The Dumpling Mama | Chrissy Jee

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Roast Pork Buns (Char Siu Bao) at Mei Li Wah

August 22, 2014 by ChrissyJee Leave a Comment

Chinatown Manhattan Best Pork Buns Mei Lai WahI grew up eating pork buns from Mei Li Wah.  They are my favorite because:

  • bun has great flavor, elasticity, and perfect sweetness
  • great filling flavor.  Pork is cut in chunks, not minced.
  • filling is not artificially dyed red
  • no onions

These pork buns do have two drawbacks, they are smaller then others and sometimes you’ll find small chunks of fat in the filling (some call this flavor).  Even with these drawbacks, they are still my favorite roast pork buns in Chinatown Manhattan. Chinatown Manhattan Best Pork Buns Mei Lai WahMy family started buying from Mei Li Wah because it was the only place that sold steamed beef rice noodle dim sum with sliced beef, not minced meat.  This was the best steamed beef rice noodle in town.  As long as I could remember, there were two grumpy old men you would always see behind the counter every day.  Even though these two old men never smiled and spoke abrasively to all customers, there was always a line, mostly buying dozens of pork buns.  A few years ago, the owners changed, the grumpy men were replaced with young ladies, the menu changed, and recipes changed like the beef rice noodle now have minced meat.  Thankfully, the pork bun recipe has stayed the same.

Do you have a favorite roast pork bun bakery?

Talk Soon,
The Dumpling Mama xo

Mei Lai Wah, 64 Bayard Street, New York, 212-966-7866, meiliwah.com

Filed Under: Chinese Food Tagged With: best of, chinatown manhattan

Nom Wah Tea Parlor

August 17, 2014 by ChrissyJee 2 Comments

Nom Wah Tea ParlorChinatown has always been a second home to me.  My mom grew up there and my grandparents lived there so we visited all of the time.  Because my mom and grandparents were part of the community we had our favorite restaurants and bakeries.  Throughout the years I lived in Chinatown at my grandparent’s apartment after college and even the last 8 years I’ve lived in the suburbs, I’ve continued to go to these family favorites.  Having these favorite places can make Chinatown seem small sometimes so I’ve decided to expand my Chinatown universe and try new places.  I’ve been looking forward to trying dim sum at Nom Wah Tea Parlor after reading articles like this one and this one.

Nom Wah Tea ParlorNom Wah feels like you have walked back in time inside.  The lighting, red vinyl booth seats, tables, super cool!  My mom and grandmother had not been inside for decades.  They said it looked different the last time they were there, more like a restaurant.

Nom Wah Tea ParlorYou don’t see dim sum carts being pushed because the food is made to order.  These are the menus to place your order.

Nom Wah Tea ParlorThis is my grandmother and daughters waiting for the food to come.  I don’t know who adores who more, my grandmother or daughters!

Here are photos of our favorite dishes at Nom Wah…

Nom Wah Tea ParlorOne of my favorite dim sum dishes is cilantro and scallion rice roll.  Nom Wah does an excellent job, the rice roll was perfect silky and soft.

201408_food_nomwah_05The steamed roast pork buns were a huge hit with the girls.

Nom Wah Tea ParlorMy Grouchy Husband really liked the shrimp sui mai.

Nom Wah Tea ParlorSteamed spare ribs were delicious.

Nom Wah Tea ParlorMy mom’s favorite dim sum is the bean curd skin roll.  The shrimp and pork filling had great flavor.

Nom Wah Tea ParlorMy dad’s favorite dim sum is the rice roll with fried dough.  Nom Wah does a great job with their rice roll.

Nom Wah Tea ParlorSticky rice in lotus leaf was awesome.

Nom Wah Tea Parlor We ordered the pan fried noodles to compliment the dim sum at the table.  The noodles had a great texture.

The food came out quickly and the service was very friendly.

Cheers to Nom Wah for a great dim sum experience,
The Dumpling Mama xo

Filed Under: Chinese Food

Stir Fry Vegetables in a Wok

June 1, 2014 by ChrissyJee Leave a Comment

Stir Fry Vegetables in a WokStir frying vegetables is one of the easiest and tastiest cooking methods.  My girls will pretty much eat anything stir fried.  Their favorite is stir fried leafy green vegetables.  The whole cooking process will take you 2 minutes so you have to prepare and measure everything beforehand.  Enjoy!

Wash and pat dry vegetables.  Crush garlic.  Measure out water or broth and set next to stove.  Measure out salt and set next to the stove.

Stir Fry Vegetables in a WokHeat wok to medium high heat.  Add oil/fat, then garlic.  Cook garlic until it starts to turn golden brown and the smell of garlic fills the air.

