Chicken Stew

Wanted a thicker soup instead of a brothy one. This fit the bill. Served with buttermilk biscuits.

• 500 g boneless skinless chicken thighs, diced 1" 
  
  
  
• 2 T olive oil
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 small onion, chopped 
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 5 T flour
• 1/2 t dried rosemary
• 1/2 t dried thyme
• 1/4 t ground sage
• 1.5 c diced potatoes
• 1.5 c diced sweet potato
• 1/4 c white wine
• 4 c chicken broth
• 1 c green beans (or frozen peas)

1. In Dutch oven, brown chicken in 1 T oil. (Next time try in batches.) Does not have to be cooked through. Transfer to bowl.
2. Add remaining 1 T oil. Saute onions, carrot and celery until onions are softened (3 min).
3. Stir in 3 T flour and seasoning. Cook over medium heat 2 min.
4. Add potatoes, sweet potato, wine, broth and chicken. Bring to boil.
5. Cover and simmer 30 min.
6. Remove lid and add green beans. Cook for 10 min. Thicken with cornstarch slurry (or flour slurry if you might freeze leftovers). 2 T flour + 1 c broth/water - ensure no lumps

Gan Bian Si Ji Dou

DBD started liking this dish last year. This is my second attempt at making it. Still needs improving, but ok as is.

• vegetable oil
• green beans (400-500 g)
• salt
• 115 g pork
• 1/4 t sichuan peppercorns
• 3 dried chilis
• +3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 t ginger, minced
• 1 T shaoxing wine
• 1 T soy sauce
• splash dark soy sauce (optional)
• ~1 t sugar

1. Wash beans. Break off rough end. Dry thoroughly.
2. Heat 1 T oil on medium-high in large skillet. Layer beans, without overlap, and fry for 6-8 minutes, flipping every 15-20 seconds. Beans should start to brown and wither. If pan starts to smoke, turn down heat to medium. Move to plate.
3. Add pork and sichuan peppers to empty pan and cook until surface of pork is cooked.
4. Add the chilis, garlic and ginger. Stir until aromatic.
5. Add the beans, and stir for a few seconds.
6. Add the remaining ingredients (wine, soy(s), sugar). Stir until beans absorb sauce, about 1-2 minutes.
7. Salt to taste.

Mantou

DBD has been asking for mantou (Chinese steamed buns) all year so finally got around to making them on a 30+ degree day, choosing this over cookies so I wouldn't have to turn the oven on. I tried 2 recipes - one a quick one using baking powder, and one with only yeast and a rolling method. I liked the rolling method better, and the kids each liked a different flavor better. DBD liked the one with less sugar. The amounts in brackets were from the first recipe. The second dough came out a bit too sticky so I would adjust next time.

• 
  350 g flour [250 g]
  
• 1 c milk (or soy milk or water) [130 ml lukewarm water]
• 1 t yeast [same]
• 2.5 T sugar [1 T]
• [3/4 t baking soda]

1. Add milk, yeast and sugar in bowl of mixer. Stir.
2. Add the flour. Set to speed 1 to knead for 6 min. (Adjust flour or milk as necessary)
3. Transfer dough out of bowl and cover for 5 min.
4. On lightly floured surface, roll the dough to 10"x14" rectangle.
5. Roll the short way, making a tight log. Roll out a bit more to smooth it out to 12".
6. Cut into 8 equal pieces using a serrated knife. Transfer each to parchment piece. (Optional: roll each piece into ball)
7. Place in steamer and let rise for 1 hour, until dough is expanded.
8. Steam for 10-12 min.

Chinese Cabbage

My mom made this dish constantly when I was growing up and I hated it. But I always had to have a few bites. It seemed like we had it every other day. The crunchy pieces and the leafy pieces were equally bad to me. As I got older, it was a tolerated dish, with the crunchy pieces being easier to eat. Fast forward many decades and I haven't had this dish in ages. I found xia-mi (tiny dried shrimp) in the local asian store and tried to give this a go, using an internet recipe. (Couldn't get the recipe from my mom because she no longer believes in using xia-mi.) Thoroughly enjoyed it. Ginger was quite strong and I would try without the scallions next time.

