Tag Archives: Chinese

  • Jiaozi (Dumplings)

    Adapted from a Gourmet Traveller recipe, these dumplings are perfect as a quick after work supper or as the first course for a dinner party. Moreover, if you’re feeling stressed out, making the dumplings is distinctly relaxing in its repetitiveness.

    Better yet, any leftovers are wonderful pan-fried the next day for breakfast.

    JIAOZI INGREDIENTS
    1 pack dumplings wrappers
    300 grams minced pork
    1/2 cup finely chopped spring onions
    1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
    1 teaspoon minced ginger
    White pepper to taste

    DIPPING SAUCE INGREDIENTS
    Light soy sauce
    Chiangking vinegar
    Chilli oil or fresh birdseye chilli, chopped
    Minced garlic
    Minced ginger

    Mix all dumpling ingredients together (bar the wrappers, natch).

    Use a teaspoon to place a small amount of meat filling inside a wrapper.

    Use water to help stick the edges together and seal tightly between your fingers, ensuring no air bubbles remain (this helps avoid the disintegrating jiaozi scenario).

    Put a large  pot of water on to boil. Meanwhile, add equal parts soy sauce and vinegar into a small dipping bowl. Add 1/2 teaspoon each of ginger and garlic, then chilli oil or pieces to taste. Set aside.

    Once water is boiling add dumplings in batches to cook being careful not to overcrowd the pot. Once water returns to the boil cook for around 8 minutes on medium heat or until all of the dumplings bob on the surface.

    Drain, and serve with dipping sauce.

  • Chicken and Sweetcorn Soup

    I cooked this a couple of years ago for my cousin May when she visited us in Melbourne. She took one mouthful and said, “this is your mum’s soup”, even though she hadn’t tasted it in 20 years. What a wonderful compliment!

    My version of mum’s soup is not an exact replica but that hardly matters; I only hope that there will come a time when my children cook for their extended family and they experience the same nostalgic thrill of recognition that May did.

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  • Chinese Sausage Omelette

    The food we cook is often a way of connecting with those we love.

    In this case, the following recipe always reminds me of my Dad because he would make us this for us s a special weekend treat. So eating this always brings a smile to my face.

    This is a Chinese style omelette – it’s not folded neatly in half and stuffed with filling as the French ones. This one is meant to be gloriously haphazard and messy.

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