Stir Fry Vegetables in a WokAdd vegetables.  Cover as much of the vegetables with the oil/fat by turning the bottom vegetables to the top and top vegetables to the bottom, then stirring.  The stirring is why it’s called “stir-frying”.

Stir Fry Vegetables in a WokAdd water or broth.  I prefer to use homemade bone broth if I have it because of its flavor and nutritional value.

Stir Fry Vegetables in a WokCover and cook for 30 seconds.  Use a cover that completely encloses the vegetables.

Stir Fry Vegetables in a WokUncover and add salt.  Thoroughly mix the salt into all of the vegetables.  Cover again for 15 to 30 seconds depending on desired tenderness.

Stir Fry Vegetables in a WokUncover and stir for another 15 seconds.  Vegetables should have wilted leaves and firm to tender stems depending on how long you covered them for.

Stir Fry Vegetables in a WokTurn off heat and plate immediately.

Stir Fry Vegetables in a Wok
Print
Author: Chrissy Jee
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 2 mins
Total time: 17 mins
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 1 pound vegetables
  • 2 crushed garlic cloves
  • 1 tablespoon oil/fat (use a high heat oil/fat like ghee, animal fat, etc)
  • ¼ cup water or broth
  • 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
  1. Prepare and measure all ingredients before you start cooking. Wash and pat dry water from vegetables. Crush garlic. Measure out the water or broth and set next to the stove. Measure out the salt and set next to the stove.
  2. Heat wok to medium high heat. You will know it's hot enough when you flick water into the wok and it dissolves within 2 seconds.
  3. Add oil/fat.
  4. Oil should be heated after 10 seconds, then add garlic. If oil starts to smoke, it is too hot. Stir for 10 seconds in the oil until the garlic starts to turn golden brown and the smell of garlic fills the air.
  5. Add vegetables.
  6. Cover as much of the vegetables with the oil/fat by turning the top vegetables to the bottom and the bottom vegetables to the top, then stir for 1 minute.
  7. Add the water or broth.
  8. Cover and cook for 30 seconds.
  9. Uncover and add salt. Thoroughly mix the salt into all of the vegetables.
  10. Cover again and cook 15 to 30 seconds depending on how tender you like your vegetables.
  11. Uncover and stir for 15 minutes. Vegetables should have wilted leaves and firm to tender stems depending on how long you covered them for.
  12. Turn off heat and plate immediately.
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Enjoy!

The Dumpling Mama xo

Filed Under: Chinese Food

Crushed Garlic

May 27, 2014 by ChrissyJee Leave a Comment

Crushed GarlicGarlic is a main ingredient in Chinese cooking.  It’s used to infuse hot oil, marinate meat, flavor dumpling filling, etc.  Garlic is always crushed before using it to cook to release the oils for ultimate flavoring.  There are also health benefits associated with crushing garlic.  Here is a quick tutorial on how to easily crush garlic cloves.

Start with garlic peeled from the bulb.  You don’t need to have the garlic peeled so neatly.  I just did it for the picture 🙂

Crushed GarlicPop the garlic out of its skin by laying a knife with a large blade over the pieces.  Hold the knife still with one hand and use a fist to hit the knife blade.  Do this one or two times until you see or feel the garlic crack from its skin.

Crushed GarlicNow that the skin is popped you can easily peel the garlic from it.

Crushed GarlicThe garlic could be crushed enough with the initial hit to pop the skin.  If you need to crush it more, repeat the process of placing the blade over the garlic and hitting it with your fist.

Crushed GarlicHit it one to three times to get the crushed consistency in the picture above.  Your garlic is ready to throw into hot oil for infused flavor or chop for marinating or cooking.

How do you crush your garlic?

The Dumpling Mama xo

Filed Under: Chinese Food

How to Clean Chinese Leafy Green Vegetables

November 10, 2013 by ChrissyJee 5 Comments

Clean Leafy GreensMy Grandmother taught me how to clean leafy green vegetables, like bok choy, choy sum, or yu choy.  My grandmother is a very clean person.  Everything from her home, to her hands, and even her vegetables are very clean.  She grew up in a small village in China where there wasn’t running water or modern sanitation.  Everything was washed thoroughly to minimize germs.  This is her method of cleaning vegetables.  It might be more effort then your current cleaning process but I guarantee you will never chew sand when eating your vegetables.

Clean Leafy GreensWhen you buy your leafy green vegetables, especially if they are sold pre-packaged, you will have some leaves that are discolored or have holes.  Always try your best to pick the vegetables that have the best looking and healthiest leaves (ex: not yellow, no holes).