• 1 chinese cabbage
• 2 T dried shrimp (xia-mi)
• 2 T oil
• 4 scallions, cut into 1 inch pieces (I don't think my mom's recipe used this)
• 1" ginger, peeled and grated (nor this)
• 1 T soy sauce
• 1 T cold water
• 2 t cornstarch
• 1 t salt
• 1/2 t white pepper

1. Place xia-mi in small bowl and cover with boiling water to rehydrate for 15-30 min.
2. Split the cabbage in half lengthwise. Rinse it and shake it dry. Cut out the core and discard. 
3. Cut the cabbage into 1 inch pieces and separate into 2 bowls - one for leafy bits, one for thick white pieces.
4. Drain the shrimp.
5. In large skillet, heat oil over high heat. Add scallions, ginger, and xiami. Toss until fragrant, about 1 min.
6. Add the thick cabbage pieces and lower heat to medium high. Cook for 3-4 min until edges start to look slightly translucent but center is still opaque white.
7. Reduce heat to medium low and add leafy pieces. Cook until wilted, about 2 min.
8. Make cornstarch slurry: combine soy, water, cornstarch in small bowl. Pour over cabbage and cook until sauce has thickened.
9. Season with salt and pepper.

Chinese Style Shrimp and Snap Peas

The traditional dish is shrimp with snow peas but we have an abundance of snap peas growing in the garden and they make a fine substitute. I found this incredibly delicious but the kids were not keen on it (nor did they refuse to eat it). It's important to prep all the ingredients while marinating so they can be added quickly to the pan.

• 
  450 g/1 lb shrimp, deveined, shells removed
  
• 2 t cornstarch
• 1/2 t salt
• 1 T shaoxing wine
• big bowl of fresh snap peas (or snow peas)
• 1 T ginger, minced
• 3 cl garlic, sliced
• 2 T high heat oil
• 1/4 c chicken broth
• 2 t soy sauce
• 1 small stalk green onion, big pieces if not eating, small if eating
• 2 t sesame oil
• optional: white pepper, water chestnuts

1. In a medium container, combine cornstarch, salt and shaoxing wine. Add shrimp. Stir. Let marinate for 15-20 minutes.
2. While marinating, prepare the ginger, garlic, peas and green onion.
3. Use high heat to preheat pan for 1 minute. Add oil and heat another 30 seconds.
4. Add the garlic and ginger and stir for 30 seconds.
5. Add the shrimp with all the marinade, peas, broth and soy sauce. Stir for 2 minutes.
6. Add the green onion and stir another minute.
7. Remove from heat and drizzle with sesame oil.
8. Serve over rice.

Cong You Mian

HM made this for us and it was beyond delicious. I wanted to try my hand at it but it did not come out nearly as well, so I will have to play with it. I used olive oil instead of cooking oil and the noodles were from Amazing Oriental and weren't just flour and water (they had sugar and other ingredients in them). The cong were very big (how does that change the flavor?). Or perhaps I didn't use enough noodles, as they came out very dark. The cong you (scallion oil) flavor was not as strong in mine - perhaps I didn't cook them long enough.

• 
  4 T cooking oil
• 5 stalks scallions, cut into long sections (about 50 g)
• 2 T soy sauce
• 2 T dark soy sauce
• 2 t sugar
• 400 g dried thin, round noodles

1. Pour oil in wok. Add white parts of scallions. Simmer over medium low heat until they wrinkle. Add the green part. Continue to cook until they turn brown, about 10 min. Remove scallions.
2. Add soy sauces and sugar. Cook until the sauce starts to bubble. Remove from heat.
3. Cook the noodles. Drain and rinse briefly. 
4. Put noodles in oil and stir to evenly coat. 
5. Portion out to 4 serving bowls. Top with the fried spring onion and optional cooked vegetables.  

Brown Eggs

I grew up helping my mom peel eggs to make this dish but I never paid attention to how she made the broth. Even as an adult she would make it for me when she visited. Because of the pandemic visits have come to a halt. So since I made beef shanks I used the broth to make the eggs for the first time in my life. Now that the BDs like hard boiled eggs, they enjoy these too.
Jan '23 XBD loves this dish.

• 8-12 eggs (whatever fits in the pot)
  
• leftover braising liquid (from braised beef shank, brown chicken, or braised pork)

1. Add eggs to pot in single layer. Add cold water
1. Gas stove: bring to boil
2. Induction stove: use power mode to bring to boil and then continue to boil at reduced heat for 3 min
2. Cover pot and turn off heat. Wait 7 minutes (up to 9 for gas stove, and depending on size of eggs).
3. Immediately drain to prevent further cooking (which leads to stinky, green layer on yolk) and run cold tap water over the eggs. Let cool in cold water bath (optionally with ice cubes).
4. Once cooled, peel the eggs. Place each egg in broth.
5. Soak overnight in fridge. They will get darker and soak up more broth the longer they sit.
6. Enjoy as snack, sliced or as accompaniment to a noodle soup or rice dish.

