• Where can I get Chinese cooking recipes to cook for my family?
• I want to try out some traditional Chinese food. How?
• Where can I learn to cook Chinese food?
• Where can I find everything about Chinese cooking?
But no worries because today I am going to introduce one of the Chinese New Year's feast and it is the so called ''Dumpling''
So.. this is what people normally do during CNY...
Wrap Dumplings and Watch the New Year’s Eve Countdown on TV:
In mainland China, nearly all families sit around the dinner table and wrap dumplings while watching the CCTV New Year’s Gala (春节联欢晚会), a New Year’s Eve countdown variety show on CCTV. From the oldest to the youngest family member, each person participates.
Dumplings with a variety of fillings, including meat, fish, and vegetables, are wrapped into the shape of ancient Chinese silver and gold ingots, which symbolize wealth. A gold coin is wrapped inside one dumpling. Similar to a Mardi Gras king cake in which a plastic baby is hidden in one slice, the person who gets the dumpling with the coin inside is said to have good luck for the coming year. The dumplings are traditionally eaten at midnight and throughout the two-week holiday.
Well, that's the introduction of it. And the recipes of making a dumpling are as follows :-
What You'll Need
- 2 1/2 - 3 pounds meaty chicken pieces (breast halves, thighs, and drumsticks)
- 3 cups water
- 1 medium onion, cut into wedges
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried sage or marjoram, crushed
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup sliced celery (2 stalks)
- 1 cup thinly sliced carrots (2 medium)
- 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
- 1 recipe Dumplings
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Dumplings
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons shortening
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
Step By Step
1
Skin chicken. In a 4-quart Dutch oven combine chicken, the 3 cups water, the onion, salt, sage, pepper, and bay leaf. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 25 minutes. Add celery, carrots, and mushrooms. Return mixture to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 10 minutes more or until vegetables are tender and chicken is no longer pink (170 degrees F for breasts, 180 degrees F for thighs and drumsticks). Discard bay leaf. Using tongs, rearrange the chicken pieces so they rest on top of the vegetables.
2
Meanwhile, prepare Dumplings. Spoon dumpling batter into six mounds on top of the chicken. (Do not spoon batter into the liquid.) Return to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 12 to 15 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted into a dumpling comes out clean. Do not lift cover while simmering. With a slotted spoon transfer chicken, dumplings, and vegetables to a serving platter; keep warm.
3
For gravy, pour 2 cups cooking liquid into a large measuring cup. Skim fat from liquid; discard fat. Pour liquid into the Dutch oven. Stir the 1/2 cup cold water into the flour; stir into the liquid in Dutch oven. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Serve gravy over chicken, vegetables, and dumplings.
Dumplings
1. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add buttermilk, stirring just until moistened.
Hint: It helps to dip your spoon into the liquid first to prevent the dough from sticking to the spoon. Then dip your spoon into the dumpling mixture scooping up a rounded spoonful of dough.
Comfort food, peasant food or even "cheap eats,"--call them whatever you like. Once your family has tasted these light-as-a-cloud toppers to your stews and soups, they'll be glad you know how to make dumplings.
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