Clean Leafy GreensThe vegetables will have sand stuck to them because they grow so close to the ground.  Do your best to pick the ones with the least amount of sand.  I won’t buy vegetables with a lot of sand because it is too hard to remove all of it.

Clean Leafy GreensYou want to prepare the best tasting leafy green vegetables so remove all imperfections such as, yellow leaves and leaves with holes.

Clean Leafy GreensThen cut the ends of the stems.  Depending on when the vegetables are harvested, the ends could be dry.  I usually cut up to a 1/4 inch off the ends because the ends are dirty from being so close to the ground.

Clean Leafy GreensOnce you have removed all of the imperfections from the leafy green vegetables, you are ready to clean them.

Clean Leafy GreensPut the vegetables in a large pot or bowl and fill it with enough water to cover all of the leaves.  Add white vinegar using the measurements, 6 parts water to 1 part vinegar (6:1), to remove bacteria and pesticides.  Use your hands to mix the vinegar with the water.  Let the vegetables sit for 15 minutes.

Clean Leafy Greens(Here comes the big effort.)  Take each stem, peal back where the leaves meet the stems, and use your fingers to rub out the sand.  I use gloves to wash my vegetables because I have dyshidrotic eczema on my hands so water triggers the eczema.

Clean Leafy GreensGrab the bottom of the stem, submerge the vegetable into the water and give it a shake to remove any remaining sand.  After the shake, place the vegetable on a plate or bowl.

Clean Leafy GreensAfter you have finished pulling back the leaves and shaking each vegetable, you will see the water will have sand on the bottom and might be a tint of brown depending on how dirty the vegetables were.  Empty the water and rinse out any remaining sand on the bottom, put all of the vegetables back in, and fill it with enough water to cover all of the leaves.  No need to add vinegar to the water.  Repeat the steps of pulling back the leaves and rubbing out the sand and shaking each vegetable at least a second time.  Do it a third time if your vegetables are very dirty and you still see a lot of sand at the bottom of the pot after the second washing.

Clean Leafy GreensThere is effort to this cleaning process but your leafy green vegetables will be very clean and there will be no sand left on the leaves or hiding in the creases.  I think one of the worst experiences at a Chinese restaurant is chewing sand when you eat Chinese leafy green vegetables.  My Grandfather use to own a restaurant in Chinatown, NY, and my mom told me the restaurant didn’t have time to follow a process like my Grandmother’s to clean the vegetables.  They just soaked the vegetables in water for an hour or so to loosen the sand and then gave them a massive shake.

Leafy Green Vegetable Cleaning Mama,
Chrissy xo

 

Filed Under: Chinese Food

Recipe: Mushroom Dumpling

September 30, 2013 by ChrissyJee 2 Comments

 

Mushroom DumplingOver the summer, I spent some time at my parents house in Upstate New York because my Princess attended a nearby camp.  At the farmer’s market, I picked up some portobello, king oyster, and fresh hen of the woods mushrooms.  I love mushrooms so I decided to make a mushroom dumpling.  Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa, is one of my favorite TV chefs, and I think her sauteed wild mushrooms recipe is delicious so I decided to use this recipe as a starting point for my mushroom dumpling.

Mushroom Dumpling RecipeFirst, brush the caps clean and remove the stems.  Chop all the mushrooms to a similar size.

Mushroom Dumpling RecipeChop the shallots and garlic.

Mushroom Dumpling RecipeHeat up some olive oil in a large pan or pot on low heat.  Add the shallots and cook until translucent.

Mushroom Dumpling RecipeAdd the mushrooms, butter, salt, and pepper and cook on medium heat until the mushrooms start to release their juices.  Stir the mushrooms while they cook.

Mushroom Dumpling RecipePut the mushrooms into a bowl and stir in the garlic, parsley, and salt.

Mushroom Dumpling RecipeUsing either store bought skins or homemade skin, scoop a heaping teaspoon into the center of the skin.  Leave a half inch between the filling and the edge of the skin.

Mushroom Dumpling RecipeCoat the bottom of a non-stick pan with oil. Fill the bottom of the pan with dumplings. Line them up snug. Coat the bottom of the pan with a thin layer of water, put a cover on the pan, and cook on medium heat. After fifteen minutes check the dumplings to make sure most of the water has disappeared. Wait another five to ten minutes. When all of the water is evaporated and the bottoms are brown and crispy, the dumplings are ready to eat!

Mushroom Dumpling RecipeThese mushroom dumplings are amazing.  After you bite into the crispy skin, you then savor the buttery mushroom filling…heavenly.   This is the dumpling for any mushroom lover.

