Siu Mai Open-Faced Dumplings Recipe

Shāomài (in Mandarin)

Reprinted with permission from Asian Dumplings: Mastering Gyoza, Spring Rolls, Samosas, and More by Andrea Nguyen, copyright © 2009. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc. Photo credit: Penny De Los Santos © 2009

Makes 30 dumplings, serving 6 to 8 as a snack

Filling
2/3 pound coarsely ground pork, fattier kind preferred, coarsely chopped to loosen
4 large dried shiitake mushrooms, reconstituted (see page 13), stemmed, and chopped (1/2 cup)
Generous 1/4 cup finely diced water chestnuts (fresh preferred)
3 tablespoons finely chopped scallions (white and green parts)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Generous 1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon light (regular) soy sauce
1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
11/2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 large egg white, beaten

30 small round siu mai skins (page 64)
11/2 tablespoons finely diced carrot, or 30 peas, for garnish
Light (regular) soy sauce
Chinese hot mustard or Colman’s English mustard

1. To make the filling, in a bowl, combine the pork, mushrooms, water chestnuts, and scallions. Use a fork or spatula to stir and lightly mash the ingredients together so they begin to blend.

2. Put the salt, sugar, white pepper, cornstarch, soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil, and egg white into a small bowl and stir to combine well. Pour over the meat mixture, and stir, fold, and mash everything together until they cohere into a compact mass. Cover the filling with plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes, or refrigerate overnight, returning it to room temperature before assembling the dumplings. You should have a generous 2 cups of filling.

3. Before assembling the dumplings, line steamer trays and/or a baking sheet with parchment paper. For the baking sheet, lightly dust the paper with cornstarch to prevent sticking. Set aside. Hold a skin in one hand. Scoop up about 1 tablespoon of filling with a bamboo dumpling spatula, dinner knife, or fork and position it in the center of the skin, pressing down gently. Pick up the skin and gather and pinch it together to form an open bag (see page 74). Crown the dumpling with some finely diced carrot or a pea.

If steaming right away, place each finished dumpling in a steamer tray open side up, spacing them 1/2 inch apart, and 1 inch away from the edge if you are using a metal steamer. Otherwise, place the waiting dumplings on the baking sheet a good 1/2 inch apart.

Keeping the finished dumplings covered with a dry kitchen towel to prevent drying, form and fill wrappers from the remaining dough. Dumplings made several hours in advance of cooking should be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated. For longer storage, freeze them on their baking sheet until hard (about 1 hour), transfer them to a plastic container, and keep them frozen for up to 1 month; partially thaw them before steaming.

5. To cook, steam the dumplings over boiling water (steaming guidelines are on page 17) for 6 to 8 minutes, until the dumplings have puffed slightly and their skins have become translucent. Remove each tray and place it atop a serving plate.

6. Serve immediately with the soy sauce and hot mustard. Invite guests to mix up their own dipping sauce.

Fried Wontons Recipe

Zhá Yúntūn

Reprinted with permission from Asian Dumplings: Mastering Gyoza, Spring Rolls, Samosas, and More by Andrea Nguyen, copyright © 2009. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc. Photo credit: Penny De Los Santos © 2009

Makes 48 wontons, serving 6 to 8 as a snack

I’ve met few people who dislike fried wontons. They are irresistible: they fry up to a wonderful light crispness, staying true to their Cantonese name, which literally means “swallowing clouds.”

Wrapping the filling in a thin skin is the secret to generating such an ethereal quality. Most commercial wonton skins are, sadly, on the thick side and turn a bit chewy after frying. For better results, look for Hong Kong–style thin wonton skins at an Asian market or, better yet, make your own at home. Fried wontons are most often enjoyed dipped in sweet and sour sauce, but they can also be served in a bowl covered by hot broth; the skins turn chewy and contribute a delightful richness to the soup.

