Remember the white dot balls in the movie Kung Fu Panda? If you remember the scene, you will remember all the risks that Po the panda took just to have a single dumpling. Yes, those little white dot balls are known as dumplings.
The History of the Traditional Chinese Dumplings
The popularity of Eastern food cultures has seen an increase in demand for traditional Chinese dumplings. Today, they are a culinary favourite for many across the globe and are a symbol of variety with distinct flavours set against the aromatic broth for taste.
In China, dumplings are consumed with family and friends on New Year’s Eve, making it synonymous with the turning of the year. These traditional dumplings can also be served as a type of party food, dating back almost 2,000 years to the Han Dynasty.
Another cultural element associated with dumplings is the exchange of wishes for goodwill and prosperity. The different ingredients hold different symbolic meanings for our ancient Chinese ancestors, and are then associated with the written characters of the language, resulting in a rich and meaningful framework for gift-giving and social interactions.
Make Your Own Dumplings at Home
After reading this article, you’ll be forgiven for wanting to some dumplings. You can save yourself a trip to Chinatown and prepare your own little pieces of dough packed with meaty goodness with some of our suggestions.
Prepare the Dough with Marcato
It doesn't matter if you want them steamed or pan-fried as both will need you to prepare the dough and choose your filling. The only difference is the cooking style. Here’s how to make your own little steamed or pan-fried beauties.
Start by preparing the dough for the dumpling wrappers. Each wheat flour wrapper should be of medium thickness, at least 3.18mm thick in the middle and 1.59mm thick at the rim, so it can hold the filling. Knead the mixture of all-purpose flour, sugar and a moderate amount of gluten. When it’s time to produce flat, smooth sheets of dough, the Marcato Atlas 150 Pasta Machine has your back.
Easy to use and solidly constructed, this versatile Italian machine will help to roll out smooth sheets of freshly-kneaded dough with every turn of the ergonomic handle. The adjustable dial comes with 9 settings, making it easy for you to roll out the dough to the exact thickness desired, from 0.8mm to 4mm.
The machine is made from nickel- and chrome-plated steel for durability and prevents corrosion. It also features flat-rollers for pressing and rolling out the dough sheets, as well as gears constructed from tempered steel and case-hardened for sturdiness. An adjustable clamp helps to secure the machine against the table or countertop during use.
This authentic machine comes in a variety of colours and attachments. Click here to view and shop the range. Now that you have prepared the dough for your dumplings, it’s time to have some fun!
Get the Perfect Press with D.Line
Food presentation is essential to the success of your dumplings’ appearance, taste and flavour. How they look on the plate will tempt your family, friends or guests to want more.
With the D.Line Dumpling Press set, you can be sure to produce perfectly-sized dumplings. These precious little presses are lightweight in design with hinged edges to produce 12cm, 8.5cm and 6cm-sized dumplings.
The D.Line Dumpling Presses are easy to use. You only need to tuck your choice of filling inside and crimp the edges with a close of the handles. Cleaning up is equally easy. You can either pop them into the dishwasher or wash them by hand.
A Steaming Sensation by Avanti
One of the items brilliantly assembled for your kitchen is a three-piece set designed by Avanti to satisfy the dumpling lover in you.
The Avanti Bamboo Steamer Basket set of three is the ideal kitchen utensil for steaming healthy Asian dishes, fresh vegetables, fish, dim sum, and dumplings. Steamed food is a healthier option as it requires no oil while cooking and preserves more nutrients. The set is designed for durability and comes with a traditional, bamboo-woven lid which efficiently traps steam to provide perfect cooking results.
The steamer set comes in three different sizes, all with three stackable steaming baskets which can be stacked to contain a variety of foods to that you want to cook at the same time:
- Bamboo steamer basket set of 3 (15cm)
- Bamboo steamer basket set of 3 (20cm)
- Bamboo steamer basket set of 3 (25cm)
Each of the steamer baskets are made using sustainable materials and come with lids. The high quality bamboo stitching prevents the baskets from corroding and should be hand-washed with warm, soapy water so it lasts longer.
How to Eat Dumplings
Et voila! You're on the way to becoming an expert dumpling maker! Now you can enjoy the fruits of your hard labour.
To fully relish the burst of flavour in your mouth, eat the dumplings by eating them in one mouthful. You can savour both the filling and the very thin and springy flour skin wrapper. Here are some other ways on how to eat dumplings:
Using Your Hands
If you’re not handy with a pair of chopsticks, avoid using a fork as piercing the dumpling will compromise the flavour. You can, however, eat dumplings with your hands. Just remember to wash your hands prior to eating!
A Ratio of Vinegar to Soy Sauce
To make the perfect dumpling dipping sauce, mix two parts vinegar to one part soy sauce. You can stay true to the Asian traditional cuisine by adding some thinly sliced young ginger to the sauce for some extra spice. If you’re feeling brave, you can add some chilli oil to the sauce too.
A Different Type of Dumplings
Xiao long baos are also dumplings but different as they are rounder, smaller and contain broth. Use a pair of chopsticks to lift one from the steamer basket onto a soup spoon and carefully tear the skin of the dumpling by pressing the chopsticks on the side. Sip the broth as it oozes out onto the spoon and then enjoy the dumpling in one mouthful.
Photo (above) by www.bamboobasket.com.au.
Note: Do be careful when eating piping hot dumplings straight off the stove. It may burn your tongue if you're not used to it. For young kids, blow on the hot food before serving it to them.
Don’t leave the little ones out of the fun. Let them enjoy their share of your homemade dumplings with a cute and adorable pair of D.Line kid-friendly chopsticks. These cleverly-designed novelty beginner chopsticks for children are focused on promoting fun at meal times for kids of all ages.
The rubber character at the top provides stability for kids, allowing them to learn how to use one. The rubber character is removable. Once they have mastered the technique of holding a pair of chopsticks, the rubber character can be taken off. The designs available include a variety of colours, while the rubber character comes in either a boy or a girl.
Not convinced? Becky’s son, James, had a field day with the D.Line beginner chopsticks during their family trip to Japan. Your kids will love it too! Family get-togethers have never been better!