Recipe: Mushroom Dumpling
Print
Prep time: 30 mins
Cook time: 30 mins
Total time: 1 hour
Serves: 20-25
Ingredients
  • 1 pound mixed wild mushrooms, such as cremini, shiitake, porcini, and portobello
  • ¼ cup good olive oil
  • ½ cup chopped shallots (2 large)
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon chopped garlic (3 cloves)
  • ½ cup chopped flat leaf parsley
  • 1 egg or water for closing dumplings
  • Canola oil for cooking
Instructions
  1. Brush the mushroom caps with a clean sponge. Remove and discard the stem. Dice all the to a similar size.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large (11 - inch) Dutch oven or saucepan. Add the shallots and cook over low heat for 5 minutes, or until the shallots are translucent. Add the butter, mushrooms, salt, and pepper and cook over medium heat for 8 minutes, until they are tender and begin to release their juices, stirring often. Stir in the garlic, parsley, and sprinkle with salt.
  3. Prepare to wrap dumplings by filling a small bowl half way with water or a beaten egg. Grab a tray to put your wrapped dumplings. If you plan to freeze all or some of the dumplings, line the tray with plastic wrap or parchment paper. Make sure the dumplings do not touch and are all “sitting” by themselves. Freeze the dumplings for 1 hour and then place in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Label the bag with today’s date.
  4. To wrap dumplings, scoop a heaping teaspoon of filling into the center of the dumpling skin, use your fingers to brush the water or egg wash around the edge of the skin, fold the skin in half, and close with three pleats at the top. Pinch the edge tightly to make sure it is completely closed. Place firmly on hard surface to make sure dumpling “sits” on its own. Continue these steps until there is no more filling. Will make 20-25 dumplings depending on the amount of filling used in each dumpling.
  5. To cook the dumplings, coat the bottom of a non-stick pan with canola oil, then fill the bottom of the pan with dumplings. The dumplings should be lined up snug. In a 10″ pan, use 1 tablespoon of oil and fill with at least 11 dumplings. Pour water into the pan until it completely coats the bottom of the pan. Put cover on pan and cook on medium heat. After 10 minutes open the cover and make sure most of the water has disappeared. Wait 5-10 more minutes and the dumplings should be done. Make sure the bottoms are crispy and brown. Keep cooking until you get this.
  6. To get the dumplings out of the pan, you can (1) take them out one-by-one with a chopstick or tong. (2) Loosen the dumplings on the edge from the bottom of the pan with chopsticks or a wooden spatula. Grab a large dinner plate (10″) and cover the dumplings in the pan. Flip the pan over so all the dumplings come out of the pan at once. This makes a beautiful flower presentation of the dumplings.
3.2.1255

Mushroom mama,
Chrissy xo

Filed Under: Chinese Food, Dumplings

Review: Trader Joe’s Pork Gyoza Potstickers

June 17, 2013 by ChrissyJee Leave a Comment

Review: Trader Joe's Pork Gyoza PotstickerTrader Joe’s is my favorite grocery store.  Great price for organic food and great service.  I picked up a bag of their pork gyoza, the japanese word for dumpling.  Here is my criteria for delicious dumplings.

Filling: great flavor, nice texture, healthy balance of meat and lots of vegetables.  I am allergic to shrimp and do not eat red meat so you won’t see reviews (or recipes) on dumplings with these ingredients.
Skin: thin! It’s the wrapper for all the delicious goodness inside

Review: Trader Joe's Pork Gyoza PotstickerThe dumplings have a textured bottom.  Their closures are messy but after they’re cooked you can’t tell.

Review: Trader Joe's Pork Gyoza PotstickerThe list of ingredients included things I knew and things I had not heard of.  I always get nervous about the things I’ve never heard of.  I followed the cooking instructions for stovetop cooking.

Review: Trader Joe's Pork Gyoza PotstickerI filled a 12″ pan with the whole bag.

Review: Trader Joe's Pork Gyoza Potsticker

The Filling: Pork, cabbage, onion, green onion.  It’s a little too oniony and peppery for my taste.  The Trader Joe’s vegetable gyoza  had the same strong onion taste.

The Skin: thin, just the way I like it.

Summary: The filling’s strong onion and pepper taste was strong.  The girls didn’t like it.  If it was just me, I could keep a bag in the freezer for emergency purposes but since the girls won’t eat them, it defeats the purpose of having an emergency stash.

Star rating: 2.5 out of 5.

Filed Under: Chinese Food, Dumplings

Vegetable Dumpling Recipe

June 1, 2013 by ChrissyJee 5 Comments

I’ve been working on a vegetable dumpling recipe for some time now and I finally created one I like.  With the farmer’s markets starting to open, I will have more fresh vegetables to play with so stay tuned for more recipes to come.  These dumplings are so much lighter without meat and just as tasty.

