Pork and Chive Dumplings

From Italian ravioli and Polish pierogis to South American empanadas and Indian samosas, it seems all around the world, there are many different types of dumplings. Chinese dumplings, or "shui jiao," have been enjoyed for over 1,800 years. The shape of the dumplings were designed to mimic the look of a gold ingot, and there are many methods of folding the dumplings. Common fillings include shrimp, cabbage, mushrooms, and/or beef. Here, I am sharing a pork and chive mix.

Recipe Courtesy of: "Aunt & Uncle China"

My siblings and I have always referred to my mother's oldest brother and his wife as "Uncle & Aunt China" because they were our only close relatives who had lived there. Although my family is of Chinese descent, my grandparents had moved to Cambodia, where my parents, aunts, and uncles were all born and raised.

At the age of 17, my eldest uncle on my mother's side was sent to China for school. My mother and her other siblings were separated from Uncle China for more than 20 years. They lost complete contact for 5 years when communications within and outside Cambodia were forbidden under Khmer Rouge occupation.

While in the Thai refugee camp, my mother and another Uncle wrote to a newspaper at the university in China, where my Uncle had attended school. They wrote in search of their brother to let him know that they were alive. A professor read the article and recognized Uncle China in the photo, and passed along the info, helping to re-establish a connection.

My mother wrote and phoned Uncle + Aunt China for years and finally visited him in 1984. By the late 1990s, she arranged for them to immigrate to the U.S. with their son, David. They lived with us in California for several years, and used to make food for us every day, including dumplings. This recipe gives me fond memories of that time.

Dedicating this to David, who had moved back to China and sadly passed away there in the summer of 2018.

Photographed above (1): My uncles / my mom's three brothers. Uncle China is the eldest in the middle. (2): My late Grandmother, Uncle China on the far right. My mom, the youngest one to the left of my grandmother.

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Ingredients

Dumplings

1 lb ground pork

1 pack wonton wrappers

2 bundles green onions

1 egg

1/2 tsp white pepper

1/2 tsp chicken bouillon powder

1 tbsp sesame oil

2 tbsp of soy sauce

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup water

Dipping Sauce

Soy sauce

Satay BBQ sauce

Sesame oil

Black vinegar

Chopped Green onions

Instructions

1. Add eggs, white pepper, salt, and sesame oil to ground pork. Mix well.

2. Add and mix in green onions until evenly distributed.

3. Sprinkle all purpose flour on aluminum pans to prevent dumplings from sticking

4. Prepare one small bowl of water before making dumplings

5. Use a dessert spoon to portion out pork mixture.

6. Spoon the meat into center of the dumpling wrapper.

7. Dip your index finger in the bowl of water and wet the edge of 1/2 of the wrapper.

8. Pinch in the center, and create 2 folds on each side of the center on the front of the dumpling, being sure to fold it correctly.

9. Cook dumplings in boiling water for 6-7 minutes. Keep the water at a low boil by lowering heat and/or adding in a few cups of cold water Once done, strain from water and enjoy with your favorite dipping sauce!