Chinese New Year Meal #6 - Sichuan Dumplings in Chili Oil and Chinese Broccoli in Oyster Sauce

For our sixth Chinese New Year meal, I decided that we had to make dumplings.  I was going to make potstickers (fried dumplings), but I decided that Sichuan dumplings sounded like more fun.  Plus I didn't want to go to the trouble of making the dumpling wrappers for my potstickers and I didn't think that the dumpling wrappers you buy at the grocery store would withstand being fried very well.  But I promise to make the potstickers at some point.  Maybe not in the month of February as part of my series of Chinese New Year meals, but definitely by the end of the year at the very least. 

My one problem with the dumplings was the that filling was a little dry.  After the ridiculously delicious dumplings we had in Flushing these just couldn't compare.  I wish that instead of adding kosher salt to the dumplings we had added soy sauce to give the filling some moisture.  I might also add some more herbs and things to the filling to freshen it up a bit.  We made some Pork and Chive Dumplings awhile ago and they were much juicier and a little more flavorful.  So these are the changes I think I would make to this recipe if I were to make it again: use fattier ground pork, add some finely grated gingerand a tbsp soy sauce (instead of the salt) to the filling.  To go with the dumplings I wanted to use up the rest of the gai lan (Chinese broccoli) that we bought in Chinatown.  Luckily, we had a recipe from The Asian Grandmother's Cookbook: Homecooking from Asian American Kitchens.  I was a little nervous about the recipe because it seemed to have serious potential for being totally bland - blanched gai lan topped with oyster sauce, sesame oil, and fried shallots.  But the gai lan was actually quite tasty and not bland at all.  I enjoyed it quite a bit.  Alex and I disagree about where this meal ranks against the other five Chinese New Year meals that we have already made.  I said that these dumplings were my least favorite.  Alex maintains that the Red Braised Beef Noodle Soup (Hong Shao Niu Rou Mian) was his least favorite.  Both were good, but some of the dishes we made earlier were phenomenal so they have some pretty steep competition.  As a side note, we have now made noodles, dumplings, chicken, beef, lamb, and pork belly.  Next we either need to make tofu or duck...  Since we will be out of town this weekend, I think we're going to have to wait until next week to plan what we should make next!

Recipe after the jump!

Sichuan Dumplings

INGREDIENTS:

For Dumplings:

1/2 lb ground pork

2 tsp sesame oil

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

2 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced on the bias

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 package dumpling wrappers

For Sauce:

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp soy sauce

1/2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp chili-sesame oil

2 tsp Chinese black vinegar

1/2 tsp ground Sichuan peppercorns

pinch crushed red pepper flakes

1 scallion, thinly sliced on the bias

1 tbsp peanut oil

In a large bowl, combine the pork, sesame oil, salt, and pepper and mix until everything is well-incorporated. The filling should be sticky and slightly wet.

Angle a wonton wrapper so that it faces you like a diamond. Cover the remaining dumpling wrappers with a damp paper towel so they don't dry out. Place one heaping teaspoon of filling in the center of the wrapper. Use your finger to paint the egg wash along the top edge of the dumpling wrapper. Fold the dumpling into a triangle by folding the bottom tip to the top tip and pinching out as much air as possible. Use your fingers to Add a dab of egg wash to the inside of the left tip, fold it over the right tip to form a little bishop hat shape and press together. Repeat with remaining filling and dumpling wrappers.

In a mixing bowl, mix together the garlic, soy sauce, sugar, chili oil, black vinegar, Sichuan peppercorns and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved and set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tbsp peanut oil in order to keep the cooked dumplings from sticking together. Add dumplings to the boiling water and cook until the dumplings float to the surface and filling is completely cooked, about 3-4 minutes. You will probably have to cook the dumplings in two batches. Remove them with a slotted spoon and transfer to a serving dish. Drizzle dumplings with chili sauce and sprinkle the sliced scallions on top.

Serve.

Chinese Broccoli in Oyster Sauce

The Asian Grandmother's Cookbook: Home Cooking from Asian American Kitchens

By Patricia Tanumihardja

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb Chinese broccoli

1/4 cup oyster sauce

sesame oil for drizzling

fried shallots for garnish (optional, but I wouldn't leave them out because they are delicious)

Cut broccoli in half crosswise into leaf and stem sections and halve the thicker stem down the middle as they take longer to cook.

Fill a large stockpot two-thirds full of water and bring to a roiling boil over high heat.  Add the broccoli stems. Cook for 1 minute, then add the leafy portions. Cook until the leaves turn a bright jade green and the stalks are tender crisp, another 2-3 minutes. Don't overcook!

Using a slotted spoon, scoop up the broccoli, shake off as much excess water as possible, and transfer to a serving platter. Drizzle with the oyster sauce and sesame oil to taste. Sprinkle with fried shallots and serve.