pork & chive dumplings

the first memory i have of eating dumplings was when i was about 10 years old and i came home from school for lunch.  my mom had made pan-fried dumplings for me.  i took one bite and wondered how come she never made them before. there were about 30 dumplings and i ate them all…  after all, i was a growing kid.

i never go by exact measurements when i cook.  this is why i don’t bake.  i like to wing it!  so the measurements in this recipe are only estimates.  use your best judgement.  this recipe makes about 40 dumplings.

ingredients

• 1 lb ground pork
• 1 tbsp light brown sugar
• 3 cups chinese garlic chives, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
• 1 tbsp chinese rice wine (optional)
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 pack dumpling wrappers
• red rice vinegar for dipping

method

1. to make the filling, combine the pork, brown sugar, garlic chives, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, rice wine, and cornstarch in a large mixing bowl. add enough water to make mixture smooth.
2. place a heaping teaspoon of the filling in the center of each wrapper. fold the wrappers over to make a half-moon shape. make small pleats along the edge to seal.
3. to fry the dumplings, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a frying pan (cast iron works well). lower heat to medium and add a single layer of dumplings in concentric circles, starting from the outside. cook for about 2 minutes, until the bottom of the dumplings are lightly fried (you can check by gently picking up individual dumplings with tongs). add 1/3 cup of water, cover and steam for 5 minutes, then uncover and cook until the water has evaporated. repeat with the remaining dumplings.
4. serve with red rice vinegar

** if you want to spend less time watching over the dumplings as they cook, you can have them steamed. use a wok and they should be ready to be devoured in about 20 minutes. **