Filling
1/3 pound medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, and cut into pea-size pieces (41/2 ounces net weight)
1/4 pound ground pork, fattier kind preferred, coarsely chopped to loosen
1 scallion (white and green parts), finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon sugar
Scant 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pinch of black or white pepper

48 small square wonton skins (page 64)
Canola or peanut oil, for deep-frying
1 cup Sweet and Sour Sauce (page 217)

1. To make the filling, combine the shrimp, pork, scallion, cornstarch, sugar, salt, and pepper in a bowl and use chopsticks or a fork to mix well. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes before using, or refrigerate for up to a day in advance. You should have about 1 cup.

2. Before assembling the wontons, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly dust with cornstarch. Fill each wonton skin with about 1 teaspoon of the filling, creating triangles, flower buds, or nurse’s caps (see pages 66 to 67). As you work, put the finished wontons on the prepared baking sheet. When all are made, loosely cover with a kitchen towel to prevent drying. The wontons also can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for several hours; let them sit at room temperature to remove the chill before frying.

3. Put a wire rack on a baking sheet and place next to the stove. Pour oil to a depth of
11/2 inches into a wok, deep skillet, or 5-quart Dutch oven and heat over medium-high heat to about 325°F on a deep-fry thermometer. (If you don’t have a deep-fry thermometer, stick a dry bamboo chopstick into the oil; if it takes about 2 seconds for bubbles to rise and encircle the chopstick, the oil is ready.)

4. Working in batches of 4 to 6, slide the won-tons into the hot oil and fry for about 1 minute on each side, or until golden brown. Use a skimmer to transfer to the rack to drain.

5. Arrange the wontons on a platter and serve hot as finger food along with the sauce for dipping.

Rice Soup with Chicken, Seafood and Mushroom (Chao Boi)

By Andrea Nguyen, Author, Into the Vietnamese Kitchen: Treasured Foodways, Modern Flavors

Serves 8 to 10 as a starter, or 4 to 6 as a one- bowl meal

1 boneless skinless chicken breast (about 1/4 pound)
1 cup of long-grain white rice
3 quarts (12 cups) chicken stock
4 or 5 dried wood ear mushrooms, reconstituted, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips
2 tablespoons canola or other neutral oil
1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, and halved horizontally
1/3 cup of freshly picked or thawed crabmeat
1/4 cup small tapioca pearls (about 1/8 inch in diameter)
1/3 cup chopped scallion, white and green parts
1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
Salt

1. Fill a 5-quart saucepan half full with water. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat and add the chicken breast. Remove from the heat and cover tightly. Let stand for 20 minutes. The chicken should be firm to the touch yet still yield a bit. Remove the chicken from the pan. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred it by hand and set aside.

2. Return the water to a boil and add the rice. Parboil for 8 minutes, or wait until tender but still firm. Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

3. In the same pan, bring the stock to a boil over high heat. Add the rice, chicken, and mushrooms, lower the heat to a gentle simmer, and cook for 10 minutes, or until the rice expands.

4. Meanwhile, in a skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook gently, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes, or until fragrant and soft. Add the shrimp and sauté for about 2 minutes, until they curl into corkscrews. Add the crabmeat and stir to distribute. Remove from the heat and set aside.

5. To prevent the tapioca pearls from clumping on contact with the hot soup, put them into a sieve and rinse briefly under cold water. When the rice has expanded in the soup, add the tapioca pearls and cook for another 10 minutes. The opaque pearls will expand and become translucent. At that point, add the shrimp mixture, heat through, and adjust with salt, if necessary. Ladle into individual bowls or a large serving bowl and sprinkle with the scallion and cilantro.  Serve immediately.

Reprinted with permission from Into The Vietnamese Kitchen by Andrea Nguyen, copyright (c) 2006 Ten Speed Press, Berkeley, CA. www.tenspeed.com

Japanese Pork and Shrimp Pot Stickers Recipe

Gyōza

Reprinted with permission from Asian Dumplings: Mastering Gyoza, Spring Rolls, Samosas, and More by Andrea Nguyen, copyright © 2009. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc. Photo credit: Penny De Los Santos © 2009
Makes 32 dumplings, serving 4 as a main course, 6 to 8 as a snack or starter