Vegetable Dumpling RecipeStart by chopping up the fresh shiitake mushroom caps.  A cup of mushrooms is about 6 to 8 caps.

Vegetable Dumpling RecipeChop up a cup of scallions both white and green parts.

Vegetable Dumpling RecipeChop up two cups of napa cabbage.  This is about four leaves depending on the size of your cabbage.

Vegetable Dumpling RecipeShred a cup of carrots.  I like to use organic carrots.

Vegetable Dumpling RecipeSoak the glass noodles in water for at least 15 minutes and then chop into small pieces.  The softer the noodles, the easier they are to chop.

Vegetable Dumpling RecipeChop the Chinese chives or spinach.

Vegetable Dumpling RecipePut the mushrooms, chives, napa cabbage, carrots, noodles, salt, corn starch, and sesame oil in a large bowl.

Vegetable Dumpling RecipeAnd mix together.  Use your hands, they are the best mixers.

Vegetable DumplingUsing either store bought skins or homemade skin, scoop a heaping teaspoon into the center of the skin.  Leave a half inch between the filling and the edge of the skin.

Chicken Dumplings(1) Place the filling in the middle of the dumpling skin, dab your fingers in the egg wash and coat the edge of the skin, then fold in half but do not press shut (2) You will make three pleats at the edge of the side closest to you.  To make a pleat, pinch the skin in between your thumbs and then press firmly to stick to the back side of the skin.  (3) Repeat two more times (4) Evenly space the pleats and place firmly on a flat surface to make sure the dumpling “sits” on its own.  Pinch the edge firmly to make sure the dumpling is completely sealed.  Wrapping homemade skins is a little bit different and you can learn more here.

PS. Please excuse my very dry from cold weather and frequent washing mama hands.

Vegetable DumplingCoat the bottom of a non-stick pan with oil. Fill the bottom of the pan with dumplings. Line them up snug. Cover the dumplings half way with water, put a cover on the pan, and cook on medium heat. After fifteen minutes check the dumplings to make sure most of the water has disappeared. Wait another five to ten minutes. When all of the water is evaporated and the bottoms are brown and crispy, the dumplings are ready to eat!

Vegetable Dumpling

To get the dumplings out of the pan you can:
1. (take it easy and slow) Take each dumpling individually out of the pan with tongs or chopsticks.
2. (be daring and fast) Notice: should only be done with a 10″ or 12″ pan.  Loosen the dumplings at the edge from the bottom of the pan with chopsticks or a wooden spatula.  Grab a large dinner plate (10″) and cover the dumplings in the pan.  (here comes the big finish) Flip the pan over so all the dumplings come out of the pan at once.  This makes a beautiful presentation of the dumplings, something I call the dumpling flower.

I took it easy and slow to get these dumplings out this time.

Dumpling SkinThese veggie dumplings are light and delicious.  My little girls love the noodles inside!

Vegetable Dumpling Recipe
Print
Prep time: 40 mins
Cook time: 20 mins
Total time: 1 hour
Serves: 40-50
Ingredients
  • 1 cup chopped fresh shiitake mushrooms (6-8 caps)
  • 1 cup chopped scallions (4-6)
  • 2 cups chopped napa cabbage
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 1 cup chopped Chinese chives baby spinach
  • 1 cup chopped vermicelli glass noodle (50 g or 1.76 oz bundle)
  • 2 tsp salt (1½ if you are serving with a sauce)
  • 2 tbsp corn starch
  • 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
  • 1 egg or water for closing dumplings
  • Canola oil for cooking
Instructions
  1. To make the filling, combine the shiitake mushrooms, scallions, napa cabbage, carrots, Chinese chives or baby spinach, rice noodle, salt, corn starch, and sesame oil in a large mixing bowl. Thoroughly mix.
  2. Prepare to wrap dumplings by filling a small bowl half way with water or a beaten egg. Grab a tray to put your wrapped dumplings. If you plan to freeze all or some of the dumplings, line the tray with plastic wrap or parchment paper. Make sure the dumplings do not touch and are all “sitting” by themselves. Freeze the dumplings for 1 hour and then place in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Label the bag with today’s date.
  3. To wrap dumplings, scoop a heaping teaspoon of filling into the center of the dumpling skin, use your fingers to brush the water or egg wash around the edge of the skin, fold the skin in half, and close with three pleats at the top. Pinch the edge tightly to make sure it is completely closed. Place firmly on hard surface to make sure dumpling “sits” on its own. Continue these steps until there is no more filling. Will make 40 – 50 dumplings depending on the amount of filling used in each dumpling.
  4. To cook the dumplings, coat the bottom of a non-stick pan with canola oil, then fill the bottom of the pan with dumplings. The dumplings should be lined up snug. In a 10″ pan, use 1 tablespoon of oil and fill with at least 11 dumplings. Cover the dumplings half way with water. Put cover on pan and cook on medium heat. After fifteen minutes open the cover and make sure most of the water has disappeared. Wait 5-10 more minutes and the dumplings should be done. Make sure the bottoms are crispy and brown. Keep cooking until you get this.
  5. To get the dumplings out of the pan, you can (1) take them out one-by-one with a chopstick or tong. (2) Loosen the dumplings on the edge from the bottom of the pan with chopsticks or a wooden spatula. Grab a large dinner plate (10″) and cover the dumplings in the pan. Flip the pan over so all the dumplings come out of the pan at once. This makes a beautiful flower presentation of the dumplings.
3.2.1230

