Jiaozi 餃子

Jiaozi 餃子 is a Northern Chinese dumpling which is cooked in boiling water similar to ravioli.  This dumpling is normally eaten on Chinese New Year first day because the jiaozi looks like gold / silver ingots in old China.

However, I just love eating jiaozi and I will share my way of making jiaozi with you today.

Filling

500 grams of minced pork [or any other meat which you prefer]
220 grams of shredded Napa cabbage, known as Chinese leaves in the UK
40 grams of chopped spring onions - I use organic spring onions
10 grams of finely diced ginger - you can increase it to up to 13 grams if you like ginger
1 tsp of salt - I use Himalayan salt
2 tbsp of Shaoxing wine 紹興酒
2 tbsp of sesame oil
2 tbsp light soya sauce - I use Amoy light reduced salt soya sauce
2 tbsp oil - I use shallot flavoured oil - I fried sliced shallots in oil and keep the left over oil for this purpose

You can add finely ground white pepper if you want but I do not because I have acid reflux.  I also do not add garlic because of my acid reflux.  

Mix all the above ingredients together and you get something like this.  First add the teaspoon of salt on the shredded Napa cabbage.  Use your hand to ensure the salt is evenly scattered amongst the Napa cabbage.  Then allow this to stand for awhile, allowing the cabbage to sweat and then add the rest of the ingredients.  Then use your hand to mix the ingredients together to give a mixture like what is shown in the picture below. 

Wrap the bowl with cling film and store in the fridge for at least half an hour.

Making the dough

200 grams flour
100 ml of water - not cold water from the tap - I use tepid water

No salt, no eggs, no oil - just flour and water

Make this into a dough, and then wrap the dough with cling film and allow the dough to stand for an hour or so.

Divide the dough into 20 pieces - 200 grams of flour - 20 pieces.

Flatten the dough into discs and roll them out to be thinner in the outside and thicker in the middle of the disc.

Wrap the dumplings as you like.  It has taken me years to master this art, but really wrap them into half moon shape and when you are more confident try other shapes.

Cook the jiaozi in boiling water until cooked, but make sure the wrapper is al dente.  To do this, place all the 20 jiaozi into the boiling water and when the water comes to the boil, add about 50 ml of cold water and do this three times.  After the third addition of cold water, allow the water to come to the boil again.  Switch off the heat, and scoop the cooked jiaozi out of the hot water, and place them on large plates.  Serve immediately and you can eat this jiaozi with anything including chilli oil, or freshly sliced chillies or eat them plain like the way I like it.  Chinese people eat jiaozi with Chinese black vinegar and julienne of ginger.