China
Let's celebrate Chinese New Year with two traditional Chinese recipes - inspired by Food Lover's Guide to the World.
JIAO ZI
Pork & cabbage dumplings
Yield: Serves 4
Prep time: 1 hour
Cook time: 25 minutes
KITCHEN TOOLS
Mixing bowl
Colander
Cutting board
Knife
Measuring spoons
Rolling pin
Large pot
Steaming basket
Drinking glass or round cookie cutter (about 10 centimeters / 4 inches in diameter)
Chop sticks (optional)
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE FILLING
200 grams / 7.5 ounces Chinese cabbage, shredded
2 teaspoons salt
250 grams / 9 ounces minced pork
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
3 tablespoons chives, chopped
1/2 teaspoon white pepper powder
1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon cornflour
Soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos
Black vinegar (optional)
Roasted chilli paste (optional)
FOR THE WRAPPERS
2 cups plain flour
1/2 cup water
METHOD
1. Shred and salt Chinese cabbage. Set aside for 20 minutes.
2. Mix flour and water for wrappers. Knead until smooth and elastic. Continue adding small amounts of water or flour until you achieve the desired consistency. Cover dough and set aside.
3. Rinse Chinese cabbage under cool water. Squeeze out excess moisture. Place Chinese cabbage in a mixing bowl.
4. Mix salt, mined pork, minced ginger, chopped chives, white pepper powder, Chinese cooking wine, sesame oil, and cornflour with the Chinese cabbage.
5. Dust a flat surface with flour and roll out your dough. With a drinking glass or round cookie cutter, cut thin, circulars disks of dough. Continue until you've used up all the dough.
6. Place a tablespoon of filling into the center of the wrapper. Fold and pinch the edges of the dough together. For first time dumpling makers, check out this easy-to-follow video. (It's really not difficult. You'll have plenty of wrappers to practice with, and remember, the dumplings will taste fantastic regardless of how they look!)
7. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Set dumplings in a steaming basket and set basket over the pot. Don't overcrowd the steaming basket. Make sure there is space around each dumpling to allow the steam to cook the dumplings evenly. Leave dumplings to steam for 10-11 minutes.
8. Serve hot dumplings with soy sauce or mix one part soy sauce with two parts black vinegar and roasted chilli paste to taste.
DANDAN NOODLES
Szechuan-style noodles
Yield: Serves 4
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
KITCHEN TOOLS
Large pot
Strainer
Large cast-iron skillet
Stirring spoon
Cutting board
Knife
Measuring spoons & cups
INGREDIENTS
800 grams / 28 ounces fresh udon noodles
500 grams / 17 ounces minded pork
3 tablespoons peanut oil
4 garlic cloves
3 tablespoons ginger, minced
2 tablespoons Chinese cooking wine
300 milliliters / 10 fluid ounces chicken stock
3 tablespoons soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos
3 tablespoons tahini
3 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt to taste
1/2 cup roasted, salted peanuts, roughly chopped
3 spring onions, chopped
Chilli oil (optional)
METHOD
1. Cook udon noodles according to the package and set aside.
2. Heat peanut oil in a large cast-iron skillet. Add the pork and cook until browned.
3. Add minced ginger and garlic and continue cooking until fragrant, about 3 minutes.
4. Add Chinese cooking wine, chicken stock, soy sauce, tahini, chilli oil, sugar, and salt to the skillet.
5. Allow mixture to simmer until it's reduces to a thick gravy.
6. Serve noodles with pork gravy over the top. Garnish with spring onions and chopped peanuts.
Comments