break during cooking - about 1/16th inch. Leave the centers slightly thicker than the edges. Place a tablespoon of filling in the center of each wrapper and fold the dough in half, pleating the edges along one side (see images in post for how to fold pleats). Keep all unused dough under damp cloth.

My daughter loved the dumplings so much that I had to make another batch the following day.  Instead of the shitake mushrooms, I added a finely chopped red pepper, and water chestnuts instead of the bamboo shoots.  Dynamite!

Dumplings at attention:  it doesn’t take long when there are four hands  – Chantal rolled and I filled and pleated the dough. 

To boil: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add dumplings to pot. Boil the dumplings until they float.

To steam: Place dumplings on a single layer of Napa cabbage leaves or on a well-greased surface in a steamer basket with lid. Steam covered for about 6 minutes.

To pan fry (potstickers): Place dumplings in a frying pan with 2-3 tbsp of vegetable oil. Heat on high and fry for a few minutes until bottoms are golden. Carefully add 1/2 cup hot water and quickly cover tightly with lid. Cook until the water has boiled away and then uncover and reduce heat to medium or medium low. Let the dumplings cook for another 2 minutes then remove from heat and serve with dipping sauce.

To freeze: Assemble dumplings on a baking sheet so they are not touching. It helps to rub the base of the dumpling in a little flour before setting on the baking sheet for ease of release. Freeze for 20-30 minutes until dumplings are no longer soft. Place in Ziploc bag and freeze for up to a couple of months. Prepare per the above instructions, but allow extra time to ensure the filling is thoroughly cooked.

Dipping sauce:
2 parts soy sauce
1 part vinegar (red wine or black)
a few drops of sesame oil
chili garlic paste – we added Sriracha hot chili sauce
minced ginger to taste
minced garlic to taste
minced green onion to taste
sugar – just a pinch

For potstickers, the bottoms must be golden!  Yuuummmm!

Prijatno!