Title: Northern Dumplings (Ck)
Categories: Appetizer Chinese
Yield: 1 Servings

THE FILLING: 1/3 lb fresh spinach or half a 10-oz box of frozen chopped spinach, thawed 1/2 lb lean beef, minced 4 water chestnuts, chopped 2 T finely chopped bamboo shoots 1 sm onion minced 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 t minced ginger root 2 T soy sauce 1 t sesame oil 1 t sugar

THE DOUGH: 2 c unsifted all-purpose flour 1/2-3/4 c cold water

THE DIPPING SAUCE: 1/2 c soy sauce 1/4 c vinegar, preferably an Oriental rice vinegar Optional: dash sesame oil 1/4 t crushed dried red pepper minced garlic, to taste minced ginger root, to taste DIRECTIONS FOR THE FILLING: Swish the fresh spinach in cold water to remove all sand and dirt, changing the water until it remains clear. Chop the spinach finely. In paper towels, squeeze dry the fresh or thawed spinach. Combine the spinach and the minced beef with the remaining filling ingredients, mixing well to distribute everything evenly. Refrigerate the filling while preparing the dough, or freeze the filling for later use. DIRECTIONS FOR THE DOUGH: Place the flour in a medium-size mixing bowl. Gradually add 1/2 cup of the water, working it well with your fingers. Add a little more water, until the dough holds together. Knead for 3 to 5 minutes, sprinkling on a little flour if the dough begins to stick to the work surface or to your fingers. Knead until the dough is smooth, easy to handle, and not at all sticky.

If the dough is not to be used immediately, place it in a greased bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Plan to use the dough within a few hours. It is best to prepare the filling first and have it ready for the dough.

Divide the homemade dough in quarters, and work with one part at a time. Divide the first quarter into 12 pieces, then use a rolling pin to roll each piece out to a 3-inch circle. If the work surface is clean and the dough is not sticky, it may not be necessary to grease or flour the work surface. If the dough sticks, lightly grease or flour the work surface. For purchased egg roll or wonton wrappers, use a cookie cutter or scissors to cut the wrappers into 3-inch rounds. Use leftover bits and pieces for fried noodles. Work with no more than a dozen wrappers at a time, keeping the remaining circles of dough covered with a dish towel to prevent drying out.

To wrap the dumplings, place a heaping teaspoon of filling slightly off-center on each circle. Moisten the edges of the purchased egg roll wrappers with water. (The homemade wrappers will seal well without water.) Fold the dough in half over the filling to form a semicircle, then press the edges together to seal well. Stand the dumpling on the folded edge adn press it lightly to form a flattened bottom. Now you can make fancy pleats or crimps in the top, being careful not to break the wrappers. The dumplings can be tray-frozen at this point.

To boil the dumplings, bring 6 quarts of water to the boil in an 8-quare pot. Carefully drop in as many dumplings as you can without overcrowding. Cook the dumplings for 5 minutes, then taste one to make sure the dough is cooked through. Frozen dumplings should not be defrosted, but they will require an additional 3 to 5 minutes of cooking. Boil the remaining dumplings. Serve the dumplings hot, making small bowls of dipping sauce available to each diner. Or, serve with any condiment of your choice.

An alternative method of cooking these dumplings is to fry them in 1/2 inch of 375-400øF oil until they are golden brown on both sides. Drain well and serve with the dipping sauce or other condiments. Frozen dumplings can be fried without thawing. DIRECTIONS FOR THE DIPPING SAUCE: Combine the soy sauce with the vinegar. Mix in any of the optional ingredients as desired. The dipping sauce can be prepared well in advance and does note need refrigeration.

Other dipping sauces may be used.

From: Chinese Kosher Cooking Betty S. Goldberg Jonathan David Publishers, Inc., 1989

Entered by: Lawrence Kellie

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