Dumplings 'Shui Jiao' 水餃

Shui Jiao 水餃

Over the long Raya weekend we stayed home and didn't go out much. That's because I came down with a virus infection that left me so, so exhausted, feverish and aching from head to toes. Thanks to my two sisters Mui and Pit, who decided to come over to the house and help with dinner.

And guess what? They decided to make dumplings. For us, making dumplings is a very social affair and an event the family always look forward to. Everyone who is in the house would gathers around the table and do what they can. I would never attempt to do dumplings alone, it would be too depressing. This is normally done over the long Chinese new year holiday in between mahjong sessions. Guess Raya must have got them in a festive mood too. Hmm, I think it also had a very therapeutic effect on my fever. I didn't do much except snapped a few shots but just gathering around the table, chit chatting and seeing all the activities just lifted my spirit and fever.

Keshia, the most steady and with the most patience. When everyone had slow down or started eating, she persevered.

The very rare moment we find Mr. Bryan in the kitchen. This is one chore he doesn't mind and he does it very well.

Perfectly wrapped dumplings.


Bryan like these pan-fried guotie 'potstickers' or gyoza as the Japanese called them.


The leftovers are made into these which were supposed to be scallion pancakes but because there were some filling left, they decided to add to the pancake. Like the Indian martabak and I called them bian (flat) goutie.

Shui Jiao

Skin:
1 kg plain flour (we used 'pau' flour)
~ 600 ml water
a pinch of salt

Filling:
500 gm pork, minced
500 gm cabbage or Chinese cabbage, thinly shredded, rub with salt and strained off juice
2 small bowls chopped chives, optional
2 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
2 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil

Mix flour with enough water to make into a soft dough that is not too sticky.
Knead for a few minute until the dough stop sticking to the fingers and a soft, smooth, shiny texture is achieved.
Cover with a clean damp kitchen towel and leave for at least 30 minutes before use.
Mix all the filling ingredients together.
Have fun wrapping the dumplings, get everyone in the house to join in and do different shapes if they want but make sure the same amount of filling is used for each dumpling ~ 1 tablespoon, to ensure the dumplings get cooked at the same time.




Put dumplings into a big pot of boiling water in a batch of 20 -30 depending on the size of your pot, when it returns to boil pour a glass of cold water in and return it to boil.
Repeat the cold water treatment three times.
Scoop out dumplings and serve hot with dipping sauce.



Dipping sauce:
chopped garlics
julienned ginger
chopped chillies
black vinegar

Leave the all the above ingredients on table with small individual saucers and let everyone do their own sauce.


Jo