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Dumplings are a dish of Singaporean cuisine made from thin dough with various fillings of meat, seafood, fish, and vegetables. Chefs in different parts of the world prepare this dish according to their own recipes, observing traditions.
The shape and filling of the dumplings can be different. Cooking technologies also vary constantly. However, there are classic cooking methods that will allow you to cook the dish in the best way.
Dumplings: the history of creation
Chinese chefs were the first to cook dumplings in 150 AD. According to legend, the only son of a Chinese herbalist fell ill. His father decided to treat him with a decoction of herbs wrapped in a soft dough.
This method has gained popularity, and the product itself has become the main one in the Chinese diet. Over time, Chinese chefs experimented with the shape of dumplings and the most convenient way of cooking.
Travelers from other countries learned about the unusual dish and decided to adopt it to their countries. Marco Polo, following to China via the Great Silk Road, was delighted with stuffed dough and brought a recipe for dumplings to Italy.
Dumplings got a new birth in the form of ravioli. Now the dish is spread all over the world and has many different forms.
What are the dumplings made of?
The main component of dumplings is thin dough. The Chinese sometimes use rice paper instead of it. The next component is a filling of meat, seafood, fish, or vegetables.
You can come up with many variations of the dish by experimenting with the shape, filling, and type of dough. Spices also occupy a significant place.
Chinese dumplings are a spicy dish. They add curry, hot red pepper, and sometimes even wasabi.
Pros and cons
You can adjust the dumplings to your taste preferences and make them spicy, bland, fatty, or dietary. It all depends on the choice of ingredients. Among the main advantages of the dish:
- easy cooking process
- the choice of ingredients
- high nutritional value
However, there are a couple of disadvantages:
- difficulty in choosing suitable spices
- need for the ability to properly twist the dough
However, after a few preparations, you will become a master of cooking dumplings. You will learn how to properly twist the dough, choose the right amount of filling and choose the right ingredients.
How long should you boil dumplings?
The cooking time of the dumplings depends on the choice of shell. If you have chosen the dough, the cooking time will increase to 30-40 minutes.
If you chose rice paper, cooking is not required. Just dip the rice paper in warm water before wrapping. However, frozen semi-finished products cook faster – only 7-10 minutes.
What’s the best way to cook dumplings?
Many chefs believe that the best way to cook dumplings is to add seafood and meat to the filling at the same time. This is a famous recipe in Singapore, which has become famous all over the world. To repeat it, prepare the following ingredients:
- wheat flour – 1 cup
- boiling water – 125 ml
- sunflower oil – 1 tablespoon minced
- pork – 500 g
- peeled boiled shrimp – 500 g
- soy sauce – 1 tablespoon
- fish sauce – 1 tablespoon
- ground dried garlic – to taste
- salt – to taste
- ground black pepper – to taste
- green onion – 1 piece
Step-by-step cooking technology:
- Take a deep bowl and mix flour and salt in it. Pour in the sunflower oil and add a little boiling water.
- Make a homogeneous dough and let it stand for a while.
- Finely chop the shrimp and onion. Mix with minced meat.
- Add soy and fish sauce. Mix it up.
- Add garlic, salt, and pepper. Let the minced meat stand for 10 minutes.
- Roll out a thin dough and put some minced meat on it. For 1 dumping – 1 teaspoon of minced meat.
- Fasten the dough with your fingers.
- Prepare the tray and put parchment paper on it. It will protect the dumplings from sticking to the surface. The baking time is 40 minutes.
How do I make dumplings in the microwave?
The fastest and most affordable way is cooking dumplings in the microwave. This is a great way to save time during a rush. Professional chefs advise cooking dumplings in the microwave without water. To repeat the recipe, prepare the following ingredients:
- frozen dumplings
- butter
- spices
- salt
Step-by-step cooking technology:
- Take a deep plate and grease it with oil.
- Put the dumplings on the plate so that they do not touch each other.
- Put the dumplings in the microwave for 1.5 minutes.
- Take out the plate, turn the dumplings over, and put them in the microwave again for 1.5 minutes.
- You can decorate the dish with fresh herbs.
What goes with dumplings?
Dumplings are a full-fledged dish that does not need additional ingredients. However, you can pay special attention to sauces: sour cream, mustard, curry.
Fresh or dried herbs are also suited perfectly. You can add them directly to the sauce or sprinkle them on the dumplings. Grated cheese can also be a good addition. Professional chefs advise choosing hard cheese. The taste of such a product will be best combined with the complex taste of dumplings.
Why Are the Dumplings Chewy
The structure of the dumplings depends on the selected ingredients. If you use rice paper instead of dough as a shell, then the dumplings will be chewier. The dough will make the structure of the product more tender and soft. The filling also affects the viscosity and density of the product.
Meat chews easier than vegetables or seafood. Dumplings with shrimp wrapped in rice paper are the chewiest version of the dish.
What is the difference between a dumpling and a wonton?
Dumplings mostly consist of dough, while wontons mostly consist of meat. The Chinese make wontons square, making most of the product from meat. Dumplings are more mobile – there is no specific standard of shape and amount of filling.
However, the cooking time and cooking methods of dumplings and wontons are quite similar. If you come to China, you will be offered wontons. It is a dish that has completely preserved the tradition of Chinese cuisine and has not changed in any way since ancient times.
Drop dumplings for the stew recipe
If you want to cook dumplings for stew, choose this recipe. This dish will be a great addition to a hearty meat dinner. To prepare it, prepare the following ingredients:
- self rising flour – 1 cup
- baking powder – 2 teaspoons
- salt – 1/2 teaspoon
- butter – 1 tablespoon
- fresh parsley
- milk – 1/2 cup
- beef stew
Step-by-step technology of preparation:
- Take a deep bowl. Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Cut the butter and mix it with a fork. Add finely chopped parsley to the butter.
