The Everything Chinese Cookbook (14 page)

1 cup flour

2½ teaspoons salt, divided

½ cup boiling water

2 teaspoons sesame oil

4 green onions, thinly sliced

4–6 tablespoons oil for frying

1. Place the flour in a medium bowl. Sift ½ teaspoon salt into the flour. Stir in a small amount of the boiling water. Add more water and begin forming into a dough. Add the rest of the water and mix in. Cover the dough with a damp towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.
   
2. Knead the dough until it is smooth. Cut the dough in half.
   
3. Roll one-half of the dough out until it is no more ¼ inch thick. Spread 1 teaspoon of sesame oil over the dough. Sprinkle with half the green onion slices.
   
4. Roll the dough up like a jelly roll and cut into 6 pieces. Take a piece of cut dough, use your fingers to lengthen it a bit, and then form it into an
   L
   shape. Push down on the top of the
   L
   with the palm of your hand to form a circle. The pancake should be about 2–3 inches in diameter. Continue with the remainder of the dough.
   
5. Add 2 tablespoons oil to a preheated wok or skillet. Add half the pancakes and fry until brown on both sides. Sprinkle with the remainder of the salt while cooking. Add more oil as needed.
   

1½ cups ground turkey

1½ tablespoons oyster sauce

¾ teaspoon sugar

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1½ green onions, minced

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1 package round wonton (gyoza) wrappers

4–6 cups oil for deep-frying

1. Combine the ground turkey, oyster sauce, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, green onions, and ginger.
   
2. Add oil to a preheated wok and heat to 375°F. Wrap the gow gees while waiting for the oil to heat. Place 1 teaspoon of filling in the middle of the wrapper. Wet the edges of the wrapper, fold over the filling, and seal, crimping the edges. Continue with the remainder of the wontons. Cover the completed wontons with a damp towel to prevent drying.
   
3. Carefully slide gow gees into the wok, a few at a time. Deep-fry until they turn golden (about 2 minutes). Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
   

Dim Sum Isn't Always Dim Sum

Australians refer to dumplings cooked in the Chinese style as “dim sim.” Meanwhile, at Chinese-American restaurants you can order a pu pu platter filled with juicy spareribs, fried wontons, and other Chinese finger foods. In Hawaii, pu pu platters also feature local ingredients such as taro and pineapple.

¼ pound (4 ounces) fresh shrimp

3 medium dried mushrooms

1 cup ground pork

1½ green onions, thinly sliced

½ cup canned bamboo shoots, shredded

2 teaspoons oyster sauce

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 package Siu Mai or wonton wrappers

Oil for coating heatproof plate

1. Wash and devein the shrimp, and chop finely. Soak the dried mushrooms in hot water for at least 20 minutes to soften. Drain, remove the stems, and slice finely.
   
2. Combine the ground pork, shrimp, green onions, dried mushrooms, bamboo shoots, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil.
   
3. To wrap the Siu Mai: Place 2 teaspoons of filling in the middle of the wrapper.
   Do not
   fold the wrapper over the filling. Gather up the edges of the wrapper and gently pleat the sides so that it forms a basket shape, with the top open.
   
4. Lightly coat a heatproof plate with oil. Place the dumplings on the plate. Place the plate on a bamboo steamer in a wok set up for steaming. Steam the dumplings for 5–10 minutes or until they are cooked.
   

Mix and Match

Feel free to experiment by trying the different fillings with any of the dumplings. For example, potsticker fans could use this recipe to make potstickers instead of siu mai. The sticky rice recipes also work well in dumplings or with other wrappers such as banana leaves.

1½ cups ground turkey

2 teaspoons dark soy sauce

1½ tablespoons oyster sauce

1 large garlic clove, minced

½ cup chopped spinach leaves

1 package wonton wrappers

4 cups oil for deep-frying

1. Combine the ground turkey, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, garlic, and spinach leaves.
   
2. Add oil to a preheated wok and heat to 375°F. While waiting for the oil to heat, wrap the wontons (see the Deep-fried Wontons recipe on page 33 for instructions).
   
3. Carefully slide a few wontons at a time into the wok. Deep-fry until they turn golden (about 2 minutes). Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
   

1 cup wheat starch

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup boiling water

1 tablespoon lard

1. Place the wheat starch in a medium-sized bowl. Sift in the salt.
   
2. Slowly pour in the boiling water. Pour in only as much as you need. Stir with a wooden spoon or chopsticks until you have a sticky dough. Let the dough rest and cool for 30 minutes.
   
3. Add 1 tablespoon lard to the dough, a portion at a time, gradually working it in. Knead the dough until it is smooth and satiny. Make sure the lard is fully mixed in. Use as called for in the recipe.