Why Make Lotus Root Pork Patties?

Lotus root is a classic ingredient in Chinese cooking, valued not only for its distinct crunchy texture but also for its symbolism in Chinese culture. Chinese Lotus Root and Pork Pies symbolize family unity and partnership, making them ideal for festive occasions. The mild, earthy flavor of the lotus root pairs beautifully with a savory pork filling, making this a dish you’ll want to make again and again.

What Are the Health Benefits of Lotus Root?

Lotus root is a highly nutritious root vegetable with a host of health benefits. It’s rich in dietary fiber, vitamins C and B6, and essential minerals like potassium. Low in saturated fat, it’s an ideal choice for adding heart-healthy ingredients to your meals. With benefits like improved blood circulation, reduced inflammation, and digestive health support, Asian Lotus Root Dishes are a tasty way to boost wellness.

The Significance of Lotus Root Pork Patties in Chinese Culture

In Chinese tradition, lotus root symbolizes purity and harmony, while 藕盒 (ouhe) has a double meaning, sounding similar to words for “togetherness” or “family reunion.” Families make these Lotus Root Pork Patties to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival and other gatherings, honoring both cultural heritage and the joy of being together.

Key Ingredients for Homemade Lotus Root Pork Pies

How to Make Lotus Root and Pork Pies: Step-by-Step

1. Prepare the Lotus Root

• Peel and thoroughly wash the lotus root. To keep it fresh and reduce bitterness, soak it in water with a bit of vinegar.
• Clean the holes with a straw cleaner to remove any dirt or mud residue.
• Slice the lotus root into thin pieces and set them aside in lightly salted water to maintain freshness.

2. Make the Pork Filling

• Use a food processor to blend the ginger and leek until finely chopped.
• Add pork belly, corn starch, salt, soy sauce, and sugar. Blend until the ingredients are well mixed. If you don’t have a food processor, you can finely chop the ingredients by hand and use minced pork with 20% fat for a similar texture.

3. Prepare the Batter

• In a mixing bowl, combine plain flour, corn starch, a pinch of salt, egg, optional five spice powder, and water (or beer for added crispiness). Add 2 tsp of oil, stirring until the batter is smooth but not too thick.

4. Assemble the Chinese Pork Patties with Lotus Root

• Take two slices of lotus root and spread a thin layer of the pork mixture on one slice.
• Place the other slice on top to form a “sandwich,” pressing firmly to seal. Repeat with remaining slices.

5. Cook the Lotus Root Pork Patties

• Heat a grill pan or skillet to medium-high, coating it with a thin layer of oil.
• Dip each lotus root sandwich into the batter, ensuring a thin, even coating.
• Place the patties in the pan, cooking until golden brown on one side before flipping to cook the other, making sure the pork filling is fully cooked.

6. Serve and Enjoy!

• Drain excess oil using a paper towel. Serve warm with sweet chili sauce or ketchup for dipping.

These Homemade Lotus Root Pies are perfect as a main dish alongside a simple side salad or as a delicious appetizer for sharing.

Tips for Buying and Storing Lotus Root

• Choosing Fresh Lotus Root: Look for light brown lotus root at Asian markets. It should be firm and free of blemishes for the best flavor.
• Storage: Keep fresh lotus root in the refrigerator and use within a few days to maintain quality.
• Cleaning Thoroughly: Lotus root has a unique hollow structure, so clean each hole carefully to remove any debris.

Why You’ll Love This Lotus Root and Minced Pork Pies Recipe

1. Unique Texture and Flavor: The combination of crisp lotus root and juicy pork filling makes these Crispy Pork and Lotus Root Patties a treat for the taste buds.
2. Nutritious and Filling: Lotus root is low in calories but rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals, adding a healthy boost to your meal.
3. A Festive, Traditional Dish: Perfect for celebrations and family gatherings, these Chinese Dim Sum Style Pies are a great way to share the warmth and joy of Chinese culture.

Make these Savory Pork and Lotus Root Pies part of your next meal for a deliciously unique dish that honors tradition and satisfies your taste buds. Serve it with your favorite dipping sauce, and as we say in Chinese, 用餐愉快 (yòng cān yú kuài) – enjoy your meal!

Lotus Root and Minced Pork Pies: Traditional Chinese Lotus Root and Pork Pies Recipe

Recipe by LinCourse: Pies, PorkCuisine: ChineseDifficulty: Easy

Servings

3

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Learn how to make Lotus Root and Minced Pork Pies with this traditional Chinese recipe. Crispy lotus root sandwiches filled with juicy pork, perfect for family gatherings or as a savory appetizer. Discover the rich flavors and cultural significance behind this delicious dish!

