Pork Dumplings

Preparation In a medium bowl, soak the mushrooms in 1/2 cup cold water for 30 minutes, or until softened. Drain and squeeze dry (reserve soaking liquid for use in soups). Cut off and discard stems and mince the caps. Peel water chestnuts with a paring knife and finely mince to make about 2 cups. In a medium bowl, combine the pork, mushrooms, water chestnuts, cilantro, and scallions. Add the rice, wine,. soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine. Add cornstarch and combine by hand. Add the egg whites and continue to combine by hand. You should have about 3 cups. Place won ton skins on work surface and lightly cover with a damp towel. If you are right-handed, touch the tip of your left index finger to the tip of your thumb to form a small circle. Place one won ton skin over the hole and place about 2 teaspoons of filling in the center of the won ton skin. Gently let the won ton filling drop halfway through the hole, and gently squeeze in with your left hand. Then, carefully pleat excess skin, pressing down filling. Stand filled dumpling on the work surface and continue filling the rest of the won ton skins. Line a bamboo or metal steamer basket or cake rack with 2 cabbage leaves. Place the dumplings on the leaves in a single layer, 1/2 inch apart. The size of your steamer rack will determine how many dumplings can be cooked at one time. Bring water to a boil in a covered steamer over high heat. Carefully place the steamer basket or rack (if using a rack, the water level cannot touch the cabbage leaves) into steamer, cover, and steam 5 to 7 minutes on high heat until the pork is just cooked through. Carefully remove dumplings from the steamer and continue steaming remaining dumplings using fresh cabbage leaves and replenishing steamer with more boiling water, if necessary. Serve immediately. Reprinted with permission from The Wisdom of the Chinese Kitchen by Grace Young. © 1999 Simon & Schuster

Preparation In a medium bowl, soak the mushrooms in 1/2 cup cold water for 30 minutes, or until softened. Drain and squeeze dry (reserve soaking liquid for use in soups). Cut off and discard stems and mince the caps. Peel water chestnuts with a paring knife and finely mince to make about 2 cups. In a medium bowl, combine the pork, mushrooms, water chestnuts, cilantro, and scallions. Add the rice, wine,. soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine. Add cornstarch and combine by hand. Add the egg whites and continue to combine by hand. You should have about 3 cups. Place won ton skins on work surface and lightly cover with a damp towel. If you are right-handed, touch the tip of your left index finger to the tip of your thumb to form a small circle. Place one won ton skin over the hole and place about 2 teaspoons of filling in the center of the won ton skin. Gently let the won ton filling drop halfway through the hole, and gently squeeze in with your left hand. Then, carefully pleat excess skin, pressing down filling. Stand filled dumpling on the work surface and continue filling the rest of the won ton skins. Line a bamboo or metal steamer basket or cake rack with 2 cabbage leaves. Place the dumplings on the leaves in a single layer, 1/2 inch apart. The size of your steamer rack will determine how many dumplings can be cooked at one time. Bring water to a boil in a covered steamer over high heat. Carefully place the steamer basket or rack (if using a rack, the water level cannot touch the cabbage leaves) into steamer, cover, and steam 5 to 7 minutes on high heat until the pork is just cooked through. Carefully remove dumplings from the steamer and continue steaming remaining dumplings using fresh cabbage leaves and replenishing steamer with more boiling water, if necessary. Serve immediately. Reprinted with permission from The Wisdom of the Chinese Kitchen by Grace Young. © 1999 Simon & Schuster