[ezcol_1half]
MY DUMPLING COMES WITH AN EXTRA DISK OF SALTY, CRACKLING, DRAMATIC BUT ALSO DELICATE PERSONALITY. IT MIGHT NOT BE FOR EVERYONE WHO LIKE SMOOTH RIDES, BUT IT’S MY DUMPLING AND I LIKE IT EXACTLY THE WAY IT IS.
[/ezcol_1half] [ezcol_1half_end]
I’ve always liked western funerals.
Or to be more specific, I’ve always liked the mealthat takes place afterwards. The kind of…you’re-dead-let’s-eat attitude, the strivingpositivity inwhat I would like to call, “party-grieving”. Call this meal a “repast” or whatever, but as far as I’m concerned, when a large group of friends gathers and gets drunk plussmothered in casseroles, even if it was after an eternal farewell and no lady’s mascara was fully intact, hey,it’s a party. So yeah. I think it’s nice. I think it’s dignifying. When I have my funeral, I’m going to make everyone listen to Gaga’s “(now you really) can’t read my, can’t read my poker face”, and like it or not, eat sardine casseroles. So a few weeks ago, when the reality of what was going to happenstarted to settle in, I pressedthe softpaws of my fur-son Dumpling against my wet face and said… hey, don’t you worry, mommy’s gonna throw you the best party ever.
Except that…ironically, Dumplinghated parties. If hehad known about this mass “trespassing” taking place under his roof, he would’ve taken out his shotguns and barked everyone off of his lawn. Don’t take it personally. That was just Dumpling, mysociopathic dogwhowas really more of a humanthat hated dogs, and would love nothing more than to remove a harmless chunk of meat from your annoyingankles, no hard feelings. Chances are, if you knew him, you wouldn’t have liked him much. In fact, more than being anti-social, he was also a self-absorbed, snobbish, toy-despising and politically incorrect racist… Basically, an asshole.
[/ezcol_1half_end]
[ezcol_1quarter]
[/ezcol_1quarter] [ezcol_1quarter]
[/ezcol_1quarter] [ezcol_1quarter]
[/ezcol_1quarter] [ezcol_1quarter_end]
[/ezcol_1quarter_end]
[ezcol_1quarter]
[/ezcol_1quarter] [ezcol_1quarter]
[/ezcol_1quarter] [ezcol_1quarter]
[/ezcol_1quarter] [ezcol_1quarter_end]
[/ezcol_1quarter_end]
[ezcol_1third]
[/ezcol_1third] [ezcol_1third]
[/ezcol_1third] [ezcol_1third_end]
[/ezcol_1third_end]
[ezcol_1half]
And I loved him. I still love him. I love that as much of an asshole as he was, he would quietly tap his paw on my arm to say “hey, I’m sitting right here”. I love that as much of an asshole as he was, the dependencein his eyes when he searched for me from another room in the house. Whatever he was, he was mine. And I hope he knew that Iwould always be his human.
So against his wishes, I’m still gonna throw him a party, the perfect kind, the kind where everybody could, in a distance as he liked, celebrate andrememberhis 15 years of endearing unlikability. And I shall, today especially, make him his all-time favourite thing to eat. The thing that he had more than once stolen from the dinner table with impeccable premeditation and timing thenswallowed in whole, something that was almost 1/5 of his own body-size if I may add, and instantly changed his physique from a slender breakfast sausage to a liver bratwurst. His favourite food ever →actual actual dumplings. Yeah, what did I say, self-absorbed. He really did love himself dearly in more ways than one.
[/ezcol_1half] [ezcol_1half_end]
But this is a special party, for special dumpling. The kind of dumpling that is worth remembering. Most of you know about potsticker, basically dumpling with crispy bottom cooked inside a skillet. The crust is what makes potsticker special, but my dumpling is no ordinary potsticker. My dumpling comes with an extra disk of salty, crackling, dramatic but alsodelicate personality. You have to approach the apparent ravioli-like cuteness carefully, so you can keep the crispiness intact and notlose the juice from the pinkish filling of fatty ground pork and shredded daikon. Once you learn how to handle it, it’ll give you pure happiness as it shatters in your mouth, coordinating playfullywith its multifaceted textures along withthe garlicky and tangy, soy sauce and srirracha dipping sauce. It does take a bit of extra patience, just a little bit more work. It might not be for everyone who like smooth rides and calmness.
