Linda FastesonFunctional support
Eileen LeePlump, spicy and juicy chorizo dumplings from the cookbook Double Awesome Chinese Food are served with white bean puree and coriander-infused oil.
Adding spicy chorizo to Chinese dumplings may be unconventional, but boston magazinedelicious delights from mei mei dumplings “Maybe the best two-sip in town.”
People just love dumplings,” said chef Eileen Lee, who co-founded Mei Mei as a food truck with siblings Andrew and Margaret in 2012. Meimei means “younger sister” in Mandarin and was the siblings’ favorite food growing up.
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“Many of my favorite childhood memories are of making and eating dumplings in a kitchen filled with noise, laughter and love,” Lee said. “I also love that dumplings exist all over the world. We like to say dumplings run the world, because in so many cultures, they have some form of knish, empanada, tortellini, etc. Because there are foods that are stuffed. praying mantis And again and again. ”
Lee’s culinary roots go back to his grandparents’ China Garden Restaurant in White Plains, New York, from the 1950s to the 1970s. It was famous for its elegant gourmet rooms that featured what were considered exotic delicacies at the time, as well as the types of dishes served in Chinese aristocratic homes.
Although China Garden closed before Lee was born, Lee and his siblings seem to have inherited the same food tips as their grandparents.
Mei Mei was given this name shortly after its release. Boston’s best meals on the go Success continued, and the brick-and-mortar restaurant opened in late 2013 and won awards. Eater Boston’s 2014 Restaurant of the Year. In 2019 the brothers published Doubly Great Chinese Food: Fascinating and Totally Achievable Recipes from a Chinese-American Kitchen. Lee’s second cookbook, Perfectly delicious meals: A completely achievable zero-waste approach to home cooking was published in June 2023.
Mel TyneAccording to Lee, “Mei Mei’s dumplings express our Chinese heritage and love of local seasonal food here in the Northeast. We use several traditional Chinese ingredients. But most of the time, our dumplings are unique: Cheddar-Leek Potato Dumplings, which I like to call our “love letter.” pierogi. They are obviously not Chinese, but they are authentic to us and the multicultural families in which we grew up. ”
Why chorizo? Ms Lee explained that she first became inspired while working in a butcher shop during her college years. “We always had leftover raw chorizo,” she says. “I loved taking it home and finding new and exciting things to do with it, and dumplings ended up being my favorite application.” She lives in Finger Lakes, New York. We source the best chorizo we can find, using pork from heritage breed pigs that graze on local pastures.
During the pandemic, Lee and his new business partner reimagined their business: Bimi gyoza factory, cafe, classroomwhich serves the same unconventional dumplings, but now teaches people how to make them.
The chorizo dumplings are served with hummus or a creamy white bean puree, which Lee describes as “a creamy complement to the tangy flavor of the chorizo spice.” It is then drizzled with coriander oil and served warm.
Eileen Leechorizo dumplings recipe
Written by Eileen, Andrew and Margaret Lee
Makes about 24 gyoza
This recipe can be streamlined by using store-bought hummus, pre-made dumpling wrappers, and infused oil.
material
For bean puree:
Drain and wash one 400g (15oz) can of white kidney beans, such as chickpeas or cannellini.
2 cloves garlic (sliced)
1/4 onion (chopped)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
A pinch of white pepper
For coriander oil:
1 bunch coarsely chopped coriander (or substitute parsley or chives)
210g (1 cup) neutral oil such as canola
For dumplings:
1 pack of 396g (14oz) round gyoza wrappers or homemade hot water dough (recipe below)
1 pound raw (uncured) chorizo sausage, casing removed if desired (you can substitute seasoned raw loose sausage)
Neutral oil such as canola (for frying)
Method
step 1
Make bean puree. In a small saucepan, combine drained beans, garlic, onion, and 2/3 cup water. Cover and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Transfer the bean mixture to a blender and add the olive oil, salt, and white pepper. Blend until smooth, adding more water to thin if necessary. Taste for seasoning. Serve hot. (The puree can be refrigerated for several days and then reheated before serving.)
