The June challenge is hosted by Jen from use real butter. It is about making chinese dumplings, something what is a little bit time consuming and needs patience. I remember I tried some kind of wontons before but it was a desaster ...
It was really great to have the instructions from her blog with pictures and explanation - I just printed the post and put it on my kitchen table.
Chinese Dumplings/Potstickers
meat filling (modified):
dough: (double this for the amount of filling, but easier to make it in 2 batches - or just halve the filling recipe)
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (113g) warm water
- flour for worksurface
In a large bowl mix flour with 1/4 cup of water and stir until water is absorbed. Continue adding water one teaspoon at a time and mixing thoroughly until dough pulls away from sides of bowl. We want a firm dough that is barely sticky to the touch.
Knead the dough about twenty strokes then cover with a damp towel for 15 minutes. Take the dough and form a flattened dome. Cut into strips about 1 1/2 to 2 inches wide. Shape the strips into rounded long cylinders. On a floured surface, cut the strips into 3/4 inch pieces. Press palm down on each piece to form a flat circle (you can shape the corners in with your fingers). With a rolling pin, roll out a circular wrapper from each flat disc. Take care not to roll out too thin or the dumplings will break during cooking - about 1/16th inch. Leave the centers slightly thicker than the edges. Place a tablespoon of filling in the center of each wrapper and fold the dough in half, pleating the edges along one side. Keep all unused dough under damp cloth.
Place dumplings on a single layer of napa cabbage leaves or on a well-greased surface in a steamer basket with lid. Steam covered for about 6 minutes.
In every basket was space for 5 dumplings, so each of us got five dumplings served with some leftover mango chutney.
I had increased the amount of dough and ingredients about 1/3 so I had at at the end 27 dumplings. I steamed 5 extra for taking to work the next day and froze the rest. Two days later I tried again but the dough was a little bit to dry and the filling with smoked chicken and sweet potatoes not sticky enough so the outcome was not as good as the first one.
eine