Overdue – Steamed Pork Dumplings

What’s more comforting than a piping hot meal on a cold winter day? I can’t think of much else. Except maybe hiding under the covers with all four seasons of Game of Thrones (What can I say? I caught on late). Comfort food is still top on the list though; and I have a very very long list of comfort food. From Chicken Curry to Beef Rendang to Chili fried Pork Belly. Have you ever noticed, how what we considered comfort food is almost always what we grew up with?

I promised you my pork dumpling recipe in my last post. How a few days turned into a full month, I have not a clue. Wait, yes I do. I was busy with my friend, Procrastination. I really need to cut her off.

These dumplings can be fried, steamed or boiled. If you’re using my homemade dumpling wrappers, I don’t recommend boiling them. I can’t tell you what it is but the homemade wrappers will turn too soft and mushy before the pork filling fully cooks. Besides, steamed dumplings have a much chewier texture to the skin which is soooo satisfying.  I’ll keep working on the boiling problem though.

Steamed Pork Dumplings

INGREDIENTS

•  Dumpling wrappers
•  400 g minced pork
•  1 stalk spring onions, chopped
• 1 small carrot, julienned
• 1 cup shredded  cabbage
•  1 tsp garlic and ginger paste (see below)
•  1 Tbsp soy sauce
•  1 Tbsp Shaoxing / Huatiao wine
•  1 Tbsp oyster sauce
•  2 tsp sesame oil
•  1/4 tsp sugar
•  1/2 tsp corn starch
• dash white pepper

DIRECTION

Garlic and ginger paste

• Grate together 3 parts of garlic to 2 parts of ginger and mix in just enough sesame oil to coat everything. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

 Dumpling

• Place cabbage and carrots in a medium bowl and add 1 tsp salt. Toss to mix well and set aside for 10 minutes.
• Rinse the cabbage and carrot to wash off excess salt then squeeze out as much liquid as you can.
• In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, carrot and all remaining ingredients (except the wrappers obviously). Mix it up well.
• Wrap a teaspoonful of filling in each wrapper, pinching the sides to seal the dumpling. Repeat until all the filling is wrapped.
• Cut a square of parchment paper to fit your steamer tray or bamboo steamer. Cut tiny slits all over the paper and line your tray. ( I used a piece of muslin cloth this time.)
• Place dumplings on the tray, making sure you leave enough space between them so they don’t stick together while steaming. Steam over high heat for 10 minutes.
• Serve with dipping sauce of your choice.