Beef Shank Noodle Soup

aka Niu rou mian. This dish came out delicious and even DBD liked the soup broth. I substituted garlic for onion.
6/11/22 Made this again, this time with MM, delicious as ever.

• 
  1 T oil
  
• 1 carrot, sliced
• 1 garlic, minced
• 1.5 c water
• 1 c beef braising liquid from shank recipe
• 2 T ketchup
• 3-4 servings of wheat noodles (ramen, udon, etc)
• broccoli pieces (or Chinese greens)
• braised beef shank, chopped
• salt
• optional: white pepper, pickled radish, chili oil, cilantro

1. Heat oil in pot over medium-high heat. Cook the carrot for 2 min. Add the garlic. Stir to prevent burning and cook another minute.
2. Add the water, braising liquid, and ketchup. Simmer for 10 min
3. In a separate pot, cook the noodles. When done, rinse with cold water and place into serving bowls.
4. Cook the greens in the same pot for about 1-4 minutes (to desired consistency). Place greens in serving bowls.
5. If the shank is cold, add it to the broth to warm it up for minute.
6. Taste the broth. Add salt and white pepper as needed. Pour into the noodle bowls and add beef pieces and optional toppings.

All in One
2026 Been making this as an all in one instead. Left out garlic to test out my possible intolerance. Left out sichuan peppercorns. Use leftover beef to make niu rou hua juan.

• 4-5 beef shanks
• 1 T cooking oil
• 1/2" ginger, thinly sliced
• 2 scallions, cut into 2" pieces
• 2 cl garlic, roughly chopped
• 2 T yellow bean paste
• 3 T rice wine (Shaoxing)
• 1/4 c  soy sauce
• 1/4 c light soy sauce
• 1 T brown sugar
• 3 star anise (was 5)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 clove
• 1/2 T sichuan peppercorns
• 1-3 dried chilis (depending on spice level)
• 1 tomato, cut into wedges
• optional: 1/2 daikon, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 carrots, cut into chunks
• noodles, greens (bok choy, broccoli), cilantro
• salt

1. Blanch the beef in pot of cold water. Bring to boil. Remove and rinse under cold water. Discard water.
2. Heat over med-high ginger, scallions, and garlic, until fragrant. Stir in bean paste and cook for 30 seconds.
3. Add the beef and stir fry until lightly browned. 
4. Stir in rice wine, soy sauces and brown sugar.
5. Cover with water, adding star anise, cinnamon, clove, peppercorn, chilies and tomato. Bring to boil, reduce and simmer over low for 2.5-3 hours.
6. Halfway through, add daikon. 15 min before, add carrot.
7. Cook noodles and greens. Cut shank into chunks. Place all in bowls.
8. Strain liquid before storing (so the star anise doesn't overpower the flavor).

Stovetop Braised Beef Shank - Jiang Niu Rou

MM found 3 beef shanks at the local grocery store and put me in charge of cooking them. My dad showed me how to braise them Chinese style years ago but I never tried and forgot the details (except about blanching the meat and skimming the water). This recipe skipped the draining part. It turned out delicious - the whole family loved it. And I used the leftover broth to make a beef noodle soup, brown eggs, and enjoying plain.
6/11/22 Made this again and when it was time to eat the meat was still a bit tough. We let the rest sit on the stove to cook another 1 or 2 hours and then it was perfectly soft. This time had the peppercorns and shaoxing wine. Used 5 shanks and increased ratio of ingredients accordingly.
Jan '23 Blanched the beef first and drained before cooking with all the flavors in fresh water. This made skimming it easier. Also used new brand of soybean paste.
Feb '23 Blanched first again. Should try blanching with wine next time.
Oct '24 Blanched with Shaoxing wine and cooked extra long - 4 hours - Meat was super tender. Ran out of soybean paste and left out onions

• 3 beef shanks (next time try more to have more leftovers?)
• 2 T Shaoxing wine (I didn't have this so used sake instead)
• 4 green onions, cut into 2" long pieces
• 1 thumb ginger, sliced
• 1 t Sichuan peppercorns (also did not have this)
• 2 T fermented yellow soybean paste (I used fermented, but maybe not yellow)
• 2 T light soy sauce
• 2 T dark soy sauce
• 3 bay leaves
• 3 cloves (I couldn't find the whole cloves so added a dash of ground cloves)
• 2 star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/4 t nutmeg
• dash of cardamom (original asked for 1 black cardamom, optional)
• 1 T sugar
• 1 t salt

