Molly Yeh Chicken And Dumplings Food

CHICKEN KREPLACH SOUP

Steps:

• For the soup base: Combine the chicken, onion, carrot chunks, celery chunks, parsnip chunks, garlic, dill, thyme, bay leaves and peppercorns in a large pot. Add cold water to cover by 2 inches (about 5 quarts). Bring to a simmer, then simmer until the chicken is very tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Let cool, then strain the broth (you should have about 3 1/2 quarts). Shred the chicken into a medium bowl, discarding the skin and bones. (You'll have 2 to 2 1/2 cups chicken meat.)
• For the kreplach: Combine the flour and 1 teaspoon salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. Mix the eggs, vegetable oil and 2 tablespoons cold water in a spouted measuring cup. With the processor running, pour in the egg mixture and process until the dough forms a ball on the blade, about 30 seconds. (If the dough doesn't form a ball after 30 seconds or is too crumbly, adjust with a tablespoon or so of flour if too loose or a tablespoon or so of water if too crumbly.) Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature while you prepare the filling.
• For the filling, heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Add to the shredded chicken along with the chopped dill, lemon zest and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper and mix well.
• Cut the rested dough into quarters, then cut each quarter into 3 pieces (12 pieces in all). On a floured surface, press, pat or roll a chunk of dough to about a thin 3-inch round. Hold the round in the palm of your hand and add 2 tablespoons filling. Press the dough closed to encase the filling and form a ball, twisting and tearing off any excess dough. Set twisted-side down on a floured baking sheet and repeat with the remaining dough and filling. (Any remaining filling can be added to the soup!)
• Heat the stock over medium heat and add the diced carrot, celery and parsnip. Simmer until just tender, about 15 minutes. Add the kreplach (dusting off any excess flour) and simmer until the dough is tender, 7 to 8 minutes. Serve the soup in bowls with slices of lemon and garnished with fresh dill.

PORK SOUP DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Make the wrappers: Combine the flour and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a large bowl and create a well in the middle. Add 1/2 cup boiling water and mix it in with a spatula, then incorporate with your hands until you have a mealy, shaggy mixture. Mix in 1/2 cup cold water and bring everything together into a dough, then turn it out onto a work surface and knead, adding more flour if it gets too sticky to work with, until you have a smooth and slightly sticky dough, 7 to 10 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and set aside for 30 minutes while you make the filling.
• Make the soup gelatin: Heat the chicken stock in a saucepan until hot, then add the soy sauce and gelatin powder. Whisk to combine. Pour into a shallow dish and chill until set, about 1 hour. Break up the gelatin by fluffing it with a fork. Set aside.
• Make the filling: Put the pork in a large bowl and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add the soy sauce, ginger, sambal oelek, sesame oil, rice vinegar and scallions. Mix with your hands (don't overmix), then set up your dumpling folding station.
• Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and dust with flour. To assemble the dumplings, divide the dough into 32 balls (keep them covered when you're not working with them). Roll out the balls into 3 1/2- to 4-inch circles, flouring the surface as needed. Put a wrapper in your non-dominant hand and make a cup. Place 1/2 tablespoon pork filling in the center and top with 1/2 tablespoon soup gelatin. Begin gathering and pleating the dumpling wrapper using your thumb and pointer finger. Work your way around the edge of the wrapper until you've gathered all the dough; your thumb stays in the same place - it's the pointer finger doing all the work. Twist it at the end, pinching everything in the center. Repeat with the remaining wrappers, filling and soup gelatin and place the dumplings on the sheet pan. (You can freeze the dumplings at this point and steam them directly from the freezer.)
• To steam the dumplings, line a bamboo steamer with cabbage leaves or parchment paper with a few holes cut out. Place a single layer of dumplings in the steamer, leaving a bit of room between them, then set the steamer over a pot of boiling water. Steam in batches until cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. (Alternately, line a plate with cabbage or parchment. Place in a pot of boiling water, making sure the water doesn't cover the plate; cook 8 to 10 minutes.)
• Let the dumplings cool slightly, then enjoy with a sauce of equal parts vinegar and soy sauce with sambal oelek to taste.

CHICKEN POT STICKERS WITH DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• For the dough: Combine the flour and salt in a large heatsafe bowl. Slowly pour in the boiling water while stirring, until you have a coarse meal mixture. Stir in 1/2 cup cold water to form a dough.
• Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 10 minutes, adding more flour as necessary, until the dough is smooth and slightly sticky. Cover the dough with a damp towel and let sit for 20 minutes.
• For the filling: In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, chicken broth, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, salt, scallions and a bunch of turns of pepper.
• To assemble the dumplings, divide the dough into 24 balls. Roll them out into 4-inch circles, flouring the surface as needed. Place 1 tablespoon filling in the center of each and fold in half to make a half-moon shape, pleating the edges to seal well.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Heat a thin layer of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Boil the dumplings in batches for 4 minutes. Remove them with a slotted spoon, allowing excess water to drip off, then transfer to the hot oil (be careful because this step can get spitty). Cook until the dumplings are browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel and let cool slightly. Alternatively, to steam the dumplings, line a bamboo steamer with blanched cabbage and steam over boiling water until the filling is cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes.
• For the dipping sauce: In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, scallion and red pepper.
• Serve the dumplings with the dipping sauce

PORK SOUP DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• For the wrappers: Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl and create a well in the middle. Add the boiling water and mix it in with a spatula, then incorporate with your hands until you have a mealy, shaggy mixture. Mix in the cold water and bring everything together into a dough, then turn it out onto a work surface and knead, adding additional flour if it gets too sticky to work with, until you have a smooth and slightly sticky dough, 7 to 10 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel for 30 minutes while you make the filling.
• For the soup: Heat the chicken stock, then add the soy sauce and gelatin powder. Whisk to combine. Pour into a shallow dish and chill until set, around 1 hour. Break up the gelatin by fluffing with a fork. Set aside.
• For the filling: Put the pork in a large bowl and sprinkle on the salt, then add the soy sauce, ginger, sambal oelek, sesame oil, rice vinegar and scallions. Mix everything together with your hands (don't overmix), then set up your dumpling folding station.
• Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and dust with flour. To assemble the dumplings, divide the dough into 32 balls and keep them covered when you're not working with them. Roll them out into 3 1/2- to 4-inch circles, flouring the surface as needed. Place 1/2 tablespoon pork filling in the center of each circle and 1/2 tablespoon soup gelatin on top of the filling. Fold up the edges of the dumpling and pinch everything in the center. Repeat with the remaining dumpling wrappers and filling and place on the lined sheet pan.
• To steam the dumplings, line a bamboo steamer with cabbage leaves or parchment paper with a few holes cut out. Place the dumplings in the steamer, leaving a little bit of room between them, then set the steamer over a pot of boiling water. Steam in batches until cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Alternately, line a plate with cabbage leaves or parchment paper. Place in a pot of boiling water, making sure the water doesn't cover the plate (you will need about 1/2 to 3/4 cup). Cook 8 to 10 minutes.
• Let cool slightly, then enjoy with a sauce of equal parts vinegar and soy sauce with sambal oelek to taste.