Vegetable Dumplings

Vegetable Dumplings

　　Vegetable Dumplings

　　Ingredients: cornmeal, soybean flour, millet flour, pork belly, potherb mustard, chopped scallions, minced ginger, sesame oil, MSG, soy sauce, and other vegetables besides potherb mustard.

　　Besides potherb mustard, dried string beans, dried Chinese cabbage, and fennel are all good choices, as they are rich in dietary fiber and help cleanse intestinal waste. If using pickled potherb mustard, soak it first to remove excess salt. For dried vegetables, simply soak them until softened. In hot summer weather, the soaking time will be shorter, and the same applies when indoor heating is used in winter.

　　Generally, one jin (500g) of flour is enough to make three vegetable dumplings. These dumplings are especially delicious when served with pickled vegetables, preserved vegetables, or congee.

　　Method:

　　1. Place the cornmeal, soybean flour, and millet flour in a container, add an appropriate amount of baking soda, and pour in warm water at around 30°C while stirring.

　　2. Once the dough is mixed evenly, set it aside and cover it with a damp cloth to prevent it from drying out. This process is called resting the dough and takes about 30 minutes.

　　3. While the dough is resting, mix the scallions, ginger, sesame oil, MSG, and soy sauce with the pork evenly and let it marinate for 10–15 minutes. Then, chop the pre-washed and soaked potherb mustard and squeeze it into small bits by hand, extracting the water but not too much, otherwise the texture will suffer. Mix this with the meat filling.

　　4. After the dough has rested, take a handful, roll it into a ball, then clap it with both hands to flatten it into a dough skin in your palms. Add the filling, then rotate the skin while gathering the edges upward. Use your thumbs to press the filling inward so that the skin wraps it evenly, ensuring consistent thickness. If not enough water was added during kneading, it may be harder to seal the dumpling.

　　5. Shape into balls, place them in the steamer, adjust the cloth in the middle to help distribute heat, and steam for 30 minutes.