Veggie Dumpling Mama,
Chrissy xo

Filed Under: Chinese Food, Dumplings

Whole Wheat Dumpling Skin Recipe

April 26, 2013 by ChrissyJee 8 Comments

Whole Wheat Dumpling Skin RecipeI’ve started making my own dumpling skins.  I started with white flour skins and now I’m making whole wheat skins.  Now that I’ve made several batches of skins, the rolling and wrapping have become easier and faster.  I prefer the whole wheat skin over the white flour skin because it is healthier and not as heavily processed.  The whole wheat flour gives the skin a little bit of grit, similar to whole wheat bread.  The instruction below is basically the same as the white flour skin, I’ve just updated the pictures.  The recipe is the same as the white flour skin except more water is needed because the whole wheat flour is drier.

Start by mixing the flour and salt in a large bowl and then carve out a well in the middle.

Whole Wheat Dumpling Skin RecipeIn three phases, pour the just boiled water in a steady stream over the flour making sure to moisten the flour evenly.  Use a wooden spoon to mix the water and flour mixture.  The flour will turn into lumpy bits.

Whole Wheat Dumpling Skin RecipeKnead the dough in the bowl to try and get the lumps into one large mass.  I have quite a bit of stragglers that don’t join the mass until I start kneading on my work surface.  You can also add water a teaspoon at a time to get the mass more together in the bowl before transferring to the work surface.  Be careful not to add too much water and make the dough sticky.

Whole Wheat Dumpling Skin RecipeKnead the dough for 2 minutes on your work surface until it is smooth and elastic.  I like to use a Silpat to make the kneading process and cleanup easier.  Place the dough in a zip-top bag, press all the air out, and let it rest for at least 15 minutes but no more then 2 hours.

Whole Wheat Dumpling Skin RecipeAfter the rest, cut the dough into 4 equal pieces.

Whole Wheat Dumpling Skin RecipeRoll each section into a 1-inch log, then cut into 8 equal pieces.  If you like thin skins like me, 8 pieces makes big dumpling skins.  If you like thin skins and not big dumplings, cut into 10 equal pieces.  I personally like the big dumplings because I get to eat more filling, my favorite part!

Whole Wheat Dumpling Skin RecipeShape each piece into a disc and then press each disc in a tortilla press or between small plates covered with plastic wrap or zip-top bags. The tortilla press would probably make the disc flatter which would make the rolling process easier, but the plates are a good alternative.

Whole Wheat Dumpling Skin RecipeUse a whole wheat floured rolling pin to roll out the discs even more.  I like my skins thin so I roll mine out so they have just enough width to hold the filling.  Holding the floured disc gently in the center, use the floured rolling pin to roll back and forth pressing out the edges.  Please excuse my dry dumpling mama hands, flour brings out the worst in them.

Rotate the disc until all edges are to your desired thickness.

Whole Wheat Dumpling Skin RecipeNow just a note about wrapping and cooking the homemade skin.  The skin is more elastic then store-bought skin so you can if you want put a little extra filling in your dumpling.  Since my fillings have a lot of vegetables in them, I like to stuff my dumplings.  Leave a half inch between the filling and the edge of the skin.

Whole Wheat Dumpling Skin RecipeWhen you use homemade skin, you don’t need water or egg to seal your dumplings.  To close the dumplings, press the front and back skin together and create a single pleat.  Start with a middle pleat, then do two or three on each side and make sure the top is sealed completely.

Whole Wheat Dumpling Skin RecipeI line each dumpling up on a sheet pan lined with plastic wrap after I wrap them.  I cook the number of dumplings I want to eat and then place the rest in the freezer to be eaten later.  To make sure the dumplings do not stick to each other while frozen, freeze the dumplings for at least thirty minutes before placing them in a zip top bag.  These dumplings are really big!

