One of my favorite dumplings and there are many versions for the filling. I think I 'seriously' learnt making them when my sister's mother in law made them at her place. Her mixture was not salty as we eat the dumplings with the sauce that contains soy sauce anyway.
I usually make a big batch of dumplings and keep them in the freezer (learnt this from her too). It's very handy when you need a quick meal. Here is my version of the dumplings.
Ingredients
Dumpling
1 kg Chinese cabbage (wom buck cabbage), chopped coarsely (about 2 x 3 cm) and add salt (about 3-4 Tbsp) – about 500 g after being salted or alternatively use 500 g 'common' cabbage (I don't know the exact name)
750 g mince pork (I use lean pork leg and ask the butcher to mince it)
100 g prawn meat
100 g spring onion, chopped coarsely
3 cloves garlic, minced
20 g ginger, grated
1 Tbsp corn starch
1 tsp castor sugar
½ tsp white pepper
1 egg
1 Tbsp soy sauce, Yamasa
1 Tbsp Shao Xing wine
2 tsp sesame oil
1 kg gyoza/kuo tie skin (Some make it by themselves but I can't be bothered. It takes a little bit of practice to make the same thickness and shape. Some recipes on how to make the skin - Ci Stella's and Ci Ine's)
Canola oil
Water
Vinegar Sauce
Chingkiang vinegar
Soy sauce
Ginger, mince or slice thinly
Garlic, mince or slice if prefer milder taste
Sesame oil
Chilli sauce, optional
Cooking Methods
- Salt the cabbage in a big bowl for 30-45 minutes
- Drain the water from the bowl and wash the cabbage with cold water. Drain the water and absorb the excess water with paper towel or tea towel.
- Put all ingredients in a food processor. Blend until combine about 2-3 minutes on low speed. Do not overmix.
- Smear a little bit of water on the edge of the skin.
- Put about 1 tsp of filling on a gyoza skin and pleat 1 side when closing the 2 sides.
- Use a Teflon pan or else you may need to use a lot of oil. Heat a little bit of oil on the pan and put the dumpling. Cook for 2 minutes. Add water (about one third of the height) and cover the pan, cook for another 3-5 minutes. Open the lid and let the water evaporate. Cook until bottom side is golden brown.
- Serve with vinegar sauce
Alternatives:
- Cook in boiling water and have it with noodle and chicken broth.
- Some people add sauted onion in the mixture.
- Vegetarian version: chinese cabbage, spring onion/chives and mung bean vermicelli + seasonings
Note:
- Since the skin that I had was quite thick and stiff, it was difficult to shape it like the kuo tie shape. I put the 2 sides together and secure the sides by pressing a fork along the edge (like empenada style). I still prefer the kuo tie shape as it looks nicer after cooking.
- If the food processor is not big enough, blend it by portion and mix all mixture in a bowl. Otherwise, chopped finely vegetables and prawn and mix with other ingredients in a bowl
- Freezing the dumpling: Put a single layer of the dumpling on a baking sheet and leave it in the freezer. Continue making the other dumplings and put a single layer on another baking sheet, then leave it in the freezer until quite hard. Remove the dumplings and put them in a plastic container. To cook frozen dumplings: Heat a little bit of oil on the pan, put the frozen dumplings on the pan. Add some water (about one third of the height) and cover the pan. Let it steam until water nearly fully absorbed into the dumpling. Open the lid and let it fry until the bottom part is golden brown.