Filling
2 cups lightly packed, finely chopped napa cabbage, cut from whole leaves (about 7 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon plus 1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic, minced and crushed into a paste
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger, or 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons chopped Chinese chives or scallions (white and green parts)
6 ounces ground pork, fattier kind preferred, coarsely chopped to loosen
1/3 pound medium shrimp, shelled, deveined, and chopped (41/2 ounces net weight)
Scant 1/4 teaspoon sugar
Generous 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
11/2 tablespoons Japanese soy sauce or light (regular) soy sauce
1 tablespoon sake
1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 pound Basic Dumpling Dough (page 22)
Canola oil or sesame oil or a combination of both, for panfrying
5 tablespoons Japanese soy sauce or light (regular) soy sauce
21/2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
1/2 to 1 teaspoon chile oil (page 216) (optional)
Japanese hot mustard (see Note)

1. To make the filling, in a large bowl, toss the cabbage with the 1/2 teaspoon salt. Set aside for about 15 minutes to draw excess moisture from the cabbage. Drain in a fine-mesh strainer (the cabbage may fall through the large holes of a colander), rinse with water, and drain again. To remove more moisture, squeeze the cabbage in your hands over the sink, or put into a cotton (not terry cloth) kitchen towel and wring out the moisture over the sink. You should have about 1/2 cup firmly packed cabbage.

2. Transfer the cabbage to a bowl and add the garlic, ginger, Chinese chives, pork, and shrimp. Stir and lightly mash the ingredients so that they start coming together.
continued

3. In a small bowl, stir together the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, the sugar, pepper, soy sauce, sake, and sesame oil. Pour these seasonings over the meat and cabbage mixture, and then stir and fold the ingredients together. Once you have broken up the large chunks of pork so none are visible, briskly stir to blend the ingredients into a cohesive, thick mixture. To develop the flavors, cover with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes. You should have about 2 cups of filling. (The filling can be prepared 1 day ahead and refrigerated. Bring it to room temperature before assembling the dumplings.)

4. Meanwhile, form 16 wrappers from half of the dough. Aim for wrappers that are about 31/4 inches in diameter (see page 24).

5. Before assembling the dumplings, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. (If you plan to refrigerate the dumplings for several hours, or freeze them, lightly dust the paper with flour to avoid sticking.) For each dumpling, hold a wrapper in a slightly cupped hand. Scoop up about 1 tablespoon of filling with a bamboo dumpling spatula, dinner knife, or fork and position it slightly off-center toward the upper half of the wrapper, pressing and shaping it into a flat mound and keeping about 1/2 to 3/4 inch of wrapper clear on all sides. Fold, pleat, and press to enclose the filling and create a half-moon, pea pod, or pleated crescent shape (see pages 26 to 29 for instructions). Place the finished dumpling on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining wrappers, spacing them a good 1/2 inch apart. Keep the finished dumplings covered with a dry kitchen towel as you make wrappers with the remaining dough and fill with the remaining filling.

6. Once all the dumplings are assembled, they can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for several hours; they can be cooked straight from the refrigerator. For longer storage, freeze them on their tray until hard (about 1 hour), transfer them to a zip-top freezer bag, seal well, and keep them frozen for up to 1 month; partially thaw, using your finger to smooth over any cracks that may have formed during freezing, before cooking.

7. To panfry the dumplings, use a medium or large nonstick skillet; if both sizes are handy, cook two batches at the same time. Heat the skillet over medium-high heat and add 11/2 tablespoons canola oil for a medium skillet and 2 tablespoons for a large one. (If you are combining oils, use 2 parts canola oil and 1 part sesame oil.) Add the dumplings one at a time, placing them sealed edges up in a winding circle pattern or several straight rows. The dumplings may touch. (In general, medium skillets will fit 12 to 14 dumplings, large skillets will fit 16 to 18 dumplings.) Fry the dumplings for 1 to 2 minutes, until they’re golden or light brown at the bottom.

8. Holding the lid close to the skillet to lessen the dramatic effect of water hitting hot oil, use a kettle or measuring cup to add water to a depth of about 1/4 inch; expect to use about 1/3 cup water for each skillet. The water will immediately sputter and boil vigorously.
Cover each skillet with a lid or aluminum foil, lower the heat to medium, and let the water bubble away until it is mostly gone, 8 to 10 minutes. After 6 to 8 minutes, move the lid or foil so that it is slightly ajar to allow steam to shoot out from underneath. This lessens the drama of condensation dripping down onto the hot oil when you remove the lid.