201304_rec_wheatskinrecipe_13This skin is really delicious.  It’s the first time I’ve had whole wheat skin and I made it myself!  It’s a little gritty, a little spongy, crispy when pan-fried, and whole wheat!

Whole Wheat Dumpling Skin
Print
Prep time: 1 hour
Total time: 1 hour
Serves: 32-40
Ingredients
  • 2 cups whole wheat flour + more for rolling
  • 1¼ cups just boiled water
  • ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
  1. Put the flour and salt into a bowl, mix together, and make a well in the middle.
  2. Use a wooden spoon to stir the flour while you add the water in a steady stream. Add the water in three phases to allow the flour to absorb the water. Try to evenly moisten the flour. The flour should turn into lumpy bits.
  3. Knead the dough in the bowl to bring all of the lumps into one mass. If the dough does not come together, add water by the teaspoon until it does. The dough should not be sticky.
  4. Transfer the dough to a hard work surface. I like to use a silpat. Knead the dough for 2 minutes until it is smooth and elastic. Seal the dough in a zip-top bag making sure to press out all air within the bag and let it rest for at least 15 minutes and up to 2 hours. The dough will steam up the bag and become soft and easy to work with.
  5. After the rest, cut the dough into 4 equal sections.
  6. Roll each section into a 1-inch thick log, then cut it into 8 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a rounded disc. Lightly flour the top and bottom of the disc.
  7. Use a tortilla press or two small plates covered in plastic wrap to flatten each dough disc.
  8. Use a floured rolling pin to roll out the disc even more. Holding the flattened disc gently, use a floured rolling pin to press out the outer edges of the disc. Roll back and fourth, continuing to rotate the disc until all edges have been pressed out to your desired thickness. The dumpling skin cannot be too thin because it has to hold the filling without it breaking the skin. Add flour if necessary to keep the dough from sticking and tearing. 3 to 4 inch long skins will make 40 skins, 5 inch long skins will make 32 skins.
  9. Note: If you do not use the dough right away, refrigerate it overnight and return it to room temperature before using.
3.2.1230

 

Enjoy!  The Dumpling Mama xo

Filed Under: Chinese Food, Dumplings

Homemade Dumpling Skin Recipe

April 11, 2013 by ChrissyJee 26 Comments

Homemade Dumpling Skin

I’ve been buying store-bought dumpling skins for all my life and the other day I decided to look at the ingredients.  Nothing too too bad, but a couple ingredients are preservatives and aren’t your normal-in-the-kitchen-items, so I decided to make my own skins.  As a mom, I  carried both my girls for nine months, breast fed them, hold them in my arms all night when they have been sick.  I consider these all a labor of love and now I’m adding making homemade dumpling skins to that list.  Maybe it’s because after chopping all the ingredients in my filling, I just want to wrap, but instead have to hand roll each skin.  Maybe it’s because I’m just learning and with more practice the rolling will be much faster.  Whatever it is makes me savor each dumpling so much more and I wish my girls would eat them a little bit slower just so they can appreciate all my hard work.

Dumpling SkinAfter trying a few recipes I found online, I used Andrea Nguyen from Asian Dumpling Tips‘ recipe on CHOW and Annie and Nate from House of Annie as resources to come up with the best recipe to my taste and instruction.  Start by mixing the flour and salt in a large bowl and then carve out a well in the middle.

Dumpling SkinIn three phases pour the just boiled water in a steady stream over the flour making sure to moisten the flour evenly.  Use a wooden spoon to mix the water and flour mixture.  The flour will turn into lumpy bits.

Dumpling SkinKnead the dough in the bowl to try and get the lumps into one large mass.  I have quite a bit of stragglers that don’t join the mass until I start kneading on my work surface.  You can also add water a teaspoon at a time to get the mass more together in the bowl before transferring to the work surface.  Be careful not to add too much water and make the dough sticky.

Dumpling SkinKnead the dough for 2 minutes on your work surface until it is smooth and elastic.  I like to use a Silpat to make the kneading process and cleanup easier.  Place the dough in a zip-top bag, press all the air out, and let it rest for at least 15 minutes but no more then 2 hours.

Dumpling SkinAfter the rest, cut the dough into 4 equal pieces.

Dumpling SkinRoll each section into a 1-inch log, then cut into 8 equal pieces.

Dumpling SkinShape each piece into a disc and then press each disc in a tortilla press or between small plates covered with plastic wrap or zip-top bags.

Dumpling SkinThe tortilla press would probably make the disc flatter which would make the rolling process easier, but the plates are a good alternative (thank you Annie and Nate!).

