Year of the Dragon: May you find togetherness, prosperity
By Melissa Elsmo OUT OF MEL’S KITCHEN January 18, 2012 2:10PM
Step 4 Place the dumplings, folded side up, in a hot skillet that has been lightly brushed with canola oil. Cook with out disturbing for about 1 minute until golden brown on the bottom.
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Updated: February 2, 2012 4:11PM
Break out the lanterns and find a sassy red shirt because the Chinese zodiac dictates the year of the rabbit will come to an end on Jan. 23, and the year of the dragon will begin.
According to predictions, the lucky dragon promises to bring prosperity, good fortune, new beginnings and even the tendency to overspend in 2012, but no matter what the new year brings, honoring this annual transition is a celebration of culinary delights.
Symbolic foods are not uncommon in Chinese cuisine. As it pertains to Chinese New Year, oranges suggest prosperity, noodles represent longevity, and egg rolls signify money. Humble dumplings typify the most important quality of all … family, unity and togetherness.
The centerpiece of any traditional Chinese New Year’s meal are round meat-filled dumplings known as Jiaozi. Families often work together to fill, wrap and cook the diminutive packages and gather together to eat them at midnight at the start of the lunar calendar year.
With the Year of the Dragon just around the corner there is no better time to hit the kitchen with your loved ones and whip up a batch of savory Chinese dumplings. Taking the time to make them will bring a genuine sense of togetherness to your family.
And, these Year of the Dragon Dumplings will certainly bring you the good fortune of a full belly.
Gung Hay Fat Choy!
Year of the Dragon Dumplings
Makes about 50 Dumplings Traditional Chinese Jiaozi (pot stickers) are usually made with homemade dough. My variation for home cooks takes advantage of supermarket wonton wrappers with out sacrificing fun or flavor.
1 to 2-inch piece of peeled fresh ginger
8 water chestnuts
½ cup shredded carrot, steamed until tender
1 pound ground pork*
1 teaspoon orange zest
1½ Tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon rice wine vinegar
½ teaspoon sesame oil
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon white pepper
¼ cup scallions, sliced
2 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 egg, separated
1 pkg of square wonton wrappers
Soy Sauce, Hot Chili Paste, Oranges and Scallions
Place the garlic, ginger, water chestnuts, and shredded carrot in the bowl of a food processor. Process until minced. Add the pork, zest, sugar, soy, vinegar, oil, salt pepper and scallions to the processor. Pulse until combined. Add the cornstarch and ½ of the egg white (reserve the yolk for wrapping); pulse until combined. Transfer to a bowl. Mixture can be made 24 hours in advance and stored covered in the refrigerator.
Wrap the dumplings and spread them in a single layer on parchment lined baking sheet covered with a slightly damp towel until all of the dumplings are wrapped and ready to cook. Dumplings can be frozen on the sheet pans until solid and transferred to Ziploc bags for storage if desired. Steam or boil the frozen dumplings for a quick weeknight meal.
*Chinese New Year dumplings are traditionally filled with pork, but feel free to substitute ground raw chicken, shrimp, or turkey according to your personal taste.
Wrapping and cooking dragon worthy dumplings:
Step 1
Lay a wonton wrapper out on a work surface with a corner facing you. Place a heaping teaspoon full of filling in the center of the wrapper and use your finger to paint egg yolk on to the top corner of the wrapper.
Step 2
Fold the bottom corner up to meet the top corner of the wrapper. Pinch down each side of the wrapper to make a triangle. The filling should not flatten as you pinch the wrapper, but mound into a pillow. Take care to eliminate air bubbles as you form the triangle.
Step 3
Fold the lower points of the wonton wrapper into the center of the filling. Seal each point with a little egg yolk. Finished wontons will look like little open envelopes.
Step 4
Place the dumplings, folded side up, in a hot skillet that has been lightly brushed with canola oil. Cook with out disturbing for about 1 minute until golden brown on the bottom. Carefully (oil may sputter) ladle ½ C to ¾ C of water into the skillet with the dumplings. Cover, reduce heat to medium and allow dumplings to steam for 6 minutes or until cooked through (Alternatively dumplings can be steamed in a lettuce lined bamboo steamer for 8-10 minutes or simmered in water or stock until cooked through). Repeat until all dumplings are cooked.
Step 5
Serve hot dumplings family style with soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, oranges and scallions.
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