Apparently it was National Margarita Day yesterday, and some part of me must have known because I was really craving one on Friday. Too bad the home of the 99 cent margaritas has closed down.
But I decided to spend all weekend celebrating Chinese New Year. Dumpling potluck party x2. And because I was feeling ambitious, I made three fillings and hand rolled half my skins. My hands were otherwise preoccupied with raw meats and perpetually covered with flour, which is why I only got away with three pictures.
Filling number one: gotta go with the classic. Pork and chive. I had to call the rents to double check what and how much goes into the filling because it just didn't feel like something I could find an online recipe for. Not dumplings. Everyone kind of has their own way of making it, and I wanted it the way I eat it at home. The smell of a big bowl of chives and sesame oil is fantastic.
Skins take so freaking long to make (for an amateur). I remember the first time I tried rolling some out last year or so - they tore. I rolled out three before it just felt like a waste. At least there was no tearing this time around, but it was quite a trying wrist workout and a super slow process. done in stages. This is not something that will happen often.
The result was mini dumplings. So cute I just wanted to eat it... and I did.
Filling number two: seafood. Shrimp and napa cabbage with a bit of shiitake. I love the way shrimp filling looks through the cooked and translucent wrapper. Bright pink with flecks of green. I love the bite of a shrimp dumpling. I had no idea that shrimps became so sticky when minced.
Filling number three: vegetarian but not vegan. Egg, shiitake, cabbage, carrot, onion. Mainly for Audrey and Margaret, but I appreciate a good veggie dumpling. It's easy to get carried away with these - kind of like when I want to make an omelet or a sandwich. (Put in all the things!) And then you gotta kind of think about what's going to hold together nicely. In the end, it was all about versatile, inexpensive ingredients, and I really liked the colorful confetti look.
Amy just taught me a tip for super flavorful fillings, and now I can't wait to make them again. So where can I find a mortar and pestle?
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