Dumpling SkinUse a floured rolling pin to roll out the discs even more.  I like my skins thin so I roll mine out so they have just enough width to hold the filling.  Holding the floured disc gently in the center, use the floured rolling pin to roll back and forth pressing out the edges.  Please excuse my dry dumpling mama hands, flour brings out the worst in them.

Dumpling SkinRotate the disc until all edges are to your desired thickness.  The skin should be between 3 – 4 inches long.

Dumpling SkinNow just a few notes about wrapping and cooking the homemade skin.  The skin is more elastic then store-bought skin so you can put a little extra filling in your dumpling.  Since my fillings have a lot of vegetables in them, I like to stuff my dumplings.  Leave a half inch between the filling and the edge of the skin.

Dumpling SkinWhen you use homemade skin, you don’t need water or egg to seal your dumplings.  To close the dumplings, press the front and back skin together and create a single pleat.  Start with a middle pleat, then do two or three on each side and make sure the top is sealed completely.

Dumpling SkinI line each dumpling up on a sheet pan lined with plastic wrap after I wrap them.  I cook the number of dumplings I want to eat and then place the rest in the freezer to be eaten later.  To make sure the dumplings do not stick to each other while frozen, freeze the dumplings for at least thirty minutes before placing them in a zip top bag.

Dumpling SkinThe process of cooking dumplings with homemade skin is the same as store-bought skin. Coat the bottom of a non-stick pan with oil. Fill the bottom of the pan with dumplings. Line them up snug. Cover the dumplings half way with water, put a cover on the pan, and cook on medium heat. After fifteen minutes check the dumplings to make sure most of the water has disappeared. Wait another five to ten minutes. When all of the water is evaporated and the bottoms are brown and crispy, the dumplings are ready to eat!

Dumpling Skin

To get the dumplings out of the pan you can:
1. (take it easy and slow) Take each dumpling individually out of the pan with tongs or chopsticks.
2. (be daring and fast) Notice: should only be done with a 10″ or 12″ pan.  Loosen the dumplings at the edge from the bottom of the pan with chopsticks or a wooden spatula.  Grab a large dinner plate (10″) and cover the dumplings in the pan.  (here comes the big finish) Flip the pan over so all the dumplings come out of the pan at once.  This makes a beautiful presentation of the dumplings, something I call the dumpling flower.

I took it easy and slow to get these dumplings out this time.

Dumpling Skin

The homemade fresh skin is very tasty.  There is a little sponginess because they are fresh which is more noticeable when you boil the dumplings.  My Grouchy Husband really likes how much crispier the bottoms of the pan fried dumplings are.  I will still continue to use store-bought dumpling skins because they are a time-saver, but every chance I can, I will definitely be making my own skins because I love the idea of making a dumpling that is 100% from scratch.

Dumpling Skin
Print
Prep time: 1 hour
Total time: 1 hour
Serves: 32
Ingredients
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup just boiled water
  • ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
  1. Put the flour and salt into a bowl, mix together, and make a well in the middle.
  2. Use a wooden spoon to stir the flour while you add the water in a steady stream. Add the water in three phases to allow the flour to absorb the water. Try to evenly moisten the flour. The flour should turn into lumpy bits.
  3. Knead the dough in the bowl to bring all of the lumps into one mass. If the dough does not come together, add water by the teaspoon until it does. The dough should not be sticky.
  4. Transfer the dough to a hard work surface. I like to use a silpat. Knead the dough for 2 minutes until it is smooth and elastic. Seal the dough in a zip-top bag making sure to press out all air within the bag and let it rest for at least 15 minutes and up to 2 hours. The dough will steam up the bag and become soft and easy to work with.
  5. After the rest, cut the dough into 4 equal sections.
  6. Roll each section into a 1-inch thick log, then cut it into 8 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a rounded disc. Lightly flour the top and bottom of the disc.
  7. Use a tortilla press or two small plates covered in plastic wrap to flatten each dough disc.
  8. Use a floured rolling pin to roll out the disc even more. Holding the flattened disc gently, use a floured rolling pin to press out the outer edges of the disc. Roll back and fourth, continuing to rotate the disc until all edges have been pressed out to your desired thickness. The dumpling skin cannot be too thin because it has to hold the filling without it breaking the skin. Add flour if necessary to keep the dough from sticking and tearing. The final skin should be between 3 and 4 inches long.
  9. Note: If you do not use the dough right away, refrigerate it overnight and return it to room temperature before using.
3.2.1230

Happy dumpling skin making,
Chrissy xoxo

Filed Under: Chinese Food, Dumplings

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