- Add half a cup of milk to the flour. Mix well until smooth.
- Bring the beef stew to a boil in a saucepan. Add the dough circles there.
- The cooking time is 10 minutes. The main thing is not to cover the pan with a lid.
- Serve stewed meat with dumplings, coarsely chopped carrots, and fresh herbs. Sour cream will also be a great addition.
Fluffy dumplings for the stew recipe
You can make dumplings without filling them if you want to serve them with stew. To make the dish look lush, you can make dumplings from flour and eggs. Prepare the necessary ingredients:
- egg – 1 piece
- water or milk – 2 tbsp
- wheat flour – 4 tbsp
- salt – 1 pinch
Step-by-step cooking technology:
- In a deep bowl, beat the egg, carefully crack it with a fork to disperse the yolk.
- Add cold water or milk, salt, and stir.
- Enter the sifted flour in portions, working intensively with a fork or whisk to eliminate the appearance of lumps. You will get a thick dough that will hardly drain from the spoon.
- Spread into the soup, scooping 1/2 teaspoon each.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes, as soon as they pop up, then they are ready.
Old fashioned dumplings for the stew recipe
There is an old-fashioned dumpling recipe that hasn’t changed over the years. This dish will be a great addition to stew. To repeat the classic recipe, prepare the necessary ingredients:
- chicken egg – 1 piece
- salt – to taste
- milk – 3 tbsp
- wheat flour – 3 tbsp
Step-by-step cooking technology:
- Whisk the salt and egg with a whisk.
- Add milk to the salt and egg mixture.
- Sift the flour and also add to the mixture.
- Boil water in a saucepan and place the dough balls there. The cooking time is 10 minutes.
- Add dumplings to the stew and garnish with fresh herbs.
How to make dumplings with Bisquick (soft dough)
The most unusual recipe for dumplings is the use of sponge dough. To cook this ultimate comfort food, prepare the necessary ingredients:
- eggs – 5 pieces
- flour – 0.5 cups
- cold butter – 1.5 tablespoons
- white breadcrumbs – 2 pcs
Step-by-step technology of preparation:
- Rub a spoonful of butter and add 5 beaten egg yolks there.
- Add 6 teaspoons of flour to the butter.
- Stir the dough until smooth.
- Take a small saucepan and grease it with oil, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and pour the dough into it.
- Bake until cooked. Before serving, cut the sponge cake into small square pieces.
Korean dumplings recipe (boiling stew)
Korean dumplings are on the top among Asian cuisine. It is a national dish that you can cook in any way. To prepare a great beef stew, you will need the following ingredients:
- 300 grams of self raising flour
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp of granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 100 ml of water
- 700 grams of pork
- 300 grams of beef
- 100 grams of onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- 500 grams of tofu
- 1 kilogram of kimchi
- 40 grams of green onions
- 40 milliliters soy sauce
- ground black pepper
Step-by-step cooking technology:
- Sift the flour into the middle size bowl. Add salt and granulated sugar to the flour.
- Make a depression in the flour slide, drive an egg into it and pour in water. Knead the dough.
- As soon as the dough becomes homogeneous and elastic, wrap it in plastic wrap and leave it to rest while the filling is being prepared.
- Rinse pork and beef, dry on paper towels.
- Cut the meat into small pieces. Pass the meat through a meat grinder.
- Wash and finely chop the onion, garlic, and green onion.
- Add vegetables and herbs to the meat. Also, add salt and ground black pepper.
- Add tofu cheese to the minced meat.
- Â Pour in the soy sauce and stir the minced meat until smooth.
- Roll out the dough and separate the small circles from it with the help of molds.
- Place the meat filling in the center of each circle and wrap it.
- Cook the dumplings for a couple. The cooking time is 30 minutes.
How to make dumplings for stew (baking powder)
Many people like chicken soup with meatballs and dumplings. It is comfort food that everyone can quickly cook at home. To repeat the recipe, prepare the necessary ingredients:
- chicken carcass – 300 g
- potatoes – 350 grams
- onion – 1 piece
- carrots – 0.5 pcs
- egg – 1 piece
- self raising flour – 60 grams
- sunflower oil – 30 ml
- parsley greens – 0.25 bunch
- bay leaf – 1 piece
- salt – to taste
- ground black pepper – to taste
- water – 1.6 liters
Step-by-step cooking technology:
- Wash the chicken, put it in a saucepan, pour clean cold water, and put it on the stove over high heat.
- As the water boils, turn down the heat and leave the chicken meat to cook until tender.
- Peel the potatoes, wash them, and cut them into cubes.
- When the boiling a stew is ready put it out of the pot.
- Put the chopped potatoes into the broth, add salt. Bring the broth to a boil over high heat. Turn down the heat again and cook the potatoes 15.
- Peel the onion and carrot. Cut the onion into small cubes. Grate the carrots on a fine grater.
- Heat the cold butter oil in a frying pan and fry the onion and carrot on it for 3 minutes.
- When the potatoes are cooked, lower the chicken meat and roast into the soup. Leave the soup with chicken and potatoes to cook at a slow boil for 5 minutes.
- In a mixing bowl, break an egg, add salt. Stir until smooth.
- Form the dumplings and dip them into the chicken broth. Cook until tender. Serve chicken stew immediately.
Final thoughts
Dumplings is a classic dish of Asian cuisine. It is a baking dish that will require you only 20-30 mins to cook. You will be able to choose the ingredients for such a dish as a constructor. You can choose different types of dough and filling.
The main thing is to learn how to choose the right cooking time and fasten the dumplings so that they do not disintegrate during cooking.