Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Go around the world with dumplings
Pockets of dough with all sorts of fillings found in many cultures
Standing behind the counter at Cooking Spotlight in Phoenixville, she spooned the filling, folded the dumplings decoratively and placed them on a tray.
“They’re light. They’re a really nice snack. They’re a nice starter, and actually they’re not that hard to make,” said Hanko, who learned while living in Taiwan and now teaches others.
“You can make them however you want; fold them however you want. Be creative,” she said. “It’s a nice thing to do with your kids. It’s a nice thing to do with your family, your friends.”
“When you make Asian dumplings, it’s a family affair,” agreed chef Ketmala Phoumalavong of Ketmala’s Kitchen in West Chester. “It’s really fun!”
Born in Laos and raised in France, she too likes showing people how to make steamed, baked or pan-fried dumplings, using her mother’s dough recipe and different fillings.
“The variety is just amazing,” Phoumalavong said. “They’re just so pretty to look at.” And “it’s really easy once you get all your ingredients prepped.”
So easy, in fact, that she offers a dumpling class for children.
“It comes together pretty fast,” said Vicky Hanko as she rolled dough to make dumplings, keeping each circle thicker in the middle and thinner on the edges.
“They love it!” Phoumalavong said.
People around the world delight in dumplings.
“I’m originally from Jamaica, and we eat a lot of dumplings there,” said Damian H. Gauld, executive chef at Exton’s DulingKurtz House Restaurant & Country Inn. “Rice dumplings, whole wheat dumplings, cassava dumplings, cornmeal dumplings, lychee dumplings, apple dumplings.”
“I came in one day and felt like making an apricot dumpling,” he added. “You can make it sweet as a dessert, but you can also make it so it can go with other things” like pork, steak or pheasant.
Back at Cooking Spotlight, talk turned to pierogi or Polish dumplings.
“They just bring back a lot of childhood memories,” said Hanko, whose grandmother incorporated leftover roast beef.
“When she made those, it was like a special treat,” the chef continued. “I loved those! Traditionally, it’s usually potato and cheese, which are delicious.”
Hanko also remembers eating spaetzle or German dumplings.
“Different country, different type of dumpling,” she said and served her husband a plate of vegetable dumplings, which he eagerly enjoyed.
Vegetable Dumplings
INGREDIENTS
Dough* 2½ cups all-purpose flour 2/3 cup boiling water 1/3 cup cold water Vegetable/tofu filling ½ pound firm tofu ½ cup shredded or coarsely grated carrots ½ cup shredded napa or savoy cabbage 2tablespoons minced scallions 2teaspoons minced ginger 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce 2teaspoons toasted sesame oil 1 egg, lightly beaten Salt and pepper Dipping Sauce ½ tablespoon garlic, minced 1½ tablespoons Chinese vinegar 1 teaspoon sugar 2tablespoons soy sauce 2tablespoons sesame oil 1 teaspoon hot pepper oil
INSTRUCTIONS
For dough: Put flour in medium-large bowl. Add the boiling water and stir. Add the cold water. Knead the dough very well and let it stand for at least 20minutes covered with plastic wrap. For filling: Line a plate with paper towels. Slice the tofu horizontally. Place one slice on the plate and top with a couple paper towels; lay on the other slice and cover with paper towels. Place a plate on top. Add a weight (like a 14-ounce can of beans/vegetables) on the top plate. Let stand for 15 to 20minutes. Afterward, unwrap and cut the tofu into very small pieces (¼-inch cubes). Put the tofu in a large bowl and add all the other filling ingredients. Stir together well. Set aside. For dipping sauce: Place all ingredients in medium-size bowl and stir together. Set aside. Line a cookie sheet with parchment, waxed paper or flour. Unwrap the dough and knead on lightly floured board until smooth. Cut the dough into 4pieces. Keep one piece on your board and put the rest of the dough under the plastic wrap. Roll the piece of dough into a long log about 1½ inches in thickness. Cut the log into 1-inch wide pieces. Flatten each piece with your hand and roll it into a 2½- to 3-inch diameter circle (may use a tortilla press for this part). Add 1 tablespoon filling into the center of the pancake. Have a little bowl of water nearby. Brush the edges of the pancake with a little water (to make a good seal). Fold the pancake over to make a half circle. Pinch the edges together. Place the dumpling on the lined cookie sheet and continue making the rest of the dumplings in this manner. Can fry or