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1
To make the filling, cut the fish into 1-inch chunks, discarding any bones you discover along the way (bevel-tipped tweezers will help, if you have them).
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2
Put the fish in a food processor.
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3
In a small bowl, combine the salt, white pepper, chicken stock, soy sauce, wine, canola oil, and sesame oil.
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4
Mix well to create a seasoning liquid, and then pour about 2 tablespoons of the liquid into the food processor.
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5
Run the food processor, pouring the remaining seasoning liquid through the feed tube.
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6
Grind to a coarse paste, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides.
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7
Return the paste to the bowl and mix in the ginger and Chinese chives.
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8
To develop the flavors, cover with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes.
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9
You should have about 2 cups of filling.
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10
(The filling can be prepared 1 day ahead and refrigerated.
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11
Return it to room temperature for dumpling assembly.)
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12
Form 16 wrappers from half of the dough.
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13
Aim for wrappers that are about 3 1/4 inches in diameter (see page 24).
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14
Before assembling the dumplings, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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15
(If you plan to refrigerate the dumplings for several hours, or freeze them, lightly dust the paper with flour to avoid sticking.)
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16
For each dumpling, hold a wrapper in a slightly cupped hand.
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17
Scoop up about 1 tablespoon of filling with a bamboo dumpling spatula, dinner knife, or fork and position it slightly off-center toward the upper half of the wrapper, pressing and shaping it into a flat mound and keeping about 1/2 to 3/4 inch of wrapper clear on all sides.
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18
Fold, pleat, and press to enclose the filling and create a half-moon, pea pod, big hug, or pleated crescent shape (see pages 26 to 29).
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19
Place the finished dumpling on the prepared baking sheet.
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20
Repeat with the other wrappers, spacing the finished dumplings a good 1/2 inch apart on the baking sheet.
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21
Keep the finished dumplings covered with a dry kitchen towel as you form wrappers from the remaining dough and fill them with the remaining filling.
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22
Once assembled, the dumplings can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for several hours; they can be cooked straight from the refrigerator.
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23
For longer storage, freeze them on their baking sheet until hard (about 1 hour), transfer them to a zip-top freezer bag, seal well, and keep them frozen for up to 1 month; partially thaw, using your finger to smooth over any cracks that may have formed during freezing, before cooking.
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24
Depending on your desired cooking method, follow the instructions in the preceding recipes for poached water dumplings (page 31), pan fried pot stickers (page 33), or steamed dumplings (page 35).
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25
Serve with the dipping sauce.
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26
Many people associate Asian cuisines with rice, but for those who live in the northern parts of Asia, wheat is a staple grain.
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27
Its hard to grow rice in that regions extreme climates, which tend to be cold and dry.
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28
In fact, with regard to Chinese food, wheat has traditionally been more commonly used in northern fare than in southern fare, which is defined by rice; the geographic demarcation between the two is the Yangtze River.
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29
One of the worlds oldest grains, wheat is believed to have originated in southwest Asia, in the Fertile Crescent region of the Middle East.
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30
Its cultivation spread in all directions to wherever the grass may be grown, reaching India and China during prehistoric times.
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31
By about 1000 B.C.E., it was an established crop in Korea.
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32
Today, China and India are among the worlds biggest wheat producers, accounting for over a quarter of the global production for the 2005 to 2006 season.
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33
The Chinese consume so much of the grain that they are also a leading importer of it.
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34
Given the important role of wheat at the Asian table, its understandable that many dumplings are encased by wheat-flour wrappers.
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35
For example, the very familiar pot stickers, wontons, and spring rolls (also known as egg rolls) are all made with wheat-flour skins.
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36
But those are just the tip of the iceberg.
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37
Other favorite wheat-based dumplings include soul-satisfying Chinese water dumplings (shujiao), Japanese panfried dumplings (gyoza), and hearty Mongolian khuushuur and Tibetan momocomfort foods that define their respective cuisines.
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38
There are also leavened buns with pillowy dough and sumptuous fillings.
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39
Wheat is absolutely necessary for the rich and flaky pastries that envelop Indian samosas, Filipino empanadas, and Malay curry puffs.
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40
As you can see, a vast array of Asian dumplings relies on wheat flour, and the first four chapters of this book illuminate some of the major ones.
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41
Most of the recipes here call for readily available ingredients from your neighborhood grocery store, so dive in and enjoy.