9. While the dumplings cook, combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and chile oil in a small bowl to create a dipping sauce. Taste and make any flavor adjustments.

10. When the bubbling noise in the skillet turns into a gentle frying sound (a sign that most of the water is gone), remove the lid. Allow the dumplings to fry for another 1 to 2 minutes, or until the bottoms are brown and crisp. Turn off the heat and wait until the sizzling stops before transferring the dumplings to a serving plate, using a spatula to lift up a few of them at a time. Display them with their bottoms up so that they remain crisp.

11. Serve immediately with the dipping sauce in a communal bowl for people to help themselves or divided up among individual rice bowls or large dipping bowls. Pass the mustard at the table. Eat these with chopsticks in one hand and a spoon or rice bowl in the other.
Note: Punchy Japanese mustard (karashi) is sold in prepared and powdered forms at Japanese and sometimes Chinese markets. Chinese hot mustard and Colman’s English mustard are fine substitutes. When using powdered mustard, add a few drops of cold water and stir to make a thick, smooth paste.

variation: gyo¯za in smoky chicken soup
Instead of panfrying these dumplings, poach and serve them in smoky chicken broth for satisfying sui gyōza (Japanese dumplings in soup).
In a large pot, combine 4 cups of chicken stock (page 222), 1 tablespoon of sake, and 2 pieces of kombu (dried Japanese kelp), each the size of a playing card. Let the kombu soak for 15 minutes to develop flavor, then bring to
a simmer, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and scatter in 1/ 2 loosely packed cup of katsuo-bushi (Japanese dried bonito flakes, available along with the kombu at Asian markets and specialty grocers). Let sit for 3 to 4 minutes, then strain through a mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth or paper towel; save the kombu for another use, if you wish. Transfer the stock to a pot, cover, and reheat to a low simmer.
Parboil 16 uncooked gyōza dumplings in a large pot of water (see Pork and Napa Cabbage Water Dumplings, step 7, for guidance), until they float to the top, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, cut 11/ 2 to 2 inches of carrot into fine shreds and set aside. Use a slotted spoon or skimmer to scoop up dumplings from the pot, then add them to the hot stock; keep the water boiling. Add the carrot to the stock, and adjust the heat to maintain a simmer and finish cooking the dumplings, about 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, wilt 2 lightly packed cups
of spinach leaves in the boiling water. Drain the spinach, rinse with cold water, and drain again. Divide among 4 individual bowls.
When the dumplings are puffy, glossy, and a bit translucent, scoop them from the stock and divide among the soup bowls. Taste and add salt as needed, then bring the stock to a boil. Ladle the stock and carrot into the bowls. Serve immediately.

Cellophane Noodles with Crab and Black Pepper (Mien Xao Cua)

By Andrea Nguyen, Author, Into the Vietnamese Kitchen: Treasured Foodways, Modern Flavors

Serves 2 as a main course or 4 to 6 with 2 or 3 other dishes.

Cooked meat and tomalley and fat from a 2-pound Dungeness crab (about 1/2 pound crabmeat and 1/4 cup tomalley and fat)
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1 ½ tablespoons fish sauce
½ to ¾ teaspoon black pepper, preferably freshly ground
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons canola or other neutral oil
1 large shallot or small yellow onion, thinly sliced
3 dried wood ear mushrooms, reconstituted, stemmed, and cut into 1/8-inch-wide strips (about ¼ cup)
¼ pound cellophane noodles, soaked in hot water until pliable, drained, and cut into 10-inch lengths

1. In a bowl, combine the tomalley and fat, egg, water, fish sauce, pepper, and chopped cilantro and mix well. Measure the mixture; you want about ¾ cup total. Add water if needed.

2. In a wok or large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the shallot and stir-fry for about 2 minutes, or until soft. Add the crabmeat and mushrooms and stir-fry for about 1 minute, or until aromatic. Add the noodles and continue to stir-fry for about 2 minutes, or until they begin to soften. The noodles will look a bit dry.

