Dumplings chinois

Thanks to Qing, our Chinese friend here in Québec, we've been introduced to the finer points of a unique Chinese-fusion cooking style.

Jerod making dumplings

He maintains it is not a certain "type" of Chinese cuisine - it is his personal take on it.  He tends to emphasize lots of vegetables, mushrooms and subtly flavored meats.  His spices and cupboard full of sauces and vinegars are difficult to describe - some of them utterly lack English translations, but all contribute to the alchemy.  We've enjoyed a range of dinners, including several prepared en groupe under his direction.

The highlight, though, were the dumplings!  Qing patiently dedicated an evening to showing several of us how to make them.  More than one kitchen here in la belle ville has been pressed into service, putting French, Quebec, and American spins on the original recipe.  As the photographs indicate, we recently re-created the dumplings.  From what we've heard and found for ourselves, the recipe appears to stand up to a fair degree of experimentation.

Although we are a few days late (Chinese New Year 2012 was 23 January), we are celebrating Chinese New Year tonight in style.  As dumplings are eaten to ensure a prosperous year, we are planning three different fillings, along with spring rolls and fried rice.  In case you want to get in on the fun, here are some of the recipes we will use tonight.
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Bethann's sketch,
based on Qing's directions

Click the titles for various versions:

• Qing’s Dumplings
• Jerod'S Chickpea Dumplings
• Fried rice recipe coming soon...
• Click  on the illustration for step-by-step instructions on how to fill and fold a dumpling.

Serve WITH soy sauce & Chinese vinegar.