Dumplings!

Blog readers!  Are you ready for a challenge?  This recipe contains numerous instances of vague measurements!

We like dumplings.  Fried or steamed.  We have basic recipe but pleasepleaseplease don't follow it. Add in what you like.  You want more cabbage?  Add it in.   Don't like ginger?  Cut it back.  After you mix everything up, make a test "meatball" by cooking it in the microwave and taste it.   Make it yours.  

Verrrrrrrry basic recipe-

5 packages of round wrappers 

3 pounds ground pork, hopefully with some good fat mixed in 

1.5 pounds shrimp, finely diced

1 head of napa cabbage, ribs removed, very finely diced (get more than you think you'll need.  once you cut the ribs out, you won't be left with the same really large amount)

chives, 1 bunch if using Chinese chives, 2 if from the store

2-3 bunches of scallions, very finely diced

1 or 2 cans of water chestnuts, finely chopped

as many shiitake mushrooms as you like, squeezed dry of any liquid and very finely diced (if you forget to soak them the night before, bring them to a boil and simmer until softened, about 15-20 minutes)

2 eggs

2 tbs soy sauce

2 tbs rice wine

1 tbs hondashi grains

1 tbs sesame oil

5 cloves of garlic, finely diced

2 or more tbs ginger, finely diced 

salt and pepper to taste 

hot peppers, finely diced to taste if desired

Make sure your proteins are at room temperature, it will make it easier to mix up.

Mix everything up.  

Cook a meatball and taste for seasoning.  

Wrap up in your dumpling wrappers and freeze for later (if making these dumplings at your own house, future you, use the freezer in the kitchen.  It's faster)

Place some filling in the middle and seal the edges with a little water, crimping each side to close. 

To cook, either steam or fry.  

To fry, add 1 tbs of oil and cook 1-2 mins a side to get it brown.  

Add 1/2 c of water and then cover and cook about 5-10 mins (sooooo vauge) to cook through.

Remove the cover and let the water cook away.

Cook until the bottoms are crispy and they release from the bottom of the pan.

To steam, cook dumplings on a cabbage or lettuce leaf or parchment paper until done, 10-12 minutes from frozen (check for doneness).

8/2020 update-

No napa cabbage to be had at three different stores during this weird time.  Subbed half savoy cabbage and half chopped baby bok choy.

We also doubled the soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and hondashi this time.  Might not need 2 eggs next time since it was pretty saucy.  

We goofed, but maybe not, making dumplings this round.  We thought we had a mix that was too green since it was heavy on cabbage and chives so we added in another pound of ground pork and mixed it in.  We sent a picture midway through wrapping and it got approval from two different dumpling making households.   The tally, after we were done was 297 dumplings and 6 packages of wrappers.  We started mincing, mixing, and tasting at 10am and we took 30-45 minutes for lunch but 4 people wrapped until about 3:30.  I think we have enough for a while.

4/2021 Update

We used five packages of wrappers and there’s always a point where you think you’ll need more.   Mr. PB&C grabbed some from our freezer just in case but we didn’t need them.  Two to five people wrapped for about three hours.  

Having a dedicated runner to move trays to the freezer, refill our small bowls of filling, and restock wrappers (maybe make adult beverages in there too), was very helpful.   We really like the addition of the water chestnuts.   Will make that change permanent.   

11/2022 Update

We had a request for non pork dumplings so we used ground turkey that we had on hand.  Used almost 5 packages, almost 3 1/2 pounds of meat.  Three to four wrappers (one totally new to making dumplings) were done with everything in 2 1/2 hours.  Storing the dumplings and freezing them needed a little bit of planning and we used another freezer at a house down the road for storage.