Ingredients

• Lotus root, 370g (sliced thinly)

• Leek, half of a large leek

• Pork belly, 270g (or 20% fat minced pork)

• Fresh ginger, 2g

• Plain flour, ½ cup

• Corn starch, ½ cup

• Medium-sized egg, 1

• Soy sauce, 1 tsp

• Salt, to taste

• Sugar, ⅓ tsp

• Chinese five spice or thirteen spice powder, ½ tsp (optional)

• Sweet chili sauce or ketchup (for dipping)

Directions

• Peel and wash the lotus root thoroughly, I soaked it in warm light vinegar and salt water and brushed all the holes with a straw cleaner, then rinsed with tap water
• Cut the lotus root into thin pieces, soak them in lightly salted water
• Add 270g pork belly into the food processor (with the ginger and leek mix still inside), add 1 tsp of corn starch, ½ tsp of salt (or salt to your taste), 1 tsp of soy sauce, 1 tbs water, ⅓ tsp of sugar, blend until pork is well minced and mixed with the rest of the ingredients (if you don’t have a food processor you could achieve this manually or replace pork belly with 20% fat minced pork)
• Now let’s prepare the batter, mix ½ cup of plain flour, ½ cup of corn starch, 1 pinch of salt, 1 medium sized egg, ½ tsp Chinese five species or thirteen spices (this is optional, so don’t worry if you do not have any), ⅔ cup of water (can also replace with beer), 2 tsp of cooking oil and mix well, the batter should run smoothly and not too thick
• Pat dry all of your thinly sliced lotus root
• Here is the fun part – ensemble time! Put a thin layer of the meat mix on one piece of lotus root slice, spread it evenly, and put another piece on top like making a burger or a sandwich, firmly press the two pieces together, some of the meat mix will come through the hole, that is perfectly ok, just press it evenly
• Repeat the process until all of them are done
• Heat up your grill to medium high, coat with a thin layer of oil
• Coat your lotus pork sandwiches with a thin layer of batter, gently place in your grill pan, cook until one side is golden brown and gently flip it to cook the other side
• Make sure the lotus root and the meat stuffing are thoroughly cooked, soak the excessive oil paper tower then plate. Me and my husband love to dip this into sweet & chilli sauce, my daughter on the other hand loves to eat it with ketchup. This dish can serve like a main with just a simple salad, or a side dish if you don’t want to make a lot in one go. Enjoy! 用餐愉快 （yòng cān yú kuài）!
  

The post Lotus Root and Minced Pork Pies: Traditional Chinese Lotus Root and Pork Pies Recipe appeared first on Lin's Chinese Kitchen.

Ingredients for Pork Pot Sticker Recipe

To make these pork pot stickers – or guotie as we call them back home – you need to prepare the stuffing and the skin. Because I didn’t want to go through the trouble of making my own dumpling skin, I went to the Chinese shop next door to get ready-made ones. It took me around 2 hours to unfreeze them so plan ahead if you’re going this route.

If you want the full homemade experience, you can make your own pot sticker dough. It’s fairly simple and will elevate your pot stickers.

For stuffing, I chose minced pork. You can replace it with minced chicken, or lamb. If you’re vegan, you could use firm tofu instead. My daughter won’t eat eggplant on its own due to its texture, but she seems to be ok if I cook it as part of the stuffing when making Baozi (steamed bun) or dumplings.

Here’s the full ingredients list I used for this recipe:

• 1 x pack of frozen dumpling skin (pre-defrosted)
• 250g minced pork (replace this with other minced meat or firm tofu)
• 2 x spring onions
• 1 x eggplant
• 6g fresh ginger
• 180g peeled raw prawn
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce/vegan oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon corn flour

Got your ingredients assembled? Great! Now, let’s get to prepping and cooking.

How to Make This Pork Pot Sticker Recipe

You only need to go through four main phases to turn the above ingredients into delectable pork pot stickers.

• Prep the Filling:
  • Shred 1 eggplant, salt, and drain for 10 mins.
  • Finely chop 2 spring onions and 6g fresh ginger.
  • Mix minced pork (or alternative), ginger, spring onion, squeezed eggplant, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tsp sugar, and salt.
• Assemble Pot Stickers:
  • Place a piece of dumpling skin in your hand.
  • Add ⅔ tbsp of filling and top with a raw prawn.
  • Wet edges and press to seal.
• Cook Pot Stickers:
  • Dissolve 1 tbsp corn flour in 10 tbsp water.
  • Heat oil in a pan and place pot stickers.
  • Brown on medium heat, then add corn flour mix.
  • Cover and steam for 7-10 mins.
• Serve:
  • Garnish with green onion and sesame seeds.
  • Accompany with sweet chili sauce or hot sauce.

Sweet chili sauce is what we typically eat these with but I like a whole lot of spice. If you’re a fan of hot sauce and can stand a good amount of heat, try Gekikara from 3D Spice. It comes with 3-layered wrapping and a super cool design. The unique spice blend and sour flavors infused with two of the world’s hottest chili peppers, perfectly complement guotie. Crack open a cold beer and you’ve got the best version of comfort food for a movie or game night.