1. Blanch the beef: Add the shanks into a pot. Add 4 cups of cold water to cover the beef. Add the onions, ginger, peppercorns and Shaoxing wine. Cook over medium-high heat until it boils. Turn down to medium. Boil for 10 min and skim the foam off regularly.
1. Alternative: Cover shanks with water and add Shaoxing wine. Boil for 10 minutes, skimming off foam regularly. Drain. Cover shanks in fresh water and add flavorings.
2. Make the paste: Combine the soybean paste and soy sauces in a bowl. Mix until dissolved into a smooth sauce.
3. Add the paste to the shank pot, along with the rest of the ingredients. Cook over medium-high heat until it simmers. Turn to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 2 hours (until meat is tender). (Range can be 1.5-2.5 hours depending if you want it to fall apart or not).
4. The beef is ready to eat. Store leftover meat and broth in covered container in fridge. Use beef to eat plain (sliced thin, cold), as addition to beef noodle soup, or on top of rice. Use broth to cook vegetables, make a soup, or flavor rice.

Use to make

- niu rou mian

- brown eggs

- niu rou hua juan

Chilled Braised Bamboo

I love the texture of bamboo. I enjoy them chilled as a side dish or in a thai curry. I feel like I could eat 2 cups of it one sitting. I've avoided cooking it for a long time because the canned stuff has such a weird taste that even boiling doesn't get rid of it. But I recently found a source shrink wrapped instead of canned and it doesn't suffer from the weird taste problem. But now I need to find the perfect marinade/braising technique for making it Chinese style. This was my first attempt and good enough to enjoy, but I think it could still use improving. I can't find dark soy sauce anywhere so perhaps this was the missing ingredient.

• 2 t minced garlic
• 1 T olive oil
• bamboo, sliced thin and cut into rectangles
• 2 T soy sauce
• [didn't use: 1 t dark soy sauce]
• 1 t sugar
• 1/4 t salt
• 200 ml water
• 1 t sesame oil

1. Heat oil in pan and add garlic. Stir and saute for 2-3 min until lightly browned.
2. Add the bamboo and stir.
3. Add the soy sauces, sugar and salt. Cook for another 3 min.
4. Add the water and bring to boil. Reduce heat and cover. Let simmer for 20 min.
5. Stir in the sesame oil for 1 minute.
6. Remove from heat and transfer to bowl to cool. Refrigerate and serve chilled. In a rush, eat warm instead.

Recipe #2

• 2 c water
• 1/2 c teriyaki marinade
• 1/4 c sake
• 1 T soy sauce
• 2 T dry sherry
• 1 dry shitaake mushroom

Steamed Sponge Cake

This is easy to put together and cooks in a rice cooker steam tray. Note: next time try 2 egg ratio.

• 3 eggs
  
• scant 1/2 c sugar
• pinch salt
• 3/5 c cake flour
• optional: 1/4 t baking powder
• 1/2 t vanilla

1. Beat the eggs and sugar for 5 minutes. The volume should increase quite a bit as air is incorporated.
2. Mix salt, cake flour and baking powder in small bowl. Slowly add to the egg mixture.
3. Beat in the vanilla.
4. Line bottom of rice cooker steam tray with parchment paper (to prevent batter seeping through holes and easy separation). Pour in batter.
5. Add 1/2"-1" of water to rice cooker and place steam tray on top. Cover and turn on. Steam for about 25 minutes, until done.
6. Carefully remove lid so as not to drip water on the cake.
7. Use knife to separate cake from sides and flip over onto plate.
8. Serve with fresh strawberries.

Da Bing

My family would order this bread in a restaurant in San Jose when visiting family. Back on the east coast we had no such source for purchasing. So my dad learned how to make it himself, perfected the technique and gave me his recipe. This is similar to the scallion pancake recipe, but a raised dough. I like it better, but it is much more time consuming - you need about 4-5 hours to complete this.

The Dough

Da means Big in Chinese - Big Bing!

• 1.5 c warm water
• 1.5 T sugar
• 1.25 t salt
• 1.5 T olive oil
• 4 c flour
• 1.25 t yeast

1. Mix first group of ingredients well, using water just warmer than skin temperature (about 85F). Let it sit for 10 minutes at 82 degrees*. Knead it well for 5-10 minutes and then let it rise at 82 degrees for 30 minutes. To maintain warm dough for good rising put it in the oven and turn on the light or put in a couple jars (with lid on) of hot water to raise the temperature mildly.
2. Alternatively - stick first 6 ingredients in bread machine and set to dough cycle for 30-40 min.