But it’s my dumpling, and I like it exactly the way it is.
[/ezcol_1half_end]
[ezcol_1third]
[/ezcol_1third] [ezcol_1third]
[/ezcol_1third] [ezcol_1third_end]
[/ezcol_1third_end]
[ezcol_1half]
[/ezcol_1half] [ezcol_1half_end]
[/ezcol_1half_end]
[ezcol_1half]
[/ezcol_1half] [ezcol_1half_end]
CRUSTY RADISH AND PORK DUMPLINGS
Yield: Approx 55 dumplings
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups (290 grams) coarsely shredded daikon, or yellow zucchini
- 17.6 oz (500 grams) fatty ground pork (about 20% fat)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp ground white pepper
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp light brown sugar
- 3 tbsp best chicken stock you've got
- 50~60 dumpling wrappers
- 1/2 cup all-purose flour
- 1 tsp ground white pepper
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp Sriracha sauce
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 smashed garlic
RADISH AND PORK DUMPLINGS:
DUMPLING CRUST:
DIPPING SAUCE:
Instructions
- TO MAKE THE RADISH AND PORK DUMPLINGS: Trim off both ends of the daikon and peel the fibrous skins off until you see tender flesh (no need to do this if using yellow zucchini), then grate through the coarsest holes in your grater. You'll need about 2 1/2 cups. Squeeze the grated daikon or zucchini with your hands to get rid of any excess liquid, then add to a large bowl along with ground pork, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, ground white pepper, grated ginger, salt and light brown sugar. Mix and "knead" with your hands for a couple min, until the mixture is sticky and paste-like. Now add the best chicken stock you've got, 1 tbsp at a time, and work the stock into the mixture thoroughly for 1 min before adding the next.
- Smear a generous amount of filling in the centre of a dumpling wrapper. Dab a bit of water along the edges, then close and seal it into a half-moon shape. Then bend the half-moon from the bottom to bring both tips together, and pinch tightly together with a bit of water. Set aside on a floured tray and repeat with the rest. If not cooking immediately, you can now freeze the dumplings on the tray, and move the into a bag once hardened.
- MAKE THE DIPPING SAUCE: Mix soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, sriracha sauce, sesame oil and smashed garlic together. Best to let sit for an hour or so.
- TO COOK THE DUMPLINGS: Whisk together all-purpose flour, white pepper, cayenne pepper and salt together, then set aside. In a small or large non-stick skillet, add enough canola oil to thinly coat the bottom, and set over medium heat (don't use high heat). Sprinkle an even and thin layer of the flour-mixture over the skillet (it would be like generously dusting a working surface), then arrange the dumplings in the skillet with about 1"(3 cm) of space in between each. Add enough water until it reaches about 0.5 cm (a little less than 1/4") deep, then put the lid on. Once the water boils, you'll hear it bubble, then the bubbling sound will subside, signalling that the water has evaporated. Then give it another min. Now, this is the time when you can open the lid and check the crust. If it isn't golden browned and crispy yet, put the lid back on and give it some more time.
- Once the crust is ready, invert the dumplings with the crust onto a plate. Serve immediately with the dipping sauce.
Notes
I like making potsticker dumplings in ravioli shape because they sit better in the skillet. You can do whatever shape you like. You can also substitute with any other type of fillings you like.
https://ladyandpups.com/2015/10/08/crusty-radish-dumplings-for-my-dumpling/
[/ezcol_1half_end]
[ezcol_1half]
[/ezcol_1half] [ezcol_1half_end]
[/ezcol_1half_end]
