Chinese dumplings/Jiaozi/Pot-stickers

This another blooger's recipe that I tried and came out successful. Thanks to Vidhya of Sugar and Spices. Thank you Vidhya, your snaps tempted me to make them soon and it came out really well, I have made small changes and tried out.

This is one of my favorite among chinese starters from my bangalore-life. I loved eating them many while going for the buffet lunch during the project parties in Silver Metro Bangalore at the Total mall. They will be kept next to soup in a casserole-like wooden round dish(I dont know its exact name) and the dumplings will be piping hot inside and the smell is really tempting. After coming here I have felt many times to try them out at home after having them many times from the buffet here also, but somehow the thought did not become practical for a long time. But last day, while I was going through my friend's blogs,I got stuck at Vidhya's blog seeing this and tempted me to cook them. Thank you Vidhya for boosting me up showing the drooling snaps of dumplings.

Jiaozi typically consist of ground meat/vegetable filling wrapped into a thinly rolled piece of dough which is then sealed by pressing the edges together. Jiaozi should not be confused with wonton: Jiaozi have a thicker, chewier skin and a flatter shape (similar in shape to ravioli), and are eaten with dipping sauce. Wontons are usually fried and served sometimes mixed with soup. There are steamed dumplings also in the chinese menu. this is a different version which is toasted and boiled and again toasted dumpling recipe.

Jiaozi are eaten all year round and can be eaten at any time of the day –breakfast,lunch or dinner. They can constitute one course, starter or side dish, Jiaozi are one of the major foods eaten during the Chinese New Year.

Ingredients:
1. Cabbage,shredded finely- 1/2 cup
2. Carrot,shredded- 1/2 cup
3. Mushrooms,finely chopped- 1/2 cup
4. Ginger-Garlic Paste- 1/4 tsp
5. Soy-sauce-1/2 tsp
6. Red-chili Paste-1/2 tsp
7. Sunflower/Vegetable Oil- 1 tsp
8. Salt and Pepper- 1/2 tsp
9. Spring roll/Wonton Pastry sheets- 8


Preparation Method:
1. In a wok, add oil and toss in ginger-garlic paste.
2. Add cabbage, carrot and mushroom shred.
3. Sprinkle salt and pepper and saute for 3-4 minutes till mushroom gets cooked and cabbage becomes soft.
4. Add soy-sauce and saute well.
5. On the side of the pan, add 1/4 tsp oil and add chili-paste, saute for few seconds till the raw taste goes and finally mix them well with the rest of the ingredients.
6. Switch off te flame and keep aside.
7. Take out the pastry sheets one-by-one. If you are using wonton wraps which is round in shape and not square, just brush the round edge with water and keep the filling at the center and fold it and seal the edges together.
8. If spring-roll pastry sheets are used which is big squares, cut into two-equal round sheets using a small-round tin-cap. Keep the filling inside and fold and seal the edges.
9. In a wide pan, pour 1/2 tsp oil and spread all over, keep the dumplings(without overlapping each other) in the pan and toast both the sides for half a minute keeping the pan open.
10. Keep aside the toasted dumplings. In the same pan add half a cup of water and boil.
11. Once it boils, add the dumplings(without any dumpling overlapping each other) into it and cook each side for 2-3 minutes keeping the pan open, till all the water dries out. The dumplings must not immerse fully into the water, water level must be just to keep them and just its half.
12. Toast for half a minute again on both the sides after the water dries out to make them a bit crunchy.
13. Serve hot with any sauce as a snack or a starter for your dinner-party or lunch.