The Bing

• 1-2 bunches of scallions
• 6 pinches of salt
• 2-4 T oil (canola or sesame)
• sesame seeds

1. Stretch the dough out into a thin square/rectangle by pressing the edge on the counter and working around the edge until the dough is spread out as big as possible, without any holes. You don't need to have a perfect shape; having an even thickness is more desirable.
2. Spread the oil evenly on the surface, using your fingers. Then sprinkle the salt on.
3. Sprinkle 2/3 of the scallions on 2/3 of the bing, leaving 1/3 uncovered. Fold in the uncovered portion over. Then fold in the other third.
4. Sprinkle oil, salt and remaining scallions. Fold in the other direction to make it into a 9 layer square.
5. Spread sesame seeds in a 10" round baking container (smaller is also ok). Place the dough inside. Put a heavy cover on top. Let rise at 100 degrees for 40-60 minutes.
6. Turn the dough upside down to put the sesame side on top. Sprinkle more sesame seeds before placing dough down (or oil or flour) for easy removal later.
7. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes with a heavy cover on top. This is to encourage the bing to spread sideways into the pan instead of just up. My dad recommends using a large dish for easy cleaning, with a metal lid on top. Just be sure everything is oven safe!
8. Uncover and bake an additional 10-15 minutes. Increase to 375 if you like an extra crunchy crust.
9. Optional: Leave the bing in the oven for another 5-10 minutes after turning off the heat.
10. Put on a cooling rack. 

Note

Use all of the scallion OR cut off the white parts and use just the green parts. Stick the whites in a cup of water to regrow more scallions.

Cong You Bing - Scallion Pancakes

My family made these quite often when I was a kid. A successful bing has many layers.
4/26/20 For one bing I put in spicy chutney powder instead of cong+salt. Deliciously spicy!

Dough

• 2 c flour
• 3/4 c boiling water (up to 1 cup)

Filling

• 2 stems of scallions
• salt
• oil (sesame, canola)

1. Slowly add the boiling water to the flour in a food processor and process for 15 seconds OR mix by hand.
2. Let sit covered in an oiled boil for 30 min (or longer).
3. Divide dough into 4 pieces.
4. Roll into large flat shape, as thin as possible.
5. Cover with oil and salt. Spread with fingers. Sprinkle chopped scallions on top.
6. Roll the long side. Start coiling into a snail, end with a second snail coil on top of the first.
7. Squash it with your hand and roll out to final size (NOT as thin as the first time).
8. Cook on low-medium heat in oiled frying pan until nicely browned on each side.
9. Slice into wedges and enjoy warm.

Stir Fry Beef with Broccoli

My attempts at stir fry beef have always turned out tough and chewy - probably due to cut of steak and method of cooking. This time I found flank steak and followed a recipe using a marinade, high heat quick cooking. I only had half the steak needed so sauce was a bit much. Recipe adjusted for this below.

• 2/3 lb flank steak
• 1/4 c oyster sauce
• 2 T sesame oil
• 1/3 c sherry (or half water/half apple cider vinegar)
• 1 t soy
• 1 t brown sugar
• 1 t cornstarch
• 3 T oil
• 3 thin slices ginger
• 1 cl garlic, smashed
• 1 lb broccoli - florets and small stem pieces

1. Combine the oyster sauce to cornstarch.
2. Thinly slice the steak, against the grain.
3. Marinate the meat in the sauce for at least 30 min in the fridge.
4. Heat the oil in a wok and add the ginger and garlic. Saute until aromatic and then discard the ginger and garlic. Add the broccoli to the fragrant oil and cook for 5-7 minutes.
5. Remove the broccoli and then fry the beef in small batches, about 5 min each.
6. Once done, add the broccoli back and cook for 3 min.
7. Serve over rice or hefen noodles.

Mom Style Chicken

Grew up on this type of chicken but only just learned how to make it recently...from Mom! When cooked with bones in, the bones are nice and tender and the marrow is easily accessible. Delicious!

