Making Dumplings

Somehow when I go home I suddenly become a little more Asian. Besides the fact that my mom's always yelling at me to speak Chinese, we have a karaoke machine with over 1,000 songs and use on a regular basis, and we have mis-matched furniture with pieces that are over 30 years old, I think it's largely due to all the awesome food I get to eat when I'm home. This time my mom and I made dumplings from scratch, chive and ground turkey and Chinese cabbage and ground turkey - diverging a little from the more traditional pork but still incredibly delicious and really so simple.

Chive and Ground Turkey Dumplings:
Chives - chopped really really small
2 green onions - chopped small
Ground turkey - use very little
Soy Sauce
Sesame Oil

Cabbage and Ground Turkey Dumplins
Chinese cabbage - chopped really small
5 green onions - chopped small
Ground Turkey - you can increase the ratio for this one
Soy Sauce
Sesame Oil

Dumpling Wrappers

Start by creating your fillings. Once your fillings are complete - begin wrapping. Quick note on making dumplings with cabbage you must salt the cabbage after chopping to draw all the water out and then you have to squeeze all the excess water out into a bowl or you'll end up with very soggy dumplings. Okay, to begin wrapping simply take a wrapper, use your finger to put water around the edges, add a small amount of filing in the middle, fold in half and then begin curling up the sides. Once you've wrapped all your dumplings thoroughly freeze them before storing them.

When you're ready to eat them, you can either boil, steam or pan fry them. I like boiling the best. All you have to do is bring water to boil, place the dumplings in the water, bring back up to a boil, add cold water and bring back to a boil - you do this three times and after the third time you know you have perfect dumplings!!

So simple right?!!