Now, Greetings!
Slow week? Or frustration with blogger? This week has been lacking in the post-frenzy-fantasy land.
I for one slacked of cooking-wise this week and overwhelmingly took the easy way out with several meals. The best, though, was Monday night's dumpling fest.
It was quite and lonely in this crows apartment that night, and the fridge was looking intimidating. There were left-overs of Broccoli and asparagus with 45 tons of garlic, but other than that all that occupied my icebox were ingredients.
Now, some days I love "ingredients." Other days, I really just want fast-easy-raw foods for quick satisfaction. I knew that if I wanted to eat at home, I was in for a challenge. I accepted.
Sometimes, I like patting myself on the back and making pasta dough.* Sometimes, it just is so much easier to buy dumpling wrappers from the grocery store. You can usually find them in the refrigerated section, or mixed in the produce. I have no brand preference, they all seem about the same.
Starting from scratch can be tedious, I recommend everything you are stuffing into the dumpling be cooked beforehand, to an almost mooooosh consistency. Personal preference should obviously take the lead, but the only things I like to be crunchy in my dumpling are scallions. So this night, the broccoli/asparagus combo would work perfectly. To make the filling more interesting I quickly sauteed onions and mushrooms with a hefty amount of fresh ginger and more garlic. When it comes to dumplings, you can really add whatever you want but there are three things that should always be there: Garlic, Ginger, and Green Onions.
Traditionally dumplings are stuffed with pork, but I have been trying very hard to find new ways to transform left-overs, rather than just re-heating them(something Holly is so good at!). Dumplings are such a good way to do this.
Now, methodology is the only thing left to discuss!
You can steam, or fry them, I prefer a nice combination of the two that can be done in a deep frying pan with a lid. A lid is very necessary.
I won't get into the details of stuffing the dumplings, as I think most of us here have done this before- its the same as a ravioli- a little water or egg was as a sea sealant-get out air bubbles- etc-etc.
I will say, avoid to much touching or overlapping of the little guys on your cutting board and in the pan.
Dumpling Methodology
Pulse all ingredients minus your plethora of scallions a few times in the food processor. You want a coherent mixture, soft, but not to squishy. Now mix in scallions. Assemble dumplings.
Heat up about 2-4 T of oil in your pan, and place your dumplings one-by-one in the pan. Fry until brown, and flip. Allow this side to brown and then add about 1/4 cup water (approx- after the first batch you'll get the hang of it and see how much you think you'll need for future batches) to the pan. This will crate a nice violent reaction from the oil- but fear not! Place the lid quickly on the pan and return to heat. Alow to steam for about 2 minutes. Again, with each successive batch you will figure out what works for you. The longer you fry or steam, the amount of water you use, etc. will change the final outcome. But its all tasty!
*My personal favorite pasta-making memory was at McBride. Nothing beats rolling out ravioli with wine bottles!
Dipping Sauce*
Soy sauce
Honey
Chili - Garlic Paste (aka. Sambal Oelek)
Mix them to your liking. Add some sesame seeds if you have them. That is all.
*There are a lot of great store bought dipping sauces out there, but this one is so fast that why bother?
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