Southern Silk Purses

Servings: Approximately 60 -70 pork dumplings 

 

Ingredients: 

 

Dumpling Dough:

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup cold water

 

Filling:

4 cups pulled pork

8 tablespoons pulled pork sauce

 

Directions: 

 

Bring cold water to a boil. 

 

Pour 3/4 cup of boiling water into a measuring cup and allow to stand at room temperature for 2 minutes.

 

Place a 2′ long piece of parchment paper on a solid, level surface. 

 

While the water is standing, sift four into a bowl.  Sift  flour into the bowl a second time.

 

Add the slightly cooled 3/4 cup boiled water in a steady stream to the four while stirring the flour with a wooden spoon.  Stir until all the water has been added.  The result will be a bowlful of lumps.

 

Use one’s hands to pull the dough pieces into a single ball of dough.  If there is too much loose flour or the dough will not come together, add boiled water one teaspoon at a time until the dough creates a ball.

 

Transfer the ball to the parchment paper. 

 

Knead the ball of dough with your knuckles and the heels of your hands for 2 minutes, turning the dough frequently.  The dough should be smooth and elastic, and will spring back when gently pressed down. 

 

Wrap the dough in a waterproof bag and seal. 

 

Place bag inside the folds of a cotton towel.  Allow to rest at room temperature for 2 hours.  The dough should steam within the bag and should be soft and pliable at the end of the 2 hours. 

 

Fit 4 pieces of parchment paper to 4 sheet pans.

 

 

Chef’s Note: Do not flour the parchment paper or the marble rolling pin. 

 

 

Cut rested dough ball in half. 

 

Return 1 half to the bag and seal.

 

Roll the first half into a 1″ thick roll.

 

Use a sharp knife to cut a 3/8″ thick piece off one end of the roll. 

 

Wrap the remainder of the roll in a moist towel. 

 

Roll the dough piece out into a thin circle with a marble rolling pin.  Carefully remove the dough from the rolling pin as necessary, turn dough and roll until the circle is complete.  The wrapper should be thin enough that light can be seen through it, i.e. paper-thin. 

 

Stir pork sauce into pulled pork until well incorporated. 

 

Fill wrapper by placing 1 1/2 teaspoon of the filling in the upper half of the wrapper. 

 

Fold the bottom half up over the filling. 

 

Seal the edge of the dumpling.  If necessary, brush one interior edge lightly with water.  Then press together. 

 

Crimp edge to create a decorative seal.  Place completed dumpling on the parchment paper-lined sheet pan. 

 

Cover dumpling(s) with a moistened towel. 

 

Continue process until all of the dumplings, from both halves of dough, are made. 

 

Make sure that when a dumpling is placed on the paper-lined sheet pan that it does not touch any of the other dumplings on the sheet.  Move to the next parchment covered sheet as necessary. 

 

To Cook:

 

Preheat oven to 350 F.  When oven reaches the desired temperature. turn it off.

 

Fried:

 

Brush the bottom of a large skillet with butter. 

 

When butter bubbles, place enough dumplings in the skillet to cover the bottom without any of the dumplings touching. 

 

Fry approximately 1 minutes, until golden brown on the bottom.  Turn dumplings carefully with a tong.  Fry approximately 1 minutes or until that side is golden brown. 

 

Add 1 cup chicken broth to a second large skillet.  When the pan of dumplings is browned, place the fried dumplings in the skillet with the chicken stock.  Bring broth to a boil and cover tightly with a lid.

 

Steam for 6 minutes. 

 

Place finished dumplings in the warmed oven until all dumplings are cooked. Continue frying and steaming dumplings until all are finished.

 

Steamed: 

 

Fill the bottom of a steamer with cold water.  Water should not touch the bottom of the steamer. 

 

Bring water to a boil. 

 

While water is heating, place dumplings in a single layer in the steamer basket.  Dumplings should not touch each other. 

 

When water boils, place steaming basket over water. 

 

Boiling water must not touch the steaming basket. 

 

Cover with a tight fitting lid. Steam for 10-12 minutes.  The dough will be an opaque cream in color. Do not allow steamer to go dry. 

 

Place finished dumplings on sheet pans lined with parchment paper, tent with foil and place in warmed oven until all dumplings are finished. 

 

Plate over cabbage slaw. 

 

Garnish with parsley. 

 

Serve with warm sauce on the side for dipping.