Recipe - Comfort and Togetherness From Homemade Dumplings
As Christine Su, creator of Kinship Foods, shares dumplings are a comfort food meant to be made together with loved ones, telling stories and making memories. For some, the additional time at home and greater opportunity to prepare meals from scratch make this an ideal moment to experiment with dumplings. Not to mention you can also satisfy a craving for a food that you might not be eating as much!
We are especially grateful to Christine for this recipe as it represents Kinship’s enduring mission to uplifting Asian comfort food from regenerative farms owned by womxn and makers of color. Although Kinship has temporarily paused their events, we encourage you to visit their website to see what beautiful foods they offer and the unique community of makers they’ve convened.
Among Kinship’s community is KTA client Dede Boies of Root Down Farm, who you should seek out for ground pork for the dumplings. Dede’s pasture-based operation is located in Pescadero and based in regenerative practices (read more about Root Down here). Root Down product is available at farmers markets in San Francisco as well as through home delivery in both Palo Alto and San Francisco. If these locations are not convenient for you, you can also check with KTA client Skyelark Ranch who ships statewide (read more about Skyelark here).
PORK AND CHIVE DUMPLINGS 韭菜豬肉水餃
1 pack of dumpling wrappers
1 lb ground pork
2/3 lb finely chopped Chinese chives
1 tsp each:
Light soy sauce
Shaoxing Chinese rice wine
Toasted Asian sesame oil
Ground white pepper
Salt
Cornstarch
Grated or ground ginger
Makes about 40 dumplings
Shopping tips: Get the best quality ingredients you can find. Higher fat, pasture-raised ground meat has more flavor and holds together better. Seek out the most aromatic toasted sesame oil and Shaoxing rice wine. Let your nose be your guide.
Soy sauce comes in many variations—use light soy or tamari (usually gluten-free), which is brighter and saltier than dark soy. Remember to taste your soy sauce and salt, they come in various levels of salinity.
Combine all ingredients together in a bowl. Mix vigorously with chopsticks, or knead with hands to evenly mix the filling. Take a tablespoon and cook on a skillet over medium heat to taste the filling. Adjust salt or seasonings, letting your tastebuds guide you.
WRAPPING DUMPLINGS 包水餃
One packet typically has 36-60 wrappers. Look for potsticker wrappers—if you prefer thicker skins, choose Shanghai dumpling or, if you prefer thinner skins, choose Hong Kong style wonton wrappers.
Fill a small bowl with water, and grab a sheet pan or tray for holding wrapped dumplings. Put one wrapper in your left hand. With your right hand, use a small spoon to scoop approximately 1 tbsp of filling into the center of the wrapper.
Dip one right finger into the water, and paint the whole border of the wrapper with water to wet the edges. Fold the wrapper in half, and use your fingers to pinch the softened edges closed. Place finished dumpling on the sheet pan.
Repeat until your tray is full! Wrapping dumplings with friends makes the time go faster. You can cook fresh-made dumplings immediately, or place the tray in the freezer for 30 minutes. When dumplings are frozen, transfer to bags and store in freezer until ready to cook.
COOKING DUMPLINGS
STEAM—THE EASY WAY 蒸
Fill a large, flat-bottom pan with water with a bamboo steamer. Bring water to a simmer. Line the bottom of the steamer with a wet paper towel or large leaves of lettuce. Place dumplings in steamer, and steam for 15-20 minutes until done.
BOIL—THREE CUP METHOD 煮
Fill a large pot two-thirds full of water and bring to a boil. Drop enough frozen dumplings in to cover a single layer of the pot, and bring back to a boil, stirring occasionally so they don’t stick to the bottom. Pour in 1 cup of cold water, and cover with a lid until the water comes back to a boil. Repeat 3x. Dumplings will float to the top when they are fully cooked. Drain in colander and rinse with cool water to prevent sticking to each other.
STEAM-FRY 水煎
Heat a couple tablespoons of oil in a flat-bottomed nonstick skillet over medium heat until it sizzles when you flick a drop of water on it. Add the dumplings in a single layer for 1-2 minutes until a light golden crust forms. Swirl the oil around for even browning. Pour in enough water to cover a third of the height of the dumplings. Immediately cover with a lid to trap the steam—it should sizzle! Allow to steam for 8-12 minutes, depending on how many dumplings you have.
When dumplings are cooked through, you should see the skins become slightly translucent. You’ll know that they’re almost done when you hear the oil and water start “fighting” with each other via the crackle and sizzle. Uncover the lid for the last 3-4 minutes until all the water has evaporated and the dumplings are golden brown. You can swirl the hot oil around for even crisping, but don’t move the dumplings themselves! You’ll be rewarded with glorious crispy bottoms. Serve immediately.
Photo credit: Christine Su.