Enjoy! (请慢用 qǐng màn yòng)

Fancy Other Dumpling Recipes

If you’re looking for a different kind of dumpling recipe, check out a few of my other recipes:

• Pork and Fennel Dumplings: For those who adore the anise-like flavor of fennel, these dumplings offer a unique twist on the classic pork filling.
• Chinese Steamed Dumplings: Light and delicate, these steamed beauties are perfect for health-conscious foodies without compromising on the rich taste of traditional pork dumplings.
• Pork Sheng Jian Bao: A Shanghai favorite, these pan-fried buns with juicy pork filling are a delightful combination of soft and crispy textures.

Easy Pork Pot Sticker Recipe

Recipe by LinCourse: DumplingsCuisine: ChineseDifficulty: Easy

Servings

3

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

Ingredients

• 1 x pack of frozen dumpling skin (pre-defrosted)

• 250g minced pork (replace this with other minced meat or firm tofu)

• 2 x spring onions

• 1 x eggplant

• 6g fresh ginger

• 180g peeled raw prawn

• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce/vegan oyster sauce

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 1 tablespoon corn flour

Directions

• Shred the eggplant and spread some salt over it, set it aside for 10 mins, wash the salt off and squeeze, and drain the eggplant well until dry.
• Cut the spring onion and fresh ginger to small chunks and blend them well (or chop them into very tiny bits).
• Put your minced meat (or Tofu) together with ginger, spring onion mix, add eggplant, 1 tbs light soy sauce, 1tbs oyster sauce (vegan oyster sauce), 1 tsp sugar, and salt to taste.
• Blend all ingredients well in your blender/mixer, or hand bland to make sure everything is mixed well.
• Grab one piece of the dumpling skin, place it on your hand, scoop ⅔ tbs of the stuffing, and place it in the middle of the dumpling skin.
• Place a raw prawn on top, put some water on your finger, and press the two ends firmly to close the side.
• Mix 1 tbsp of corn flour with 10 tbs of fresh water, mix well.
• Heat up your cooking pan, add a little vegetable oil, and spread it well in the pan.
• Let the oil warm up, gently place your pot stickers into the pan, careful not to burn your hand.
• Lower your heat to medium, give it 1 or 2 minutes until the bottom of your guotie is nicely browned.
• Take your corn flour and water mix, mix it again, and add it to the cooking pan, half of your Guotie should be bathed in the mix.
• Cover with lid and steam for 7-10 mins with medium or medium-low heat until it dries up (keep checking through the lid, make sure it is not burned).
• You should see the bottom of the guotie form a nice and crispy brown layer, make sure to double check your food is thoroughly cooked.
• Garnish with some green onion and sesame seeds (optional)
• Serve with sweet chili sauce or hot sauce!

The post Easy Pork Pot Sticker Recipe Crispy Dumplings appeared first on Lin's Chinese Kitchen.

The Magic of Pumpkin Dough

Now, you might be wondering, “Why go through the extra effort to make pumpkin dough when there are quicker alternatives available?” Here’s why:

1. Flavor and Texture: Pumpkin imparts a subtly sweet and earthy flavor that simply can’t be replicated with standard dough. This perfectly complements the savory richness of the pork and vegetables, creating a unique taste experience.
2. Nutritional Boost: Pumpkins are a rich source of vitamins, particularly Vitamin A, which is essential for vision and immune functions. By incorporating pumpkin into your dough, you’re adding a nutritional kick to your pies.
3. Vibrant Color: The natural orange hue of the pumpkin makes for a visually appealing and festive dough, adding a touch of vibrancy to your dish.
4. Soft and Moist Crust: The moisture from the pumpkin creates a soft crust, which provides a delightful contrast to the crispy exterior once pan-fried.
5. A Conversation Starter: Trust me, when you serve these to friends or family, the pumpkin dough will be a focal point of conversation. It’s unique, and your effort won’t go unnoticed!

So, while it might take a bit more time and effort, the pumpkin dough is truly what elevates these pies from ordinary to extraordinary. The rich history and cultural significance, combined with the benefits mentioned above, make every minute spent in the kitchen worth it.

Explore More Meat Pie Delights

If you’ve developed a newfound love for Chinese meat pies after trying this pumpkin dough delicacy, then you’re in for a treat! Dive deeper into the world of savory pastry by checking out these other meat pie favorites:

• Chinese Beef & Leek Pie Recipe: A classic combination of juicy beef and aromatic leeks encased in a golden, crispy crust. This pie is a testament to the time-honored union of meat and vegetables in Chinese cuisine.
• Xianbing Chinese Meat Pie Recipe: Xianbing is a traditional meat pie that’s beloved for its flavorful filling and flaky exterior. A staple in Northern Chinese households, it’s a taste that transports you straight to the bustling streets of China.
• Why stop at one when you can explore a world of flavors? Let these recipes guide your culinary journey through the art of Chinese meat pies.

