Book of Days Tales

The Chinese New Year is based on a lunisolar calendar as are a number of Asian festivities, which means that it moves around the Gregorian calendar, and may fall either in late January or early February.  This year (2025) we move from the year of the dragon to the year of the snake. The years also cycle through the five classic Chinese elements — fire, water, wood, metal, and earth. This year is the year of wood.

Dumplings are a classic dish for Chinese New Year. These are pork and garlic chives. It is possible to make the dumpling skins yourself but I typically buy them readymade.

Ingredients

500 gm ground pork
200 gm Chinese garlic chives, chopped
1 ½ tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp sugar
1½ tsp cornflour
1 tbsp sesame oil
pre-made dumpling wrappers
vegetable oil for frying

For the dumpling sauce

1 tbsp Chinese black vinegar
1 tsp chilli oil
½ tbsp sesame oil
1 small spring onion, finely sliced

Instructions

Tip the pork and chives into a bowl. Add the light soy sauce, oyster sauce, white pepper, 1 tsp salt, the sugar, cornflour and sesame oil, then mix well. Cover and leave to marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hr. Meanwhile, combine the dumpling sauce ingredients in a bowl and put in the refrigerator until needed.

Dipping a finger into cold water, wet the bottom half edges of a dumpling wrapper, then add ½ tbsp of the filling into the center.

Fold the dumpling from the bottom up and firmly pinch at the middle, then start pleating each side from the right into the center, firmly pinching as you go. Tuck in the sides and repeat with the left side. Firmly pinch across the top of the dumpling to ensure a tight seal. Repeat.

Bring a large pan of water to a boil and cook the dumplings in batches, around 10 at a time. Cook for 3-4 mins until the dumplings float to the top. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Repeat until all the dumplings are cooked.

Add a splash of oil to a frying pan and heat on a medium-high heat. Fry the boiled dumplings on each side for 4 mins or until golden brown, then serve with the dumpling sauce either drizzled over or for dipping.