Dumplings (Jiao zi)
Dumplings (Jiao zi or Guo tie) is widely popular throughout Japan and Taiwan. They can be boiled, steamed or pan-fried depending on tastes and each method provides different tastes and textures. They can be eaten independently as a meal or as a side to other main dishes.
Preparation time: 2 hours
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients:
For the dough:
- 4 cups of plain flour
- Extra flour for dusting
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cup warm water
For the filling:
- 500 grams of pork mince
- ½ cabbage
- 5 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon raw sugar
- ¼ Ginger
Directions:
Making the dough
1. In a bowl, add the flour and salt and mix.
2. Make a well in the flour and add the water.
3. Slowly, using your hands, combine and mix until it forms into a ball.
4. Knead the dough for 5 minutes and then roll into a long cylindrical shape, roughly 3cm thick.
5. Cut roughly 3cm thick pieces and set aside.
6. Dust a piece of the cut dough well and flatten with the palm of your hand.
7. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a flat circle.
8. Repeat until all the dough has been rolled.
Making the filling
1. Finely chop the cabbage until it is minced.
2. In a bowl, combine the mince and chopped cabbage and mix well.
3. Add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar and shave ginger into the mixture. Mix well.
Making the dumpling:
1. Taking one piece of rolled out dough, spoon one teaspoon of the filling in the middle of the dough.
2. Slowly fold up the dough and flatten the edges until you have a moon like crescent.
3. Fold the edges 3 or 4 times to make a pattern.
4. Set aside onto a lightly floured plate.
5. Repeat until all the dough and mixture is used up.
Cooking the dumpling:
1. In a heated pan, add a dash of vegetable oil.
2. Once the oil is hot, slowly the dumpling pieces into the pan and turn to medium heat.
3. Add a dash of cold water and cover with a lid to slowly sizzle and steam.
4. Cook each side for roughly 5 minutes, adding another dash of water where necessary.
5. Once all the sides are brown, remove from heat and serve with soy sauce for dipping.
Read MoreGarlic stewed aubergine
This is one of my favourite dishes in Taiwan. It can be served cold as an appetizer with dumplings, cucumber salad or braised seaweed as part of small eats (xiao chi). It can also be served as a main dish, served with rice and a very popular family dish.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves 2
Ingredients:
- 1 aubergine (eggplant)
- 250 gram minced pork
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons raw sugar
- 2 tablespoons rice wine (mi chiu)
- 1 tablespoon cornflour
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 red chilli
Directions
1. Slice the aubergines into cubes, roughly slice chilli in diagonals and dice the garlic.
2. In a heated pan, add a dash of vegetable oil and half the garlic.
3. Add the aubergines and stir fry on medium heat for 5 minutes.
4. Add 2 table spoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 tablespoon rice wine, stir and then simmer for 3 minutes.
5. Remove the aubergines from the heat.
6. In the heated pan, add the mince meat and stir fry for 2 minutes.
5. Add 2 table spoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 tablespoon rice wine and simmer for 1 minute.
6. Add aubergine to the pan and mince.
7. Add the chilli, remaining garlic and sesame oil and stir.
8. In a separate bowl, mix the cornflour and ½ cup water. Add to the pan.
9. Mix and combine well until the sauce thickens.
10. Remove from the pan and serve with rice.
Tip: You can opt for a vegetarian version by eliminating the minced pork and adding more garlic if you prefer.
Read More
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