Glass Dumplings

Glass Dumplings

　　Traditional snack. Dumplings are popular across China, but Chengdu's dumplings are known for their thin wrappers, generous fillings, attractive shapes, combination of meat and vegetables, and rich nutrition. Glass Dumplings get their name because their ultra-thin wrappers, once cooked, become semi-transparent from the oil, allowing the filling to be seen through the dough.

Method: High-quality flour is mixed with water to form a firm dough, which is divided into 10-gram pieces. Each piece is flattened and rolled into a wrapper. Multiple wrappers are stacked and placed at the edge of the work surface, then the edges are tapped and pressed with a rolling pin to create a lotus-leaf-like ruffle. Baby bok choy is briefly blanched in boiling water, excess water is squeezed out, and it is chopped into small pieces. Pork lean meat is minced, while fat is boiled, then also minced. These three ingredients are combined with pepper, salt, MSG, cooking wine, and sesame oil to make the filling. Take a wrapper in your hand, place the filling in the center, then slowly gather the ruffled edge of the wrapper upward and pinch it into the shape of a cabbage, with the filling resting at the base. Place the dumpling in a steamer basket and steam over high heat for about three minutes. Open the steamer, sprinkle with a little water, then continue steaming until fully cooked. (Chengdu)