How To Cook: |
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TO MAKE THE FILLING:
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1. With a cleaver or heavy, sharp knife, trim the wilted leaves and root ends from the cabbage, and separate the cabbage into stalks. Wash the stalks under cold running water, drain and chop them very fine.
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2. Then place the chopped cabbage in a kitchen towel or double layer of cheesecloth and squeeze it firmly to extract as much of its moisture as possible.
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3. In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, chopped ginger root, wine, soy sauce, salt and sesame-seed oil, and then add the chopped cabbage. With your hands or a large spoon, mix all the ingredients together until they are thoroughly blended.
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TO MAKE THE DOUGH:
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1. Sift the flour into a mixing bowl and, with your hands or a large spoon, gradually combine it with the water, mixing until stiff dough is formed.
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2. Knead the dough in the bowl for 5 minutes, or until it is smooth, then cover the bowl with a dampened cloth and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
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3. Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and knead it for another 2 or 3 minutes. Divide the dough into two parts, and, with your hands, firmly shape each piece into a sausage like cylinder about 12 inches long and 1 inch in diameter.
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4. With a cleaver or sharp knife, cut the rolls of dough crosswise into ½-inch slices. Lay the slices on a lightly floured surface and sprinkle their tops with a light dusting of flour. One at a time, press the slices with the palm of your hand to flatten them to about ¼ inch thickness.
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5. Then roll each slice with a rolling pin into a 3-inch-round shape about 1/8 inches thick, turning it an inch or so in a clockwise direction as you roll so that the circle keeps its shape.
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6. Arrange the rounds side by side on a lightly floured tray or cookie sheet. Cover with a dry kitchen towel.
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TO ASSEMBLE:
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1. For each dumpling, place 2 teaspoonfuls of the filling in the center of a round of dough and shape the filling into a strip about 1½ inch long.
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2. Fold the round in half to make a half-moon shape and pinch the edges together at the center of the arc. With your fingers, make three or four small pleats in one side of the opening at each end of the arc to gather the dough around the filling.
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3. Pinch all along the top of the dumpling to seal pleated and smooth edges together. Transfer the finished dumpling to the floured tray or cookie sheet and keep it covered with the dry towel while you proceed with the rest.
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TO BOIL:
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1. In a 4- to 5-quart pot, bring 2 quarts of water to a bubbling boil. Drop in the dumplings and turn them about in the water once with chopsticks or a large slotted spoon to prevent their sticking together.
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2. Cover the pot and cook over high heat only until the water comes to a boil. Immediately pour in 1 cup of cold water, recover the pot and bring the water in it to a boil again.
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3. Repeat this process twice more, adding 1 cup of cold water each time. Then remove the dumplings from the water with a bamboo strainer or slotted spoon.
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4. Arrange the boiled dumplings on a heated platter and serve them at once. Serve the combined soy sauce and vinegar separately as a dip or sauce for the dumplings.
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TO FRY:
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1. Set a 12-inch skillet over high heat for 30 seconds. Pour in 2 tablespoons of oil and swirl it about in the pan. Place the dumplings, sides just touching, pleated side up, in the pan.
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2. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, or until the bottoms brown lightly. Add 1 cup of chicken stock, cover the pan tightly and cook over moderate heat for about 10 minutes, or until the liquid has been absorbed.
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3. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and gently swirl it about in the skillet. Let the dumplings fry uncovered for 2 minutes longer.
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4. With a spatula or large spoon, gently loosen the dumplings from the bottom of the skillet and transfer them browned side up to a heated platter.
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5. Serve the fried dumplings as soon as they are finished. Accompany them with the soy sauce and vinegar, combined in a small bowl, to be used as a dip or sauce for the dumplings.
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