Radish Pork Dumplings

After some practice, I finally can make thinner skins which my family likes, though the original dumplings should be thicker. I actually used another half batch of filling for this thin texture.

Fried dumplings will always be our preferred way to eat dumplings, though boiled is also delicious. You can have crispy one side or even both sides too. For serving,  just make sure the crispy side stays up after its fried, that way they will not turn soggy. Don't forget to eat it with your favourite dipping sauce, vinegar with a little sesame oil for me!


Recipe from China cookbook
Ingredients
Plain flour  300g
Water  158g
White Radish  1000g
Chives  100g
Dried shrimps  30g
Minced pork  200g


Sauces for marinating the minced meat
Shredded ginger  1tsp
Shaoshing wine  1 tbsp
Soy sauce  2 tbsp
Oil  2 tbsp
Spring onions  1 stalk
sesame oil  1 tsp
Salt 1 tsp

shredded radish

cook in boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes

meat, radish, chives, dried shrimp and sauces .....

roll the dough into a narrow strip
cut each into 2cm piece.

flatten each, roll into a round disk, place filling in, crimp and seal dumpling

fried

Homemade dumplings is fun to make, once you get the hang of it, you'll want to make lots and lots of it, and will become really quick in rolling, shaping and wrapping.  They are great as for lazy weekend dinners.

Methods
Mix in flour and water, knead to a smooth and glossy dough ( by hand or stand mixer). Roll to a ball, cover and leave for 30 minutes.

In a large bowl, add in minced meat, shaoshing wine, soy sauce, shredded ginger, gradually add in one or two tablespoons water, stir and mix ingredients to a slightly smooth texture. Add in oil, stir and mix. Cover and let it marinate for 20 minutes.

Soak dried shrimp in warm water with 1 tbsp shaoshing wine,for 20 minutes. Discard water, chop them finely. Set aside.

Peel off the radish skin, get it shredded using a grater. With the prepared sufficient of boiling water heated up, cook it for 2 to 3 minutes.

Transfer radish to a large bowl, let it cool slightly, squeeze out the excess water content.
 Lay them on the chopping board, using the back of the knife, bash it slightly to squeeze further more water out. Squeeze out excess water for the last time, add into the meat mixture.

Clean the chives, cut into fine pieces, add into the meat mixture too.
Add in chopped dried shrimps. Mix and stir in circular clockwise motion.
Add in the oil then, sesame oil and salt. Mix and stir again in the same manner, until texture become gluey.
Set aside ( I normally transfer filling to a smaller bowl, cover and rest in the freezer for just a short moment while preparing the pastry skin. That way, the filling does not get watery when I actually wrap).


Divide the prepared dough into half, wrap the other with cling wrap while working on one.
Roll dough out into a narrow strip. Cut into 2cm each dough, do to the same to the rest.
Flatten each dough slightly, do the same again to the rest, covered.

Take one dough out, roll into a thin round disk, thinner on the edge. Place filling in, fold, crimp, and seal up the skin.
To fry or boil, refer duo colour dumplings.




To store the dumplings:

flour the surface on a base with parchment paper, place dumplings on top, not touching each other, sprinkle more flour on top..

wrap loosely and store in the freezer for a night

Next day, transfer the frozen dumplings to a freezer bag and put back to the freezer to keep. There is no need to thaw the dumplings, just cook it right away when you need it.