Chiu Chow Dumplings

Name: Chiu Chow Dumplings
Yield: makes 24 dumplings, serving 6 to 8 as a snack
Ingredients: 1/2 teaspoon sugar; 1/4 teaspoon white pepper; 2 teaspoons oyster sauce; 1 teaspoon light (regular) soy sauce; 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry; 1 tablespoon water; 1 tablespoon canola oil; 1 clove garlic, minced; 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped dried shrimp; 1/4 pound ground pork or minced pork shoulder; 2 large dried shiitake mushrooms, reconstituted (see page 13), stemmed, and chopped (1/4 cup); 1/2 cup finely diced jicama; 2 tablespoons unsalted, roasted peanuts, chopped; 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or scallion (green part only); Salt; 1 pound Wheat Starch Dough (page 132); Light (regular) soy sauce, for dipping; Chile Garlic Sauce, homemade (page 216) or store-bought (optional)

December 9, 2011

The Cantonese dim sum repertoire would be incomplete without this wonderful contribution from the Chiu Chow, a seafaring people from a region located on the Taiwan Strait. Robustly flavored by briny dried shrimp, this dumpling also tastes light because it’s packed with vegetables, including jicama and shiitake mushrooms, and peanuts. The varied texture of the filling gets rounded out by a touch of pork, though you can use any meat. Because there is lots of chopping involved with the filling, make it a couple days in advance to minimize last-minute pressures. I first enjoyed these nearly twenty years ago in Hong Kong and they instantaneously became one of my favorites. Good renditions were hard to find in the United States, so I began making them myself. Enjoy them alone or with soy sauce and an Asian chile garlic sauce of your choice. If jicama is not available, substitute canned water chestnuts.

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