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Try This at Home: How to Make Dumplings

From: Food Network Magazine

The host of Cooking Channel's Easy Chinese, Ching-He Huang, shows Food Network Magazine how to make dumplings for Chinese New Year.

Food Stylist: Katie Christ
Hair/makeup: Lisa Patnoe

Photo: Eric Wolfinger

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"In Chinese culture, dumplings are a sign of love because they take some time and skill to make," says Ching-He Huang. "But it's easy once you know how!"

get the recipe

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Dried goji berries, popular in China, are a traditional topper for shumai, Ching says.

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Peel the ginger by scraping it with a spoon, then grate 1 tablespoon. Stem and finely chop the mushrooms.

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Combine the ginger, mushrooms, scallion, pork, soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil and cornstarch in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well with your hands until all of the ingredients are incorporated.

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Place a damp paper towel over the wonton wrappers to keep them from drying out. Remove 1 wrapper and brush with some of the beaten egg.

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Make a circle with your thumb and index finger; lay the wrapper on top, nudging it down to create a cup. Add 2 teaspoons filling, then pat the filling down with the back of a spoon.

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Fold the overhanging wrapper edges down, leaving the filling exposed. Press the wrapper firmly around the filling. Pat the top and bottom of the dumpling to make it flat.

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Top the dumpling with a dried goji berry or 1 each frozen pea and carrot. Repeat to form the remaining dumplings.

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Ching rolls up the parchment circle and makes holes with a hole puncher.

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Cut out a round of parchment paper to fit in a bamboo steamer and punch holes in the paper to let steam through. Line the steamer with the parchment and brush with vegetable oil; arrange the dumplings in the steamer and cover.

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Put the steamer in a wok or skillet with a few inches of boiling water, making sure the water does not touch the bottom of the steamer. Steam the dumplings 8 to 10 minutes, or until the pork is cooked through.