Ingredients for Soft Pumpkin Dough Minced Port Pies

To make these absolutely delightful Chinese pies, you’ll need the following ingredients:

For the pumpkin dough:

• 270g pumpkin
• 6g dry yeast
• 80g warm water (35 °C)
• 400g plain flour

For the pork filling:

• 200g minced pork
• 100g Spring onions
• 100g stringless green beans
• 50g garden peas
• 50g scallop
• 5g ginger
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 tbs light soy
• ½ tbs dark soy
• 1 tsp roasted sesame oil
• 1 tbs vegetable oil
• ½ tsp Chinese 13 Spices Mix
• 1 tsp sugar
• Salt to taste

How to make Minced Pork Pies with Pumpkin Crust

Here are the steps you need to follow to make these delicious meat pies:

1. Peel and slice 270g pumpkin, steam cook until soft.
2. Mix 6g dry yeast in 80g warm water.
3. Slowly mix 400g plain flour, 270g steamed pumpkin, and the mixed yeast water together.
4. Knead the dough until the surface is smooth.
5. Let it rise on the side for 30 mins at room temperature (20°C).
6. As the dough rises, let’s prepare the stuffing.
7. Boil a pot of water, put 100g stringless green beans and 50g garden peas in the boiling water for 3 mins, rinse under cold water, then set aside.
8. Finely chop the stringless green beans, spring onions, scallops, garlic, and ginger. Combine them in a bowl and set it aside.
9. Put 200g minced pork in a big container. Add the roasted sesame oil, light soy, dark soy, vegetable oil, Chinese 13 spices mix, sugar, and salt. Mix well and set aside.
10. Retrieve the risen dough, knead again for 2-3 mins, then separate into 16 equivalent small doughs.
11. Coat your cutting board with plain flour, then flatten the mini doughs using a rolling pin or your hands.
12. Integrate the finely chopped vegetables into the pork mix.
13. Spoon the mixed stuffing onto the center of each flattened dough.
14. After securely sealing each pie, flatten them into round shapes.
15. Heat a frying pan and coat it with vegetable oil, setting it to medium heat.
16. Gently place the pies in the frying pan, covering with a lid, and cook for 4 mins. Ensure they don’t burn by checking midway and adjusting the heat if necessary.
17. Flip the pies after 3-4 mins, remove the lid, and continue cooking for an additional 4 mins.
18. Ensure the pies are thoroughly cooked before serving.

For an authentic experience, enjoy these pies with Chinese dark rice vinegar or light soy and chili sauce.

Hope you enjoy (请慢用 qǐng màn yòng).

Traditional Chinese Pumpkin Dough Pies: My Grandmother’s Minced Pork Recipe

Recipe by LinCourse: Pies

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

1

hour 

30

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Discover the warmth and flavors of a beloved family dish with this minced pork pie with pumpkin crust recipe.

Ingredients

• Pumpkin dough

• 270g pumpkin

• 6g dry yeast

• 80g warm water (35 °C)

• 400g plain flour

• Pork filling

• 200g minced pork

• 100g Spring onions

• 100g stringless green beans

• 50g garden peas

• 50g scallop

• 5g ginger

• 3 cloves garlic

• 2 tbs light soy

• ½ tbs dark soy

• 1 tsp roasted sesame oil

• 1 tbs vegetable oil

• ½ tsp Chinese 13 Spices Mix

• 1 tsp sugar

• Salt to taste

Directions

• Peel and slice 270g pumpkin, steam cook until soft
• Mix 6g dry yeast in 80g warm water
• Slowly mix 400g plain flour, 270g steamed pumpkin and the mixed yeast water together
• Knead the dough until the surface is smooth
• Let it rise on the side for 30 mins in room temperature 20°C
• Now let’s prepare the stuffing
• Boil a pot of water, put 100g stringless green beans and 50 garden peas in the boiling water for 3 mins, rinse under cold water, put them aside
• Finely chop the stringless green beans, spring onions, scallops, garlics and ginger, put them in a bow and set it aside
• Put 200 minced pork in a big container, add 1 tsp roasted sesame oil, 2 tbs light soy, ½ tbs dark soy, 1 tbs vegetable oil, ½ tsp Chinese 13 spices mix, 1 tsp sugar, salt, mix well, set it aside
• Get the raised dough out, knead again for 2-3 mins, separate it into 16 equivalent small doughs
• Coat your cutting board with plain flour, flatten the mini doughs with a rolling pin or with hand
• Add finely chopped vegetables into the pork mix, mix well again
• Use a spoon to put the mixed stuffing in the middle of the flattened dough, close it up, details technic please see YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMVOQ2CW2n4
• After securely wrapped it up, flatten it on your cutting board into a round shape
• After done with all the doughs, warm up a frying pan and coat it with vegetable oil, keep the heat to medium
• Slowly place the pies into your frying pan, cover the lid and let them cook for 4 mins, check mid-way to make sure they are not burned, reduce heat if necessary
• Flip the pies are 3-4 mins, open the lid and cook for further 4 mins
• Make sure food is thoroughly cooked before serving

The post Traditional Chinese Pumpkin Dough Pies: My Grandmother’s Minced Pork Recipe appeared first on Lin's Chinese Kitchen.

Peppers are a good source of Vitamin K, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Potassium and Manganese, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Vitamin B6 and Folate. Besides making them into a salad, grilling them and roasting them, there are many other ways to cook peppers.

