How to steam dumplings without making the skin hard

And everyone knows that dumplings are a traditional Chinese food! This kind of food has not only been passed down since ancient times, but also is a symbol of family reunion. Many families choose dumplings as the staple food during reunion. Dumplings can be made with different fillings to give different flavors. They can be made into boiled dumplings, steamed dumplings, or fried dumplings. However, the skin of steamed dumplings is generally thicker and harder. So how can we make the skin of steamed dumplings not hard?

When making steamed dumpling skins and dough, add more water than for ordinary dumpling skins so that the skin will not be hard. In addition, the steamed dumpling wrapper can be made with three-raw noodles, which is made by mixing part of the flour with boiling water and part of it with cold water. This kind of wrapper is softer and easier to cook. If you buy dumpling wrappers, you can spray a little water on the surface of the dumplings twice during the steaming process.

When I went to the market to buy vegetables, I saw some tender green gourds for sale, and there seemed to be a thin layer of frost on them.

When I was at home, whenever gourds were on the market, my mother would buy one and bring it home to make steamed dumplings for me.

When buying the gourd, you also need to buy some pork belly and ask the butcher to help grind it into meat paste. You also need to buy a scallion, the kind from Shandong with long and thick white part. You also need to buy a can, which can hold beer or drinks. It is very useful.

After returning home, you need to knead the dough first. You can also drink from cans. Use hot water to scald the dough so that the steamed dumpling skin will be chewy. I'm not very good at kneading dough, so I put a small bowl of flour in a bowl, and then slowly add boiling water while stirring with chopsticks. Be sure to use chopsticks, otherwise it will be very hot. It takes several practices to master the ratio of flour and water. For a low-level dough kneader like me, after several attempts of adding flour and water, I finally reach the state where I clench my fist and hit the dough with all my strength, leaving the fist mark on half of the dough. That's it. Because it is steamed dumplings, the dough should be softer.

After preparing the dough, wrap it in a damp cloth and place it in a bowl.

Now it's time to puree the meat. Place the meat paste on a cutting board and start chopping it, adding water as you go. If you buy meat paste for four dollars, chop it for twenty minutes and add more than half a small bowl of water.

Then add the chopped green onion (you can add more), and then the minced ginger. The finer the chopped green onion and ginger, the better.

Then put them in the chopped meat, add salt and a raw egg, and then grind in one direction. It’s OK when your hands feel a little exhausted from twisting.

Now it's time to process the gourd. Remove the pulp, peel the skin, and use a cutting board to cut the gourd into thin strips. Put it in a bowl, add some salt and knead it. Water will come out after a while. Pour out the water, put the Hulusi into the meat paste, and mince it again until you feel no more strength in your hands.

At this time, the contents of the can should be finished.

The next thing to do is to make the skin. I don't know how to roll out the dough, so I used a rolling pin to roll out a small piece of dough into a thin piece, and then cut the can horizontally to form a sharp circular cross-section. Use this cross section to press hard on the large dough, and the dumpling skins will be ready one by one.

Start wrapping. This is what I am best at. Put a small piece of stuffing in the middle of the dumpling skin, fold it in half, pinch it on the left and right, and you're done.

Arrange them one by one on a floured surface.

Put water in the steamer, not too much, just about the same amount as when steaming egg custard, bring it to a boil, then put a piece of wet gauze on the grate of the steamer and place the dumplings on it.

Turn off the heat five minutes after boiling.

The steaming, translucent and fragrant gourd steamed dumplings are ready.

Recommended dipping sauce: balsamic vinegar and garlic mash.

Special reminder: If your eyes are irritated by the spiciness when cutting green onions, you can put a small bowl of water on the edges and the tears will stop. I don’t know why, my mother told me this, but it works well.