WIP: Midterm Recipe

Wontons 雲吞 or "Dreamy Clouds"

Wonton Fillings Preparation
Prepare three different mixed batches of raw ingredients.
Cutting and mincing the ingredients into the smallest forms as much as possible.
The ratio of meat to veggies depends on each individual's preference.
In my case, I prefer vegetables over meat.

1. Pork and Garlic Chives
2. Pork and Nappa Cabbage
3. Pork, garlic chives, and nappa cabbage

For each individual batch, add a pinch of salt and the following sauces to avoid the gamey taste of the meat.

1. Soy Sauce
2. Sesame Oil
3. Rice Wine
4. Hao You (Oyster Sauce)

Pouring the sauces requires confidence and intuition. Tip the bottle a certain angle and pour it in a circle quickly. 

After adding the sauces to the batch of meat and veggies, mix it evenly with chopsticks in slow and quick circular gestures. While mixing, pick one direction to go and do not change to another direction.

Preparing the Wonton Wrapping

For your convenience, have one bowl of the mixed vegetables, meat and sauces with a spoon; one small bowl of water; and the wonton wrappers in front of you.

1. Place the wonton wrapper in the palm of your hand.
   If you are left handed, put the wrapper on your right hand. If you are right handed, put the wrapper on your left hand.
   If you are ambidextrous, do what floats your boat!
2. Take one spoon full of the mixed vegetables, meat and sauces and place onto the wonton wrapper.
3. Dip your index finger into the bowl of water and place water on three sides of the rectangular wonton wrapper OR one half of the circular wonton wrapper.

Wrapping the Fillings

1. Fold the wonton wrapper in half. 
2. Pinch all sides to secure the fillings. (This step is extremely important to avoid fillings to spill out when boiling the dumplings)
3. Fold the top part of the dumpling.
4. Take the left and right corners and fold it in half. Secure the sides with a pinch of water.

Place the wrapped wontons on the plate. 

If you want to keep the wontons and try them on another day, store them into the freezer over night.

On the very next morning, take the dumplings out of the plate and store them in bags.

If you want to try the wontons on the day of, boil the dumplings after wrapping all the fillings. 

Boiling the Wontons

1. Add water into the pot. While waiting for the water to boil, add salt into the water to avoid the dumplings to stick to each other.
2. When the water is boiling, lower down the fire a notch.
3. Add as many dumplings as you want. 
4. Wait for the water to boil and rise again. The dumplings should be done.

Taste Test: If you are not too sure whether the dumplings are finished or note, place one dumpling onto a plate. Split it in half with a chopstick, spoon or any other utensil. If the meat still looks raw, put it back into the pot to wait for it to cook. 

For a serving of twenty dumplings, the cooking process should be done within twenty minutes or so.

Eating food with friends and family is a fun, learning experience. Instead of having a formal performance/presentation/gallery show, I will open it up as a family/friend gathering to simply enjoy eating. I will also create a conversation with everyone and ask how their day is going. I will share universal stories that everyone can relate to break the ice and create more conversations.