Fired Dumplings

Dumpling is traditional northern style Chinese food. Some families serve it during Chinese New Year Eve because the shape of dumpling looks like ancient golden nugget, a symbol of fortune. Some people even stuff a token into it. Whoever eats that special one can have extraordinary luck in the next coming year.

Besides the thickness of the wrap, the major difference between dumpling and pot stickers

(a.k.a. pot stick, gyoza, guotie) is the way people cook it; you can make both of them with the following recipe.

Ingredients:

Dumpling dough:

• 500g all purpose flour


• 180g cold water


• 1/4TB salt

Dumpling filling:

• 600g ground pork or beef


• 2TB soy sauce


• 2TB sesame oil


• 1TB salt


• 1TB Chinese rice wine or cooking wine


• 1/2TB sugar


• Finely shredded cabbage


• Finely shredded green onion- 1 small


• 2 slices fresh ginger and finely minced


• 5 spices powder

Preparations:

Dough :
Stir the salt into the flour and slowly stir in cold water. Adding as much as is necessary to form the dough. Roll the dough well and let it rest at least 30 minutes.
To make the dumpling dough: Divide the dough into the same size balls. Roll each piece out into a circle about 3-inches diameter.While the dough is resting, prepare the filling ingredients.

Filling :
Salt the cabbage for a while then drain thoroughly by squeezing. Mix cabbage,chopped green onions and meat. Add spices and other seasonings. Final step is adding a egg to make the filling full with moisture.(It'll make dumplings taste juicy.)
Taste for seasoning by cooking small amount of the meat mixture in boiling water.

Making the dumplings:
Put a small portion of meat in center of dough rounds. Wet one edge of semicircle. Fold together, flute the edge. Let dumplings stand on floured plate.

To cook:
Put oil to cover bottom of pan. Stand dumplings in and cook in hot oil until bottoms are browned. Then pour in water to almost cover. Add lid. Cook until dough is translucent.


Dipping sauce:
Soy sauce, sesame oil,chopped green onion, sugar, minced garlic. Add some minced chili if desired.

Dumplings can be boil in hot water if desired too.