Chinese Recipe Boiled Dumplings

Preparing these little dumplings Chinese New Years Day treat-can be a big job. Invite friends or family to help you make them. Chances are, they'll stick around to help you eat them, too.

Preparation Time: 45 to 55 minutes
Cooking Time: 35 to 55 minutes
Output: Makes about 50 dumplings

Dumplings Ingredients:

3 c. finely chopped Chinese cabbage
1 tsp. salt
1 lb. lean ground pork*
1 c. chopped leeks
1 tbsp. minced ginger
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 package dumpling wrappers
water

Dipping Sauce Ingredients:

1/4 c. soy sauce
2 tbsp. Chinese black vinegar

Preparation:

1. In a medium mixing bowl, toss cabbage with salt and set aside. After 20 minutes, squeeze as much liquid as you can from cabbage and place in a large mixing bowl.

2. Add pork, leeks, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and cornstarch. Mix well.

3. Place 1 tsp. of filling in the center of a dumpling wrapper. Dampen your fingers with water and wet the inside edge of the wrapper. Fold over to make a half-circle and press the edges together to seal. Repeat.

4. For dipping sauce, mix soy sauce and black vinegar and set aside.

5. Bring a large half-full pot of water to a boil. Add about 10 dumplings, or as many as will fit without crowding each other. When the water returns to a boil, add 1/2 c. cold water. Return to a boil, add 1/2 c. cold water, and return to a boil a third time. Carefully remove dumplings and drain.

6. Serve warm with dipping sauce.

Note: *To make delicious vegetarian dumplings, replace the pork with an extra 2 c. of cabbage and 2 or 3 c. of mushrooms, cut into strips.

This recipe was published in 'Holiday Cooking Around The World - p30'.