Recipe - Chinese Dumplings

The most popular food eaten at Chinese New Year. These irresistible plump dumplings are pan fried then steamed so they’re golden crispy on the underside with a juicy filling.

Ingredients

5 - 6 dried shiitake mushrooms (or any other mushrooms) 1 ½ cups finely chopped Chinese cabbage ½ tsp salt 250 g / 0.5 lb fatty pork mince (20 - 30%) ¼ cup garlic chives , finely chopped 2 tsp light soy sauce (dark soy is also ok) 1 1/2 tsp Chinese wine (or white wine) ½ tsp sesame oil ¼ tsp white pepper 1 garlic clove , minced ½ tsp grated fresh ginger

TO COOK: 30 - 35 round dumpling wrappers 1/2 cup water per batch 4 - 6 tsp vegetable oil

2022 Chinese Pan Fried Dumplings

Method

Shiitake Mushrooms: Place the mushrooms in a bowl and pour over plenty of boiled water. Leave for 20 minutes or until rehydrated. Squeeze out excess water, then finely chop. Cabbage: Place cabbage in a bowl with salt. Toss with fingers, then set aside for 15 minutes. Squeeze out excess liquid from cabbage using hands. Filling: Place cabbage, mushrooms and remaining Filling ingredients in a bowl. Mix with your hands until well combined.

To make the dumplings l Peel one wrapper off and place on the palm of your left hand (if right handed). Dip your finger in water and run it along half the edge of the wrapper. l Place 1 heaped tablespoon of Filling in the centre. Fold wrapper over, then pleat to seal. Alternatively, just press together with no pleats. l Place on tray. Cover with cling wrap or wet tea towel.

Repeat with remaining dumplings. Should make 25 to 30. Cooking l Make sure your pan has a lid that fits well. l Heat 2 tsp oil in a non stick pan over medium high heat.

Add dumplings, pressing down firmly to flatten the base onto the pan. Cook around 8 to 10 per batch. l When the base is golden brown (check them), add 1/2 cup of water into the pan. l Immediately clamp the lid on, then leave for 7 minutes (any less and the pleats won’t be cooked through so if your water dries out, add a bit more). l Remove lid - most of the water should be evaporated, the pleats should be cooked through. Leave the pan on the stove until the base dries and the underside of the dumplings are once again crisp. l Remove dumplings from pan and transfer to serving plate.

Repeat with remaining Dumplings. l Serve with Dipping Sauces of choice.

How much do you know about Chinese New Year? It’s celebrated by more than 20% of the world and is the most important holiday in China and to Chinese people all over the world. Here are a few interesting facts that you maybe didn’t know...

Chinese New Year is also known as the Spring Festival

In China, you’ll hear it being called chunjie or the Spring Festival. It’s still very wintry, but the holiday marks the end of the coldest days. People welcome spring and what it brings along - planting and harvests, new beginnings and fresh starts. It is also called the Lunar New Year, because countries such as North and South Korea and Vietnam celebrate it as well. And because the Spring Festival goes according to the lunar calendar, which means there’s no set date for Chinese New Year Chinese New Year ranges from January 21 to February 20. In 2022, it occurs on February 1st.

It is a day for praying to gods

The Spring Festival was originally a ceremonial day to pray to gods for a good planting and harvest season. As an agrarian society, the harvest was everything. People also prayed to their ancestors, as they were treated as gods.

Food offerings are made to the gods and fighting off monsters

But the myths are much more interesting. According to one legend, there was a monster named Nian. It would come about every New Year’s Eve. Most people would hide in their homes. But one boy was brave enough to fight him off using firecrackers. The next day, people celebrated their survival by setting off even more firecrackers. And that practice became a crucial part of the Spring Festival.

The most fireworks are set off in the world that night

As in the myth about Nian, firecrackers are supposed to scare off monsters and bad luck. So people stay up on Chinese New Year’s Eve and set off firecrackers at midnight. In the morning, firecrackers are used again to welcome the new year and good luck. That same night, families also burn fake paper money and printed gold bars in honor of their deceased loved ones. Similar to the Korean Chuseok holiday or the Mexican Day of the Dead traditions, they believe the offerings will bring fortune and good luck to their ancestors in the afterlife.

It is the longest Chinese holiday

The Spring Festival is technically 15 days. But celebrations start on New Year’s Eve (making it 16 days). You can also say that the holiday season starts in (lunar) December with the Laba Festival. That’s around 40 days of celebrations!

Children receive lucky money in red envelopes

In other cultures, children receive gifts for holidays. Gifts are also exchanged during the Spring Festival. But Chinese children receive something else too – red envelopes, Chinese New Year red pockets with lucky money. Depending on the family, the children can get up 1000 CNY (around £200) per envelope. This money is supposed to help transfer fortune from the elders to the kids. They can also be given between bosses and employees, co-workers, and friends. With the development of technology, digital red pockets are the trend now. People like to send one into group chats and watch the others fight for the money. This is called qiang hongbao, or literally “snatching red pockets.”

You eat dumplings for every meal, every day

Well, technically you’re supposed to. But not many people do that anymore because you can have too much of even the most delicious foods. So most people will eat dumplings during the New Year’s Eve dinner. Others will eat them for the first breakfast. Contrary to popular belief though, dumplings aren’t popular everywhere in China. It’s more of a northern thing. In the South, people would rather eat spring rolls (egg rolls) and balls of glutinous rice in soup called tangyuan.

The Chinese decorate everything red for Chinese New Year

Every family will deck their homes in this color. Do you remember the story about Nian? Firecrackers aren’t the only thing that scared the monster away. Red is also an invaluable weapon, and used in nearly all Chinese New Year decorations.

Red is China’s favorite color

And it’s pretty obvious during Chinese New Year. The Chinese will hang up red lanterns and strings of (real or fake) chili peppers, paste red paper onto doors and windows, and more! New clothes are also believed to bring good luck and start over fresh. People will add new red clothing to their Spring Festival wardrobe too.

Every year has a zodiac animal

Western horoscopes include 12 zodiacs, one for each month. There are 12 Chinese zodiacs as well, but the animal is for the entire year. They are: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig and 2022 is the Year of the Tiger.

Chinese New Year colorful lanterns

Lanterns come in all shapes, sizes and colors. In ancient times, girls weren’t allowed to venture outside by themselves. But on this night, they were able to walk around, moon-gaze and look at the beautiful lanterns. Because of this, it’s also known as Valentine’s Day in China.

Chinese New Year is celebrated all around the world

One out of every 5 people in the world is Chinese. But that stat doesn’t include the millions of overseas Chinese and people of Chinese descent.

If you get the chance, make sure you go and check out any local parades, lion dances, lantern statues, fireworks and amazing food!