Step 2
Make coriander oil. Using a mortar and pestle or a blender, combine the coriander and neutral oil and mix (or blend) until the herbs are thoroughly pureed in the oil. Strain through cheesecloth if necessary to obtain clear oil. (The oil can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 days.)
Step 3
Assemble the dumplings. If using store-bought wrapping paper, have a small bowl of water nearby to help seal the wrapper. For classic gyoza pleating, hold the skin in your left hand and place a spoonful (about 3/4 tablespoon) of the filling in the center with your right hand. It may be tempting to overstuff the dumplings, but don’t. The stuffing will fly off and the folding process will be much more difficult.
Step 4
Fold the wrapper in half into a taco shape and pinch the wrapper closed from the right side. Dip your fingers in water and smear them around the edge of each wrapper before folding so the dough will stick together when you pinch it closed. First, pinch the corners of the dumpling and use your thumb and forefinger to make pleats, then pinch and pleat until the entire dumpling is sealed. Aim for 5-6 pleats per dumpling (or more if you want it fancy). The side closest to you remains smooth and gradually curves toward you in a crescent shape.
Step 5
Arrange the dumplings in rows, slightly apart, on a large plate or sheet pan. Dumplings can be cooked immediately or frozen. Once frozen, transfer the dumplings to a freezer-safe container for storage.
Step 6
Coat the bottom of a large nonstick frying pan (with a lid) with a layer of neutral oil (about 2 tablespoons) and heat over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, carefully pour the dumplings (non-pleated side down) into the pan in a single layer, leaving a little space between each dumpling. Cook until golden brown on the bottom, 2 to 4 minutes. You can pick them up and check them one by one.
Step 7
Turn the heat to medium and grab the lid and about 1/4 cup of water. Protect yourself with a lid and pour water into the hot pot. It will generate steam and make a sizzling sound, so be careful not to splash too much oil around. Cover the pot and let the steam sear the dumplings for 4-6 minutes (8-10 minutes if cooking from frozen).
When the moisture evaporates, the wrapper will become slightly translucent and the filling will be completely cooked. (If the dumplings are not cooked through, add some water, put the lid back on, and let it sit for 1-2 minutes. If you turn up the heat a little, the oil left at the bottom of the pan will crisp up the bottom of the dumplings. )
Step 8
To serve, spread a heaping spoonful of hummus/white bean puree onto a plate and place some dumplings on top. Drizzle with coriander oil.
tips
If available, ready-made oil with coriander can be substituted.
hot water dough
Makes dough for about 24 gyoza.
material
270g (2 cups) all-purpose flour, more for dusting
2g salt (1/4 teaspoon)
1 cup water, boil and let cool for about 1 minute
Method
step 1
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Using a wooden spoon, slowly stir in 3/4 cup of the boiling water until a ball forms and all the flour is incorporated. If the flour at the bottom of the bowl does not stick to the bowl, slowly add water, 1 teaspoon at a time, and continue stirring.
Step 2
Once all the flour has formed into a ball and the dough is cool enough to handle, turn it onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 3-5 minutes until smooth and elastic. If necessary, sprinkle some flour to keep the dough from sticking to your hands or work surface. Return to the bowl, cover with a damp cloth and let rest for 30-60 minutes to loosen the gluten strands and help shape the dough.
Step 3
Using a sharp knife or dough cutter, slice the dough into quarters and place one piece on a cutting board. Cover the rest with a damp towel to keep it from drying out. Roll the dough in your hands to form a “snake” about 15 cm (6 inches) long. Cut the snake into 6 equal pieces. Turn each piece on its side, flatten it slightly with your hands, and use a dowel or rolling pin to flatten it into a circle about 2-3 mm thick and 7-8 cm (3 inches) in diameter. Create other wrappers in the same way. The dough can be wrapped in lightly oiled plastic wrap and refrigerated for 1-2 days. Let the dumplings come to room temperature before folding.
tips
Depending on your heat, water, and oil levels, you may need to add more water or oil, but you’ll get the hang of it with a little practice.
(Recipe reprinted from Double Awesome Chinese Food: Irresistible and Totally Achievable Recipes from our Chinese American Kitchen, by Margaret Lee, Eileen Lee, and Andrew Lee, Roost Books, 2019.)
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