In this article, we are sharing with you one of our favorite dishes, also one of my mom’s special: Sweet and Sour Sauteed Pepper, also widely known as Tiger Skin Pepper (虎皮尖椒 hǔ pí jiān jiāo). This dish originated from Sichuan, China, the pan-fried pepper skin reminds people of tiger skin, hence the name and people usually make it with spicy green pointy peppers. It can be served with flatbread (饼 bǐng), Chinese bun (馒头 mán tóu), or rice (米饭 mǐ fàn). 

In this article, I chose to use sweet-colored peppers from our local shop instead of the usual spicy green ones, because my husband and my daughter are not quite the spicy types. Also it is hard to find the right kind of spicy green peppers locally. But you are very welcome to replace them with the pointy green spicy peppers. I have also used minced pork to stuff my peppers which are also optional if you are vegetarian or not a fan of pork

Tiger Skin Peppers Stuffed Recipe

Recipe by LinCourse: Pork

Servings

2

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

This recipe will show you how to make stuffed tiger skin peppers, an underrated authentic Chinese side dish that looks and tastes impressive.

Ingredients

• Baby sweet peppers 300g

• Minced pork 250g

• Garlic 2 cloves

• Ginger 2g

• Chinese cooking wine ¼ tsp

• Light soy sauce 2 tbsp

• Chinese dark vinegar 2 tbsp

• Oyster sauce 1 tbsp

• Sugar 1 tbsp

• Water 2 tbsp

Directions

• Finely chop garlic and ginger.
• Take half of the chopped garlic & ginger with ¼ tsp Chinese cooking wine, mix with 250g minced pork, and set it aside.
• Wash the peppers, and remove the top part as well as the seeds inside. (If you are using those spicy green peppers, remember not to rub your eyes until your hands are thoroughly washed, I learned it the hard way…
• Stuff your minced pork inside the peppers, I simply used a butter knife to finish the job.
• Prepare the sweet and sour sauce. Add 2 tbsp of light soy sauce, 2 tbsp of Chinese dark vinegar, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp of sugar and 2 tbsp of water. Mix well and set it aside.
• Heat up a frying pan, add a little bit of oil and wait for it to heat up.
• Turn the heat to medium-low, gently place your stuffed peppers in the pan and let them fry.
• I left mine for about 5 mins and turned them over to fry the other sides.
• Repeat this step until the skin of your peppers is nicely seared with an evenly “tiger skin” look. By the end of it, your peppers should be soft and the meat inside is thoroughly cooked.
• Take the peppers out, turn the heat up to full power and add the rest of the garlic and ginger mix, cook for 15 secs.
• Add the peppers back in, and pour in the mixed sweet and sour sauce, let it cook for a further 30 secs.
• Plate, and serve, enjoy (请慢用 qǐng màn yòng) !

Try It Yourself

And there you have it! This is how you can make a delicious batch of tiger skin pork stuffed peppers! Give our recipe a try and let us know how it turns out by tagging us on Instagram.

The post Tiger Skin Peppers Stuffed Recipe appeared first on Lin's Chinese Kitchen.

I have to admit it was a bit of a shock when I first discovered that only fennel root was commonly sold in local shops here in the UK but not the stalks and fronds. If you happen to have the whole plant, don’t rush to throw away the upper part of this vegetable, as there are many ways to make good use of the stalks and fronds.

In this recipe, I will share with you my favourite dumpling stuffing mix with fennel stalks, fronds, and minced pork.

Making Chinese Dumplings

The first couple of times it may seem challenging to make the dumplings. But after a few tries, you will get the hang of it and soon realize how easy it is to make and how versatile this dish can be as well as your life easy feeding a big family.

One of the most important parts of dumplings is the dumpling skin/dumpling wrapper. You could easily purchase them from your local Chinese shop. Or, you could try our handmade dumpling wrappers recipe to make fresh dumpling skins at home! If you are making the dumpling skins at home, my suggestion is to work on your stuffing while your dough is resting. This will greatly reduce your overall cooking time.

Fennel Stalks and Fronds Dumplings Recipe

Recipe by LinCourse: DumplingsCuisine: ChineseDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

This recipe shows you how to make delicious and healthy Chinese pork dumplings with fennel stalks and fronds.

Ingredients

• Fennel stalks and fronds 270g

• Minced pork 500g

• Spring onion 11g

• Fresh ginger 5g

• Fresh garlic 8g

• Bay leaf 1 piece

• Star anise 1

• Sichuan peppercorn powder 3 shakes

• Oyster sauce 1 tbsp

• Sugar 1 tsp

• Chinese cooking wine ¼ tsp

• Light soy sauce ½ tbsp

• Sesame oil ½ tbsp

• Salt to taste

• Dumpling skin (store-bought or handmade)

