Steamed Sticky Rice Dumplings With Shrimp And Pork Recipes

SHANGHAI STYLE PORK ZONGZI (STICKY RICE DUMPLINGS)

Steps:

• The night before: Soak the zongzi leaves by weighing them down in a bowl of water with a heavy object. They should be completely submerged. In a large container, soak the glutinous rice in water, making sure the water level is 3-4 inches above the rice, as it will expand considerably as it soaks. Cut the pork belly into 1-inch x 2-inch chunks. Combine the pork with all the marinade ingredients except the water (the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, salt, sugar, Shaoxing wine, white pepper, and five-spice powder), and mix everything well. It may seem like a lot of salt, but the rice will absorb the saltiness during the cooking process. If there is no visible liquid after mixing, add water, 2 tablespoons at a time. Pork can soak up a lot of liquid and the liquid will help to keep it moist. The pork marinade should be wet, but without too much liquid pooling at the bottom.
• The next day: Completely drain the rice using a fine-meshed colander or sieve. Mix in the rice marinade ingredients (the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, and salt), and mix everything well. Set aside, and marinate for about 30 minutes. In the meantime, wash each leaf front and back with a soft cloth, and rinse. Transfer them to a bowl of fresh water until you're ready to wrap the zongzi so they don't dry out. Lay out all the components: the pork, the rice, zongzi leaves, and kitchen twine. Now you're ready to start wrapping zongzi! Follow the step-by-step photos on how to wrap them. There will be visible sauce at the bottom of the rice when you get to the end, simply drain it out once you start to see this, as you don't want any excess liquid in the zongzi.
• To cook the zongzi, neatly and tightly nest all the zongzi in a large soup pot. Ideally, there will be no visible gaps. If necessary, put a large heatproof plate directly on top of the zongzi to weigh them down. Fill the pot with cold water until they are completely submerged. Place the pot on the stove over high heat. Once the water boils, turn the heat to medium-low, and let it simmer for at least 4-5 hours. The water should be "moving" at a light simmer; definitely not boiling. Check the pot fairly often to make sure the zongzi are always submerged in water. Add only boiling water so the water temperature never gets too low.

STEAMED SHRIMP DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Lightly beat the egg white in a large bowl. Add the shrimp, jicama, scallions, cornstarch, rice wine, sesame oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, the sugar and pepper. Stir well until the mixture starts to thicken, about 1 minute; cover and refrigerate until very cold, about 1 hour.
• Set 1 dumpling wrapper on a clean surface (keep the rest covered with a damp paper towel so they don't dry out). Stir the shrimp mixture, then scoop 1 heaping teaspoonful onto the center of the wrapper. Dab a finger in a cup of cold water and moisten the edges of the wrapper. Fold in half and press the edges together to seal; transfer to a baking sheet. Cover with a damp paper towel while you form the remaining dumplings.
• Fill a large nonstick skillet with 1/4 inch of water and bring to a boil. Working in batches, add the dumplings and arrange in a single layer, cover and let steam until cooked through, about 5 minutes. (If the water evaporates before the dumplings are fully cooked, add 2 more tablespoons to the skillet.) Carefully transfer the dumplings to a serving plate.
• Ponzu Dipping Sauce
• Combine 3 tablespoons ponzu sauce, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil and 1 chopped scallion in a small bowl.
• Photography by Levi Brown

PORK AND SHRIMP SIU MAI (STEAMED CHINESE DUMPLINGS) RECIPE

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, cover shrimp with cold water and stir in baking soda. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Drain and rinse shrimp under cold running water, then pat dry with paper towels.
• To steam, line your steamer basket or tray with parchment paper (Napa cabbage laves can also work). Pour enough water into your steaming pot or wok so that the water is about 1 inch below the bottom of the steamer basket or tray. Bring to a boil.

PORK AND CHIVE DUMPLINGS WITH DRIED SHRIMP

Steps:

