I feel extremely lucky -- I have one class of just eight students, six of whom have decided that they really like me... so much so that they suggested that we make jiaozi (dumplings) at my house this weekend.
Dumplings!!! Well, now, those are wrapped in dough!
The students, aged between 15 and 17, are in one of my lower-ability classes. They are not the top-flight, diligent, serious workaholics that you imagine when you think of Chinese students. Rather, these students remind me of American teenagers -- they talk freely about their love of popstars, basketball, and movies. They don't rhapsodize about the joys of playing the piano and studying hard. They are just living their lives. They are my absolute favorite class.
Despite their suggestion of the dumpling-making festival, none of my students actually knew how to make dumplings from scratch. Thankfully, the parents of one student, "Frank", lent their expertise, and sent Frank's father along with him, bearing dumpling dough, filling, rolling pins, flour, and patience. Under his supervision, we began our dumpling odyssesy.
I attempted this for about two minutes, before I was replaced by the able and more knowledgeable "Kevin". After the dough was kneaded, it was rolled into a long, thin strand.
Then, Frank's father used a cleaver to slice off individual pieces about the diameter of a golf ball.
We each took turns sprinkling flour on our palms, flattening the dough balls, and rolling them into round little pancakes.
Frank's father had a masterful technique for rolling and spinning the dough, allowing him to churn out perfectly round slips of dough at about five times the rate that I did.
Chopsticks are really the ideal instruments for stuffing any sort of item that is wrapped in dough. You can easily grasp the right amount needed for filling your pouch; you can just easily flick away what you don't need. And you don't have to get your hands dirty at all.
The filling in our case was minced pork and chive... standard and delicious.
I didn't manage to photograph the wrapping technique, but it surprised me. Instead of just folding the circle in half and sealing up the ends, you pinch the top together, and then use your finger to create two "double folds" at the end. You smush those double-folds together, and repeat on the opposite end of the dumpling. I really stunk at this, and let my students take over.
Dang, these turned out good. I toasted first my students, and then Frank's father for his kind help.
We made far too many jiaozi. Maybe the students were so hopped up on Coke and orange juice that they couldn't eat anymore. At any rate, ... I have about 50 in my freezer. And I have a litle bit more knowledge about how to make these things myself.
Posted by Astrid at November 28, 2004 02:19 AM