The Recipe:
Northern Chinese Dumplings

By Tiffany Tsui (MALD'00)

Most of the ingredients can be found in local grocery store if you don’t have a Chinese supermarket nearby.

The Wrapping
2 pkg Dumpling Wrappers (each package has about 50 wrappers)
There are different kinds of wrappers, the ones used for dumplings are round, the squared ones are thinner and are used for Wonton. Dumpling wrappers from Hong Kong are processed differently and can be recognized by the yellowish color whereas typical northern dumpling wrappers are white. Choose according to personal preference.

The Filling
1 oz. Dried shrimp and/or ¼ pound Fresh shrimp
2 pounds Chinese celery cabbage 2 tsp. Salt
1 pound Minced Pork/Beef
12 Scallions, cut into small rounds 1 tbsp. Minced Ginger

The Marinade
1 ½ tsp. Salt 2 tbsp. Soysauce
2 tsp. Shaohsing wine or medium dry sherry
3 tbsp. Sesame oil 1 tbsp. Cooking oil

The Dips
1 tbsp. Soysauce
2 tbsp. Chinese sweet vinegar or any vinegar
½ tbsp. Sesame oil and/or hot chili oil
2 cloves garlic minced

• If using dry shrimp, soak the shrimp in enough boiling water to just cover them, for 15 to 20 minutes. Drain them, reserving the soaking liquid. Chop the shrimp fine.

If using fresh shrimp, shell and devein the shrimp and coarsely chop them. (Use both if desired)

• Add the salt, soy sauce, wine or sherry and oils to the pork. Also add 3 tablespoons of the shrimp water (if using dry shrimp), and stir vigorously for about 1 minute. Mix in the ginger, shrimp and scallions and let marinade. This procedure can be done ahead of time.
  
• When ready to wrap, shred the cabbage crosswise as thinly as possible and then chop roughly, cutting out the hard core. Mix the cabbage with the pork. (Tip: before adding the cabbage to the pork, slightly squeeze out the water from cabbage in your palms, so that the dumplings don't get too watery when cooked)

Part II. Wrapping the Fun
Place a wrapper in the palm of your hand and put about 1½ teaspoons of the filling in the middle. Fold it up and simply seal the 2 edges by squeezing the thumb and index finger together, so the dumpling look like a sealed taco. You can also add a little artistic touch by pinching and pleating to make one or two tucks simultaneously, making the dumpling look like a crescent.

Part III. Boiling the Dumplings and Serving
If you are doing this with your friends or families (highly recommended!), you can already start to cook the dumpling when about half of the wrappings are done. Bring about 3 pints of water to a fast boil. Lower the heat to medium, put in 5 or 6 dumplings and stir to that they do not stick to the bottom. Add another 14 or 15 and stir again. Cover the wok and return to boil. Add in few ounces of cold water and let the water to boil again. Repeat 3 times (this prevents the dumplings from bursting). The dumplings are done when they have all floated to the surface.

Prepare the dip by mixing the oils, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic and hot chili oil (optional). Serve the dumplings steaming hot. Enjoy!

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