• Make dough
• In large bowl, combine flour, salt, and 1 cup boiling water. Using wooden spoon, mix until dough forms shaggy ball, then transfer to lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and shiny, 6 to 8 minutes. (Alternatively, mix and knead using electric mixer fitted with dough hook; kneading time will be shorter.) Wrap lightly in plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature 20 minutes.
• While dough rests, make filling
• In large bowl, combine all ingredients. Using hands, gently knead mixture in bowl until just combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Roll out wrappers
• Line large baking sheet with paper towels and dust lightly with flour. Divide dough into 3 even pieces. On lightly floured surface, using palms of hands, roll each piece into 3/4-inch-diameter log. Using floured knife, cut each log into 1-inch-long sections.
• Pinch 1 dough section out into circle, then roll out on floured surface using floured rolling pin to 4-inch-diameter round. Transfer round to baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough sections, stacking rounds in layers on floured paper towels.
• Fill and pleat dumplings
• Line second large baking sheet with paper towels and dust lightly with flour. Hold 1 wrapper in palm of hand. Using fingertip dippsed in water, gently wet around edge of wrapper. Place 1 heaping tablespoon filling in center of wrapper, then fold wrapper in half without sealing edges, cupping half-moon (open side-up) between thumb and fingers and gently tamping down filling with other hand to keep edge of wrapper free of filling.
• Using thumb and forefinger of left hand, begin pinching edges of wrapper together while pushing 1 edge into tiny pleats with thumb of right hand. Continue pleating and pinching across entire semicircle until wrapper is sealed (unpleated side will automatically curve). Set dumpling, sealed edge up, on baking sheet and repeat with remaining wrappers and filling.
• To steam dumplings
• In large saucepan with tight-fitting lid, bring 1 1/2 inches water to boil. Lightly oil metal steamer (if using bamboo, line with cabbage leaves to prevent sticking) and set in pan. Arrange dumplings, sealed edges up, on steamer, cover, and steam until filling is firm and wrappers are slightly translucent.
• To pan-fry dumplings
• In large lidded nonstick sauté pan over moderately high heat, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil until hot but not smoking. Add 13 to 14 dumplings, pleated sides up and sides not touching, and immediately pour in enough cold water to come halfway up sides of dumplings (use care; oil may splatter). Cover and cook until liquid is evaporated and bottoms of dumplings are crisp and golden, about 10 minutes. (Use spatula to loosen and lift edges to check bottoms; replace lid and continue cooking if necessary, checking after 1 to 2 minutes.) Transfer dumplings, crisp sides up, to platter and keep warm. Repeat with remaining 2 batches of dumplings.
• While dumplings are cooking, make dipping sauce
• In medium bowl, stir together all ingredients.
• Serve dumplings warm with dipping sauce.

CHINESE STICKY RICE DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Soak the dried mushrooms for 45 minutes. Then drain them and cut into a small dice. Set aside.
• Meanwhile -- chop the pork and the prawns finely. Do not mince them.
• Mix the pork and prawns with the 3 teaspoons of cornflour, wine and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok and then stir-fry the pork and prawn mixture for about 2 or three minutes.
• Add the remaining filling ingredients, including the mushrooms. Stir until the mixture boils and thickens. Remove and cool (overnight works best. Store in the refrigerator until ready to be used.
• FOR THE DUMPLINGS: Dissolve the 1/2 cup sugar and water in a saucepan. Add the glutinous rice flour. You will need to stir vigorously to blend. It is important that this is done energetically and quickly.
• Transfer the dough to a floured board (use rice flour) and knead lightly to a smooth silky dough. Use a very generous amount of rice flour. The dough is very soft and sticky- you cant have too much flour. Any excess flour can be dusted off when the dumpling is completed.
• Shape the dough into a long roll (sausage) and cut it into 24 pieces. Cover the dough with a damp tea-towel.
• Flatten each piece of dough with your hand or use a rolling pin. Form a flat circle about 6 centimetres (roughly 2 inches) in diameter.
• Into each round -place a heaped spoonful of the cooled filling mixture into the centre. Fold the dough over in half (now shaped of a semi-circle) and pinch the edges to seal. Repeat until all 24 dumplings are made.
• TO COOK: Roll each dumpling in sesame seeds and deep fry them in a moderate heat until they turn a golden brown. This should only take a few minutes. The dumplings will float to the top when they are cooked.
• Note- cooking time does not include overnight cooling.

STEAMED PORK AND SHRIMP DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Place the first 10 ingredients in a food processor; cover and process until finely chopped., Place 2 teaspoons pork mixture in the center of a wonton wrapper. (Keep remaining wrappers covered with a damp paper towel until ready to use.) Moisten edges with water. Bring corners of wonton wrapper over filling and twist to form a bundle; pinch edges to seal. Repeat., Line a steamer basket with three lettuce leaves. Arrange a fourth of the dumplings 1 in. apart over lettuce; place in a large saucepan over 1 in. of water. Bring to a boil; cover and steam for 10-12 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160°. Discard lettuce. Repeat., Combine the sauce ingredients; serve with hot dumplings.