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Taster’s Cherce

dumplingsssss

Serious Eats gives 26 Must-Eat Dumplings in NYC. 

Indeed.

8 comments

1 RIYank   ~  Mar 21, 2014 11:27 am

Have you ever tried to make these? A few times I've done very well, except that they invariably fall apart. (You have to boil them, or at least simmer in a half inch of water in a pan, and they just disintegrate.) Is there some trick that no cookbook tells you??

2 ms october   ~  Mar 21, 2014 12:30 pm

[1] ha me too. a few times they came out very well but other times they fall apart too easily. both successes and not as successful have encompassed both home-made dough and store bought wrappers.
i want to take a dumpling making class to found out that secret!

3 Alex Belth   ~  Mar 21, 2014 1:54 pm

I made them with a friend once and he's an Asian cook nerd and they were fine. But I'll ask him the trick.

4 Alex Belth   ~  Mar 21, 2014 2:12 pm

From my pal:

"I've never had dumplings fall apart per se. Perhaps they aren't sealing them well? Perhaps the boil is too rigorous? when I "simmer" them in pan, I basically fry them in a bit of oil first, then add maybe a scant 1/4 inch of water to oil (it sizzles, but I'd never use 1/2 inch), cover and steam for 7 minutes or so, take off cover and boil water off and let them re-crisp just a bit."

5 RIYank   ~  Mar 21, 2014 2:14 pm

Aha.
Yeah, I always buy the store wrappers -- otherwise it's just too much trouble for one appetizer. True, I let the water boil too vigorously, I think. I'm going to try the quarter inch of water thing.

6 ms october   ~  Mar 21, 2014 2:21 pm

thanks alex. i'm quite sure they are not always sealed as well as they should be. it is also possible the boil is too rigorous rather than the simmer.
have to improve my sealing technique, but can definitely stop the hard boiling.

thanks!!

7 thelarmis   ~  Mar 21, 2014 2:24 pm

I just had a delicious bowl of cereal. Cheerios, sprinkled with just the right amount of Rice Krispies on top. Drowned in Skim Milk and left to sit until soggy.

Mmmm, perfecto!

8 Bronx Boy in NC   ~  Mar 21, 2014 2:37 pm

I haven't tried making my own dumplings yet but for the store-bought ones I use only steam -- that is, up in a basket and not touching the boiling water at all.

A very scant rub of oil on my (metal) steamer basket helps get them outta there in one piece.

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