• defrosted or mostly defrosted chicken (drumsticks or thighs, with skin and bone, but can be done with boneless/skinless as well)
• spices: turmeric/ginger/paprika, ginger/chili/coriander/black pepper/soy sauce/sugar
• salt
• water

1. In pan, heat chicken until only lightly browned. Flip and repeat. Note: not all sides need to be browned, and it doesn't have to be very brown.
2. Sprinkle generous amount of salt on the chicken - more than you think you'd like to eat.
3. Pour in water until less than half-way up the chicken.
4. Sprinkle all desired spices on the chicken. Pour in soy sauce if using (1-2 T max). 
5. Cover and simmer for 10-20 min.
6. Flip and continue to simmer covered for another 20-40 min or until desired tenderness. The longer it's cooked, the more it will fall off the bone.
7. Serve with rice and vegetables. NOTE: Vegetables can be steam/sauted with some of the chicken sauce.
8. Refrigerate leftovers - sauce will gel. Sauce can also be used to make Chinese brown eggs.

NOTE

This method can be used for pork and beef. Pork ribs and beef ribs may take 3-4.5 hours.

He Fen

made this several months ago. turned out ok. just found the recipe paper while cleaning the desk.

• 1/2 c stock
• 1 T oyster sauce
• 1 T soy sauce/black bean sauce
• 1 T rice wine
• 1 T sugar
• 1 T cornflour/tapioca starch
• 1 t salt
• 1 t sesame oil
• 1 pkg hefen, separated
• veggies
• garlic, chopped
• ginger, grated
• tofu or meat
• oil

1. Fry noodles for 1 minute. Place into bowls.
2. Fry the garlic and ginger in oil.
3. Add veggies and tofu, cooking over high heat for 5 minutes.
4. Pour in the sauce and simmer.
5. Serve over noodles.

Almond Jello

• 2 T gelatin
• 2/3 c cold water
• 1 1/3 c boiling water
• 1/3 c sugar
• 1 1/3 c milk
• 2 t almond extract

1. Place gelatin in 8x8 dish. Pour cold water in and let gelatin soften (about 5 min).
2. Add sugar and boiling water. Stir constantly until gelatin and sugar are dissolved.
3. Add cold milk and almond extract. Stir.
4. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.

Variations

• Coconut Jello - use coconut milk
  
• Use less liquid for a firmer jello, dice up into cubes and serve with fresh fruit
• Use scalded milk in place of boiling water
  

JiaoZi - Chinese Dumplings

Dumpling making parties are fun and tasty. The mixture is made to taste based on ingredients you prefer and have available. Omit the meat to make vegetarian style. Anything goes with jiaozi - my friend Kevin once made a mango jiao zi because he couldn't eat the pork filling we made.

• 2 pkg wrappers (Shanghai style, not Hong Kong; the thicker the better)
• 1 lb lean ground pork
• 2-3 zucchini (cabbage can be substituted) [balance]
• Chinese mushrooms, soaked and chopped [flavor]
• shrimp (uncooked, peeled, deveined, chopped, liberally salted) 
• salt
• soy sauce
• sesame oil
• freshly grated ginger (or ground ginger for different flavor)
• water chestnuts [texture], chopped
• optional: thin rice noodles (softened and chopped), minced spinach (if low on zucchini), garlic, chives [flavor], pepper (white or black), tofu (firm)

1. Grate zucchini, add salt to sweat. Rest for 10-20 min and drain excess liquid.
2. Add mushrooms, ginger, water chestnut to zucchini. Push to half of bowl. If using, also add spinach, noodles, tofu, chives, garlic.
3. In other half of mixing bowl, add the pork. Season liberally with salt (esp if boiling the dumplings). Add splashes of soy sauce and a dash of sesame oil. Mix pork well.
4. Mix 2 mixtures together.
5. Place filling in wrapper with one or two pieces of shrimp.
6. Boil in water until floating and thoroughly cooked - approximately 4 minutes when fresh. Otherwise, freeze immediately. Frozen dumplings take approximately 7 minutes to cook.

Notes

11/6/11 Had a lot of home ground pork leftover from making sausages (ran out of intestine casings), so used the extra meat to make jiaozi. Local store only carries wonton wrappers (square shape, not circle), so used those instead. Pork, zucchini, sesame oil, soy sauce, ground ginger, water chestnuts/shrimp, chinese mushrooms. 3 batches with various ratios of veg to meat. All delicious!

2/15/22 Had a jiaozi making party - a huge success. One friend made a Hong Kong style filling (scallions, bok choi, pork and garlic). Used 1.3 kg pork between the 2 mixtures and had enough to have lunch amongst the 4 of us as well as feeding 4 families for dinner.