Directions

• Finely chop 11g spring onion, 5g fresh ginger, 8g fresh garlic, set them aside.
• Wash and drain your fresh fennel stalks and fronds, finely chop them, set them aside.
• Add 2 tbsp of vegetable oil into a saucepan, and heat up the oil using medium heat.
• Add 1 piece of bay leaf, 1 piece of star anise, 3 shakes of Sichuan peppercorn powder, cook until the bay leaf is nicely browned. Turn off the stove.
• Add your finely chopped spring onion, fresh ginger, and garlic mix to the hot oil and mix quickly to release the aroma. Pick the bay leaf and star anise out, leaving the rest to cool on the side.
• Add 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tsp sugar, ¼ of Chinese cooking wine, ½ tbsp of light soy sauce and ½ tbsp sesame oil into your minced pork, mix well.
• Add the cooled oil mix to your minced pork and mix well.
• Add your finely chopped fennel stalks and fronds into your minced pork mix, use your hand or your kitchen aid until the stuffing is well mixed.
• Take 1 piece of dumpling skin/wrapper, put a tsp of stuffing in the middle of the dumpling skin.
• Take the top edge and bottom edge and push them together, I don’t usually use water for this, but if your dumpling skin is store-bought and hard to stick together, you could try using some water to get the job done.
• Fold the sides with one of your hands, while the other hand holding your dumpling.
• I usually start boiling water when I start to fold the dumplings, with my big cooking pot, I could usually boil 10-15 dumplings in one go.
• Normally when you see the dumplings are floating, that means they are ready. I roughly boiled them for 6-7 mins before plating them.
• Serve.

How to Serve Chinese Dumplings

The traditional way to serve dumplings is with Chinese dark rice vinegar and chili oil. Garlic is also great when eating dumplings, you could try mince a few cloves and soak the garlic in your dark vinegar. If your dumpling is not salty enough, you could add some light soy sauce to your dipping sauce.

Variations

We hope you have enjoyed our fennel stalks and frond dumpling recipe. If you are not a fan of pork, you could easily replace the minced pork with scrambled eggs. Fennel fronds and scrambled eggs’ taste go very well together. 请慢用（qǐng màn yòng )!

Try It Yourself!

And there you have it! This is how you can make pork and fennel Chinese dumplings. Give it a go and show us your creations on Instagram by tagging us at @linschinesekitchen.

The post Pork and Fennel Stalks & Fronds Dumplings Recipe appeared first on Lin's Chinese Kitchen.

In this post, I’m going to give you what I consider to be the best Shumai recipe that can be made at home.

What are Shumai Dumplings?

Shumai (烧卖 shāo mài) is a type of traditional Chinese steamed dumpling commonly seen in Cantonese style restaurants. The historic record shows that a local dish of a similar description already existed in the Yuan dynasty, therefore people believe its history can be traced back at least 700 years ago.

Where Does Shumai Come From?

The story of Shumai is quite inspiring. Once upon a time, there was this restaurant. Compare to other restaurants nearby, this one was always quiet, and soon it might face being permanently shutting down. The owner of the restaurant one day looked at all the leftovers from the previous day, decided to mix the rice and meat, stuff them in a dumpling and sell them. However, because the stuffing was too much, he failed to close the dumplings as normally they would have, so instead, he just left them open and steamed them as they were. Without a name for this newly created dish, he told his staff to cook(烧) them and sell (卖) them. Unexpectedly these new dumplings sold out fast and gained a good reputation in the neighbourhood. Since then the name Shumai has been passed down through generations. There are many variations of Shumai in China, from north to south, ranging from vegetable to seafood to different kinds of meat as well as sticky rice (糯米 nuò mǐ) as stuffings.

How are Shumai Made?

In traditional Cantonese cuisine, Shumai are stuffed with either ground pork or shrimp mixed with other ingredients such as ginger, mushrooms, and spring onions. The cool thing about Shumai (and any kind of dumpling, for that matter) is that you can make it your own.

In this post, we are going to make pork, scallop and sticky rice stuffed Shumai together. It is not easy to find Chinese sticky rice (糯米 nuò mǐ) so I replace it with pudding rice, which works just fine.

How to Steam Shumai Without a Steamer?

Let me tell you a little secret: I do not own a steamer! The horror, I know right? Well, not quite. Steamers can be somewhat overrated, especially when you have a more versatile piece of equipment like a big pot. What I do is add enough water to last a few rounds of steaming. Then I use a steaming stand and make sure that the boiling water won’t reach the Shumai. I also cut a baking sheet into squares roughly a bit larger than the bottom of my Shumai to make sure the dough doesn’t stick to the stand. After that, all you need to do is turn on the heat, place the dumplings in once you get a rolling boil, and cover the pot.

Can You Reheat Shumai?

Yes, you can reheat Shumai. I believe the best way is to just steam them using the method I described above. Alternatively, you can lightly fry them, which is a treat in itself. The added crunch gives the dumplings a whole new dimension so I recommend making extra to fry later.

Shumai

Recipe by LinCourse: Dumplings, MainCuisine: Chinese, CantoneseDifficulty: Medium

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

10

hours 

Cooking time

50

minutes

This recipe shows you how to make authentic homemade Cantonese Shumai with a ground pork and rice stuffing.

