Chinese Jiao Zi - mushroom and tofu dumpling recipe

 
A long time ago, Confucius asked “is it not delightful to have friends coming from distant quarters?”

For me, there are few greater delights. Sharing time, meals and adventures with friends from distant lands is always joyful. The great changes that happen in our respective lives pale in comparison to the things about us that never change. I find comfort in that.  

This is a post about one of my dear friends’ favourite foods, jiao zi (Chinese dumplings). Lao Xia is from China, and I received news recently that he is quite ill, and for the foreseeable future will be undergoing serious medical treatment. The news of his condition shocked me. Just a month before we’d spent time together in Bali, and he was fit and well, with his characteristic joie de vivre. It’s at these times the stark reality of geographical distance between friends hits one like a plank of wood to the back of a head. The news left me sad, stunned and feeling helpless.

After much pondering, I decided perhaps there was something I could do, to let Lao Xia know we are thinking of him, and hoping for his recovery. So I gathered some of his London-based friends and cooked one of his favourite meals, jiao zi. We toasted his good health with Tsing Tao, and sent him the best vibes possible for his impending surgery.

I learned to make these dumplings in 2003, when I was posted to Datong, in western China, on an environmental project. It was an isolating experience. I was one of only two expatriates in the city. My Chinese was rudimentary at best. For the first couple of months, my project was unable to convince the Chinese authorities to rent me an apartment, and as the only available alternative, I was placed with a host family. With little to do on the weekends, I embraced my Chinese family life, which meant making, and eating, jiao zi.         

Jiao zi are folded differently across China. The style I use is Shaanxi style, because that’s where I lived, and the way I was taught. But all provinces and many regions have their own individual folding styles. When I show my folding style to Chinese friends they are quick to remark that I must be from Shaanxi. Families also often have their own favourite fillings, combinations of ground meat and vegetables. The recipe below is vegetarian and is mushroom and tofu based.

Jiao zi are comfort food, peasant food, fast food, and can be eaten as part of breakfast, lunch of dinner. I like to make them a large batch, serve them for dinner, and then freeze the rest in meal sized portions. They do well being pulled from the freezer, and dropped directly into the steamer. Following the steaming you can also pay fry them for a golden, crispy edge.

Some of the ingredients may not be found in your local supermarket. If this is the case, find your closest Chinese supermarket – I have no doubt you’ll find everything you need, and some other things that are completely foreign, but look delicious enough to bring home anyway.

Here’s the recipe (makes 60 dumplings):

Recipe

60 dumpling wrappers at room temperature (shui jiao pi, ask your Chinese grocer)
 

For filling
400 grams firm tofu (cut into 0.5cm cubes)
1 cup dried shiitake mushrooms
1/2 cup dried black fungus
1 cup mung bean sprouts
5 spring onions , chopped finely
2 tea spoons ginger, minced
5 garlic cloves , minced
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
Dash of sesame oil
 

To serve
Chinese brown vinegar
Chinese chopped chilli and peanuts 

Step One:  In a saucepan of boiling water, revive the mushrooms. With the remaining water, blanch the mung beans.

Step Two: In a large bowl mix all the filling ingredients.  Mix well with a large spoon.

Step Three, the fun bit: Place a small quantity (about a tea spoon) of this mixture in each dumpling wrapper. Pinch the sides together. You will probably find the wrappers quite floury, so a glass of water to dip your fingers in helps, the wrappers stay together. Stack on a plate.

Step Four: Boil a saucepan of water and add dumplings (6 or 7 at a time), into the boiling water. When they float, they are cooked. Scoop out the cooked dumplings and add another batch. You can eat them boiled, or move on to step five below.

Step Five: In a frying pan or wok, heat some sesame oil. Once the oil is hot pan fry the dumplings on each side. When you see them turn a lovely golden brown and this indicates they are ready.

Serve with small bowls of the chilli and vinegar. Enjoy!

All photos of this meal were taken by Asheline Appleton, friend of Lao Xia’s an fabulous photographer. You can see more of her work here.

To the Lighthouse – for BBQ snapper

I recently returned home to Australia for the wedding of two very lovely friends. The ceremony was under a huge tree in a botanical garden, and the reception overlooking Port Phillip Bay in St Kilda.  

After a fabulous dinner at The Aylesbury, with ricotta nudie that was so good it brought a tear to my eye, I headed to the coast, to catch up with more family and friends. 

When I was home earlier in the year, some friends and I baked a snapped on the BBQ, and it was incredibly succulent. As soon as I mentioned to my brother that I was planning on barbequing a snapper for friends at their holiday house in Airey’s Inlet, he offered up a fish he’d caught over the weekend. A sizable six pound fish! He also volunteered to come to dinner to help eat it – as there was far too much for the three of us. 

The fish was delicious although the BBQ was perhaps a little hot and singed the outside a little more than I would have liked. Next time, I’d cook if for longer on a lower heat.

Airey’s Inlet is also gorgeous. A tiny town on the Great Ocean Road, with giant sandstone cliffs, secluded beaches, and a proud little lighthouse.   

Here’s the recipe:

Whole fresh snapper (gutted and clean)

Ginger

Chilli

Dukkah

Lemons

Foil (enough to wrap the fish)

Step 1: Get your brother, or your fishmonger, to clean and gut the fish (to my mind, that’s certainly not the most romantic part of fishing). Light the BBQ.   

Step 2: Chop the ginger and chilli finely, and coat both sides of the fish in it. Sprinkle dukkah over both sides.

 

Step 3: Slice the lemons and make a line on top of the fish.

Step 4: Wrap the fish in foil and pop it on the BBQ. You will need to cook the fish on both sides. The time on each side depends on the size of the fish and the heat of the BBQ. The best way to ascertain when each side is cooked is be opening foil packed and using a fork to break open the skin of the fish to expose the flesh. You will know it is cooked when it is soft and white. 

Enjoy! Got a favorite way to cook snapper? Please share it, I'd love to try it!