3. Give the tomalley mixture a good stir and pour over the noodles. Quickly work the mixture into the noodles to ensure an even distribution of flavors, lowering the heat if the noodles begin to clump. In about 2 minutes, the noodles will become translucent and lightly golden.

4. Remove from the heat and taste and adjust with extra sprinkles of fish sauce and/or pepper. Transfer to a serving plate and serve immediately.

Chef’s Note: If only blue crabs are available, substitute 9 or 10 crabs (3 1/3 pounds total) for the Dungeness. If you prefer not to use the tomalley and fat, or if there isn’t any, use 2 eggs instead of 1 egg and increase the fish sauce in step 1 to 2 tablespoons.

Reprinted with permission from Into The Vietnamese Kitchen by Andrea Nguyen, copyright (c) 2006 Ten Speed Press, Berkeley, CA. www.tenspeed.com

Honey Roasted Duck Legs (Dui Vit Quary Mat Ong)

By Andrea Nguyen, Author, Into the Vietnamese Kitchen: Treasured Foodways, Modern Flavors

Serves 4 to 6 with 2 or 3 other dishes

4 cloves garlic, smashed with the broad side of a cleaver or chef’s knife
Chubby 1-inch piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced and smashed with the broad side of a cleaver or chef’s knife
¾ teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
¼ teaspoons salt
6 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons light (regular) soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark (black) soy sauce
1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
¾ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
2 teaspoons peeled and grated fresh ginger, pressed through a fine-mesh sieve to extract 1 teaspoon juice
6 whole duck legs, trimmed of excess fat and skin and backbone removed, if necessary
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

1. To make the glaze, in a small saucepan, combine the garlic, ginger, five-spice powder, salt, honey, light and dark soy sauces, and wine. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat. When the bubble action ceases, pour the glaze through a fine-mesh sieve place over a medium-sized bowl, pressing on the solids with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Let the glaze cool completely.

2. Select a large, shallow bowl or deep plate that fits in your steamer tray. Add the salt, wine, and a ginger juice and stir to dissolve the salt. Add the duck legs and use your fingers to coat the duck legs well with the marinade. Arrange the duck legs so that there is minimal overlap, to ensure even cooking. Put the bowl in the steamer tray and set aside to marinate for 15 minutes.

3. Fill the steamer pan halfway with water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the steamer tray, cover, and steam the duck for 25 minutes. The skin will pull back from the flesh, and cooking juices will collect in the bowl. Transfer the duck legs to a plate and discard the cooking juices. (The legs may be cooled, wrapped in a plastic wrap, and refrigerated overnight. Bring to room temperature before roasting.)

4. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 425°F. To promote heat circulation and allow fat to drip away from the duck, place a flat roasting tack on a foil-lined baking sheet. Put the duck, skin side up, on the rack, spacing the legs as far apart from one another as possible. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the skin is crisp and lightly golden. Turn on the exhaust fan as the duck roasts, as the dripping fat can cause smoke. If more than 2 tablespoons of fat accumulates in the pan during roasting, remove the duck from the rack, make a spout in one corner of the foil, and pour off the fat. Then quickly return the duck to the rack and continue roasting.

5. When the duck is ready, using tongs, lift each leg from the rack, roll it in the glaze to coat evenly, and hold it above the bowl to allow excess glaze to drip off. Return the duck to the rack, skin side up. Roast the legs for 5 minutes and then again coat them with the glaze. Roast for 3 to 5 minutes longer, or until the glaze richly covers the duck. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes.

6. After glazing the duck legs the second time, return the remaining glaze to the small saucepan and add the hoisin sauce to make a dipping sauce. Warm over medium heat, adding a spoonful or two of water if needed to balance out the flavor. Pour into a small serving bowl.  Using a heavy cleaver, chop the legs through the bone into bite-sized pieces. Or, slice the meat off the bone. Arrange the duck on 2 plates or a platter and serve with the sauce.

Reprinted with permission from Into The Vietnamese Kitchen by Andrea Nguyen, copyright (c) 2006 Ten Speed Press, Berkeley, CA. www.tenspeed.com