Ingredients

• Pudding rice ½ cup

• Green peas ¼ cup

• Sweet corn ¼ cup

• 10% fat minced pork 300g

• 10 dried Chinese shiitake mushrooms (香菇 xiāng gū)

• 1 purple onion

• 1 green bell pepper

• 3 spring onions

• 2 medium-sized carrots

• 5 cloves of garlic

• Scallops 50g

• Wangshouyi 13 spices ¼ tsp

• Light soy 1 tbsp

• Dark soy 1 tbsp

• Oyster sauce ½ tbsp

• Sugar 1 tsp

• Purple cabbage leaves x 5

• 3 tsp white vinegar

• Plain flour 240g

• Corn starch 120g

• Salt ¼ tsp

Directions

• Prepare the dough
• Boil 5 pieces of purple cabbage leaves in a cooking pot.
• Use a hand blender to blend and filter the juice (now it is dark purple).
• Add 3 tsp white vinegar into the juice, stir and wait for it to turn pink. Set it aside to cool.
• Mix 240g plain flour, 120g corn starch, ¼ tsp salt in a container.
• Divide the flour mix into two containers, each one should be around 180g.
• Pour 80-90g water into one of the flour mix, stir and knead. Pour 80-90g cooled pink cabbage juice into the other flour mix, stir and knead.
• Cover both doughs with a film and let them rest for 30 mins.
• Prepare the stuffing
• Soak 1/2 cup pudding rice in fresh water overnight.
• Soak 10 dried Chinese shiitake mushrooms in fresh water for 1 hour. Wash thoroughly before soaking.
• Peel the carrots and squeeze the mushrooms dry. Cut the mushrooms, bell pepper and carrots into small cubes, then place them in a bowl with green peas and sweet corns. Save the juice from the shiitake mushrooms for later use, because we don’t want all that flavour to go to waste.
• Finely blend the purple onion and 5 cloves of garlic.
• Finely blend the scallops.
• Stir fry the finely blended onion and garlic with a tsp of vegetable oil until softened.
• Add minced pork with blended scallops.
• Add 1 tbsp light soy, 1 tbsp dark soy, ½ tbsp oyster sauce, ¼ tsp Wangshouyi 13 spices and 1 tsp sugar into the mix. Stir fry well until thoroughly cooked. Turn off the stove. Add in the vegetables and mix well.
• Drained the soaked pudding rice, and put them in your slow cooker/rice cooker. Add your cooked and seasoned minced pork and vegetable mix to your rice.
• Pour the saved mushroom juice with fresh water into your slow cooker until the liquid reaches the surface of all the ingredients.
• Mix well and close the lid. Turn on the “rice” option and let it work the magic.
• After it is done. Don’t open the airway immediately to let the steam out. Instead, let it sit for another 10 mins.
• Open the lid, sprinkle some diced spring onion, mix well and let the rice stuffing cool while we prepare the Shumai skin.
• Assemble your Shumai
• Sort the rested dough into a long roll (white) and a larger piece with the same length (pinkish purple).
• Gently wrap the pinkish-purple skin outside the white dough. Roughly 2 cm diameter.
• Cut the long dough into small pieces (1 cm in length).
• Spread flour on top and flatten them.
• Use a rolling pin to roll the mini doughs into dumpling skins.
• Spread more flour between skins to prevent them from sticking to each other.
• After the rice stuffing is cool, spread the stuffing on a piece of skin. Remember to leave some space on the edge.
• Close your hand gently, while using the other hand to squeeze the “neck” of the Shumai. The first two may not come out the way you expected but it is ok. Keep trying and you will get the hang of it.
• After you are done with them, add baking sheets squares underneath each one and place them gently on your steamer or steaming stand (while the water underneath is boiling).
• Cover the lid and let them steam for 5 minutes. Voila!
• You could serve them with Chinese dark vinegar, eat them as they are, or like Yannis, eat them with his favourite sweet chilli sauce One bite is a mouth full of flavours. 您慢用(nín màn yòng)！

Try It Yourself!

And there you have it! You now know how to make authentic Chinese Shumai with ground pork, scallops and sticky rice. Give the recipe a try and let us know how it goes in the comments! We’d love to hear from you. Also, be sure to share your creation on Instagram and tag us @linschinesekitchen.

The post Authentic Shumai (Siu Mai) Chinese Steamed Dumplings Recipe appeared first on Lin's Chinese Kitchen.

Where to try Sheng Jian Bao in Shanghai

If you are looking for a good Sheng Jian Bao restaurant in Shanghai, Xiaoyang Shengjian (小杨生煎 xiǎo yáng shēng jiān) is a widely recognized chain restaurant. They have a newly opened branch located in Shanghai’s central business district – Lujiazui (Lujiazui Huanlu No. 1406, +86 21 5043 5606).

What you need to cook pork Sheng Jian Bao

The ingredients in the photo are all you need to make these delicious pan-fried buns. The prep for this dish is quite long but one bite of the finish product and you’ll know it was worth the effort.

Now, onto the recipe!