steam the dumplings at this point. Frying: Add ¼-inch of oil into a frying pan over medium-high heat. When the oil has heated, add the dumplings, cover and fry for about 1 minute. Turn heat to high and add enough water to come about 1/3 of the way up the sides of the dumplings. Bring to boil. Cover and cook until the water has evaporated. Turn heat down to medium-high, take off the lid and let dumplings crisp up again — about 1 minute. Serve with dipping sauce. Steaming: Place either a wet paper towel, wet cheesecloth or lettuce leaves on the bottom of a steamer tray. Place dumplings on top. Bring water in steamer bottom to a boil. Top with the tray of dumplings and cover. Cook for about 5minutes. Makes 30 to 40dumplings. * Instead of making your own dough, you may also use pre-made dumpling rounds — usually found in Asian markets. RECIPE COURTESY OF COOKING
SPOTLIGHT
Pierogi with Browned Butter & Onions
INGREDIENTS
Dough: 2cups flour (plus a bit extra for kneading) 1 egg, beaten ½ cup water 1 tablespoon sour cream ½ teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon olive oil Fillings: Potato & Cheese: 6medium potatoes ¾ cup cheddar cheese, shredded 4tablespoons unsalted butter Salt and pepper Beef & Onion: 2cups cooked pot roast or chuck roast, ground ½ cup onions, chopped 1 tablespoon butter or oil Salt and pepper 1 stick (8tablespoons) unsalted butter 1 large onion, cut into large dice 2tablespoons chopped parsley
INSTRUCTIONS
Make the dough. In a medium-size bowl, add 2 cups of flour. Make a well in the center of the flour. Add the beaten egg, water, sour cream, oil and salt. Stir together, bringing in the flour from the sides into the center until all ingredients are mixed. Put flour on your hands and start kneading the dough while in the bowl until all the bits of flour are incorporated. Turn the dough out onto a wellfloured surface and start to knead until the dough does not stick to your hands. Don’t add too much flour as this will make the dough too stiff. Put the dough back into the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest at least 45minutes while you prepare the fillings. Potato & Cheese: Peel and cut potatoes into large pieces. Put them into a large pot and cover with cold water. Add a couple tablespoons of salt to the potatoes; place over high heat and boil until they are fork-tender. Drain the potatoes and add them back into the pot. Add the cheese, butter, salt and pepper, and mash all together. Set aside to cool thoroughly. Beef & Onion: This filling is a great way to use leftover pot/chuck roast from a previous dinner. Add 1 tablespoon oil or butter into a sauté pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onions and cook until softened. Take off the heat. Cut the already cooked beef into chunks and add to a food processor to grind finely. Add the ground beef to the onions, add salt and pepper, and mix together. Cool before filling the pierogi. Assembly: Turn out your dough onto a floured surface and cut into quarters. Keep one dough ball on the floured surface and put the remaining pieces back into the bowl under the plastic wrap. Roll out the dough to about 1/8-inch thick. Use a 3-inch round cookie cutter to cut circles out of the dough. (Can also use a glass or biscuit cutter.) Remove the scraps of dough from around the circles and place into the plastic wrapped covered bowl. Fill each circle with 1 to 2 teaspoons of filling (about 1½-inch balls for the potato cheese filling). Brush one side of the dough circle with water to help create a seal. Fold the dough over the filling and press along the edge to seal. Then, use the tines of a fork to press the edges. Set the completed filled pierogi onto a floured baking sheet. Continue with this process until you have used all the dough. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, cut the onion into a large dice. Add the stick of butter into a large skillet with deep sides over medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted, add the onions and a bit of salt. Cook until the onions are soft and browned and keep over low heat. Once the pot of water has come to a boil, add the pierogi in batches. Once they rise to the top, continue to cook for another 2minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon or spider, draining as much water off of the pierogi as possible. Add the pierogi to the skillet with the browned onions and coat with the mixture. Cook the remaining pierogi and add them to the onions, coating the pierogi with the butter and onions. Add salt and pepper and chopped parsley. Serve immediately. Makes approximately 30 pierogi.