Great dumplings, 
​like the ones from the familiar
family-owned restaurant down
your street,
has roots deeper than a
spontaneous tasting fare. 
This widely popular comfort food
weaves deeply into
Chinese culture, being
​an inherent aspect for holidays and traditions. 
By Irene Yu

Story of the Villagers' Ears
       Amidst the final span of the Eastern Han Dynasty, much of the Chinese people were terribly afflicted with disease and hunger. Our story roots on a man named Zhang Zhongjin, renowned physician of natural remedies. Upon returning to his hometown, a bewildering scene lay before him of families stricken with hunger and many suffering from horrid disease. The villagers in particular bore ears ravaged with frostbite from the northern winter’s cruel kiss. 
     Mass medication rendered close to impossible, so Zhang in turn devised something clever of the sorts. A call to his disciples, and gaping cauldrons were brought up. Hands contrived full of a special concoction of mutton, chili and various medicines, the desperate cure was meticulously folded into small mounds of dough, then pinched to seal into ear-shaped morsels. Zhang’s creation resembled closely to the concept of a capsuled modern pill. 
     As the frigid winds blew in from winter solstice, then onto New Year’s, Zhang’s cauldrons bubbled ferociously on, open to any hungry soul. So it be, each person was served morsels of the pinched creation along with a bowl of nourishing broth. Zhang named these potent bites “jiao-er” after their peculiar shape, translating directly into “charming ears.”
     Although millennia have passed since the gaping cauldrons, the tradition of eating dumplings during New Year’s still burns strong. Being renamed into “jiaozi,” jiao meaning exchange and zi meaning midnight hour, the two wrapped together form a widespread simple delicacy signifying the exchange between new year and old. The partaker casts off old burdens while welcoming new jubilations. 
   Dumpling-making calls for a group effort, as one can only fold so many until the hands tire. Wrapped in tremendous New Year's spirit, families reconnect to rejoice lunar change and to bid best wishes until the following. Preparation involves several steps before serving the steaming bunch on flat chinaware accompanied by rich dipping sauce, making for a popular entree.
What began as a struggle meal ignited into a representation of love through the sharing of food, little by little filling is packed into small pockets of dough; beef representing financial prosperity, cabbage for luck, and chive for everlasting health. 

Picture
Emperor Kang Shis tour of Kiang-Han in 1699, artist: Chaio Ping Chen (1661-1722)
Picture
                               
and   now   for   the   recipe.....
Ingredients:
​
-½ napa cabbage                              -1 onion                                  -1 scallion stalk                                       -1 pound meat of choice (recipe shown below used turkey)                  -2 tbsp ground ginger                     -kosher salt to taste (extra for cabbage)                                         -white/black pepper to taste             -1 tbsp sesame oil                              -dumpling dough wrappers          -flour for dusting

​THE FILLING
  1. Prepare your dough! Store-bought or scratch-produced both work fine. Ensure that dough is at room temperature and nicely moist.
  2. Peel, and remove rough bottom of napa cabbage. This recipe calls for about half of its entirety. Mince finely then transfer to a large bowl. Cabbage holds an immense amount of water, close to 80% of its makeup to be exact; watery fillings are gross and bland! To avoid this, distribute a generous amount of salt then let sit for an hour, after that time cabbage will appear soggy and wilted. Do not fear, that’s the entire point. 
  3. Press firmly on minced cabbage to release the water using your hands. (Lemon juicer works perfect too, if you prefer to not dirty your hands). Set aside in large bowl.
  4. Finely mince scallions, onions and ginger. Combine thoroughly into cabbage mixture along with kosher salt, black pepper, white pepper, sesame oil and ground ginger. 
  5. Bearing a supposedly well-combined vegetable mixture at hand, mix in 1 pound meat of choice, although beef, pork, chicken or shrimp are popular and well-favourable as well. Mix thoroughly, ensure that meat to vegetable ratio is evenly distributed throughout the filling mixture.
  6. Refrigerate till folding.

THE FOLDING & COOKING
  1. Lightly dust cutting board with flour, work fast as wrappers dry out quickly, making them hard to seal. 
  2. Scoop roughly 1 tablespoon of filling onto wrapper, flatten, then with one hand holding the dumpling, begin to pinch with the other starting from the center then receding to the edges. Ensure that filling does not pass the sealed section. For a beginner, your goal isn’t appearance but rather dumplings that will hold shape when boiled. 
  3. Place on working surface then repeat the same manner until desired amount. 
  4. Bring large pot of water to boil.
  5. Carefully add dumplings one at a time, stirring repeatedly to avoid sticking, around 2 minutes. Adjust heat to medium boil. 
  6. Once dumplings begin to float (around 3-5 minutes), continue boiling until full of air, appearing swollen with dough having a translucent hue. 
  7. Transfer immediately to plate. Serve with dipping sauce of choice. (Soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ground ginger or garlic, etc). 
  8. ​Enjoy!
Pro-Tip: if wrappers begin to dry and lose moisture, brush a small amount of water over the edge!