Authentic Sheng Jian Bao (Shanghai Pan-Fried Pork Buns) Recipe

Recipe by LinCourse: Dumplings, PorkCuisine: ChineseDifficulty: Medium

Servings

3

servings

Prep time

10

hours 

Cooking time

20

minutes

Sheng jian bao are some of the most delicious buns from Chinese cuisine. This recipe will show you how to make an authentic pork version that’s stunning in both taste and looks.

Ingredients

• Pork skin aspic

• 124g pork skin

• 3 cups of water

• 1 x spring onion

• 5g ginger

• 1 tsp of white vinegar

• Dough

• 250g plain flour

• 1 tsp sugar

• 3g instant yeast

• 100g lukewarm water (30℃)

• 20g lukewarm milk (30℃)

• Stuffing

• 300g minced pork

• A handful of Chinese chive (optional)

• 2 x king oyster mushrooms

• 4g fresh ginger

• 5 cloves of garlic

• ½ tsp sugar

• 2 tsp light soy sauce

• 1 tsp dark soy sauce

• 1 tsp oyster sauce

• ¼ tsp sesame oil

• Pinch of salt (if your soy sauce is the reduced salt type, you may need to add a bit more salt)

• 300g pork skin aspic

Directions

• Pork Skin Aspic
• One of the most important elements of Sheng Jian Bao is pork skin aspic, which we need to prepare and let set overnight in the fridge.
• Put the spring onion, pork skin, water, 1tsp of white vinegar, 5g of ginger in a cooking pot, bring it to a boil for 5 mins.
• Carefully take the skin out, let it cool off a little.
• Use a knife to remove any leftover fat on the skin.
• Cut it into small stripes.
• Add 3 cups of fresh water and the pork skin stripes in a pressure cooker, then set it to stew mode.
• After it’s done, take a hand blender to blend the “stew” until no visible big chunks.
• Let it cool completely in a container before putting it into the fridge overnight to set.
• The next day you could see two visible layers in the container.
• Remove the top layer and keep the bottom layer.
• This step is important because this aspic will create a juicy texture for our Sheng Jian Bao.
• On the day you plan to cook Sheng Jian Bao, you need around 1 hour to let the dough rise and rest while mixing all the other ingredients for the stuffing.
• To make the dough
• Mix 250g plain flour, 1 tsp sugar, 3g instant yeast, 100g lukewarm water (30℃), 20g lukewarm milk (30℃) in a big container.
• Knead the dough well and cover it with either a film or a lid, let it rise, and rest for 1 hour in winter, or 30 mins in summer (the dough should visibly raise to 2 times the original size).
• Here you could utilize the time to prepare the stuffing.
• Knead the dough again, to release the air inside the dough.
• Sort it to a long and round shape, then cut it evenly into 14-16 sections.
• Spread more flour on top, further sort the mini doughs into smooth and rough shapes. Each is about 2cm in diameter and 1cm thick.
• Use a rolling pin to flatten the dough. The edge should be thinner than the center.
• To mix the stuffing
• While waiting for your dough to be ready, let’s mix the stuffing first.
• Cut a handful of Chinese chive into small pieces, chop 2 king oyster mushrooms into small chunks, peel 5 cloves of fresh garlic, put them together with 300g minced pork in a blender until well blended and mixed. Put the mix into a big container.
• Add 300g pork skin aspic in the blender, blend until turn into small pieces.
• Mix the pork skin aspic with the meat and vegetable mix and set it aside.
• Make the bao
• Now to make the actual Baozi (Bun). If it is your first time doing it, you may find it a bit intimidating to seal it. The trick for folding, especially if it is your first time is not to put too much stuffing in the center. This way you will have more space to work around. Here is a quick video from Youtube which I think is a good way to learn how to make the pleat.
• After you are done with all the buns, put them in a flat container with folds facing down and cover them with a layer of film. Let them rise again for 1 hour in winter or 30 mins in summer. The well-rested buns should be fluffy and light.
• Heat up a flat pan on low heat with a couple of sprays of vegetable oil.
• Gently place the well-rested buns in the pan and cover with a lid, let it fry on low heat for 3-5 mins, check to make sure the bottom is not burnt.
• Increase the heat to medium, then add a cup of water and cover with a lid. Let the buns steam until the water is completely dry, reduce the heat if needed to avoid overcooking.
• Switch off the heat and let the buns sit in the pan until it cools off a little (If you take them out right away, they may not be able to hold the puffy shape).
• Open the lid and garnish, usually we use black sesame seeds and finely chopped spring onions.
• In China, we usually dip Sheng Jian Bao in dark vinegar, but Yanni loves them with sweet chili sauce Enjoy, 请慢用(qǐng màn yòng).

Try It Yourself!

And there you have it! This is how you can make delicious and fluffy authentic sheng jian bao. These pan-fried buns are sure to impress your family and friends at your next gathering. If you tried the recipe, we’d love it if you posted on Instagram and tagged us @linschinesekitchen.

The post Authentic Sheng Jian Bao (Shanghai Pan-Fried Pork Buns) Recipe appeared first on Lin's Chinese Kitchen.