The Daring Bakers have started a new group recently called The Daring Cooks, and while I have no plans to join them officially anytime soon, their challenge last month was Chinese Potstickers - the American name for jiao-tze. Or, more accurately, for wor-tip. Even though where I lived in China we only had the one name for both, apparently wor-tip is the proper name for dumplings that have been pan-fried instead of just steamed.
Whatever the name, after seeing the step-by-step instructions on use real butter, I couldn't resist trying the recipe for myself. I paid a visit to the New Asia Market (Feldstrasse 24, 8004 Zurich - no website, sorry) and found the proper ingredients to make a delicious filling.
After a LOT of chopping, here's my bowl before mixing: ground pork, water chestnuts, ginger, green onions, green cabbage leaves, shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots, soy sauce, sesame oil, and cornstarch.
The wrappers were not that difficult to make - just flour and water! It does take a while to pleat each individual dumpling into a semblance of symmetry though.
The bottoms are pan-fried first until golden brown, then add water to the pan, cover it up, and let the tops steam until the filling and wrappers are cooked.
I made a dipping sauce and some fried rice to go along with these - they turned out SO well. I really felt like I was back in Tianjin for a moment. The best part is that I had some leftover filling, so I froze another 25 raw for when I don't have a whole afternoon to spend chopping and rolling and pleating!
3 comments:
They look just wonderful! You did a brilliant job and my mouth is watering! Our AI-YI steamed them first, then fried the bottoms when the water had evaporated. Perhaps that's why they had a different name. And it's funny that the code word I have to sign into here with is 'blick'. hehe. Hugs Mom.
yummy!!! When we first made them, we spent a couple hours chopping too. Before the next time, we popped over to our local commercial supplies store (moore wilsons, where we got the rocket sauce we gave to you last "summer" from) and bought a julienning machine which chopped (or julienned) our prep time in half. (super thinly cut carrots in seconds anyone?) it's also great for slicing mostly-frozen chicken into super thin sheets to make the orange crumbed chicken Ai-yi used to make, unfortunataly there's no tang here so the sauce wasn't that great. We fry them and then simmer them in 1/2 cup chicken stock per pan-load until it's all evaporated and they're gooey and yummy on the bottom. Just an alternative to water if you ever feel like trying it!
Love you, Mel
These look great - I might have to try this!
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