Chinese Dumplings and Chow Mein

One hobby that I told Mark I was going to do while he was gone was learn how to cook like a beast! So that's what I have been doing and I feel like I should throw some of my recipes up here in case anyone wants to try them--plus a handy way for me to keep them all in the same place. :)

Tonight I made Chinese Dumplings and Chow Mein. I have wanted to perfect this recipe for some time and I think tonight I definitely got close! :) I wanted to write down what I put in it before it got too late.

I used pork for the dumplings, but you can use chicken or beef. With trial and error I like it shredded better or ground. I've tried using chunks but they don't hold the flavor as well. Meat should be cooked at least part of the way.

All these measurements are guesses, so don't take them too literally!

Dumplings

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup terriyaki sauce
• 1/8 cup (or less) of lemon juice and sprinkle enough powdered ginger in until you start seeing it not dissolve 
• Garlic salt or powder
• black pepper
• chopped carrots (can put anything just for a crunch i.e. celery, water chestnuts)
• onions (if you use dehydrated onions put a little lemon juice and water in and microwave it just to re-hydrate them) 

Take the shredded meat and mix everything into it. Put that in the refrigerator to let sit and "talk" to each other. haha. When you're ready to fill the dumplings just take a small spoonful-- around a teaspoon-- in the middle. With some water wet two edges and fold it over in half so it looks like a triangle. Make sure that the edges get sealed so they don't break open when cooking. Then you can take the two edges and pinch them together, it makes them look pretty. ;) When cooking, make sure they don't touch. You can boil them until you can see the middle through the noodle. Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes. Grease the baking sheet so they don't stick and put water on top of every dumpling. (I put water on about every 5 minutes). You should see some of the noodle get golden brown--then they are done! Steaming-- you can steam them for about 5 minutes each. They are done when you can see the middle through the noodle. 

Dumplings before I baked them.

Chow Mein

I actually just took some chicken top ramen, I'm sure any kind would work just fine this is just all we had.

• 3 packages Chicken Top Ramen
• 4 cups water
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup terriyaki sauce
• garlic salt
• bean sprouts

Bottom left- Steamed dumplings, the others are baked

Boil the packages of flavoring and all the seasonings and sauces in a small pot. Break the top ramen noodles in half and put them in the boiling water. Boil them uncovered until almost all the sauce is gone. The ramen turns to a brownish color when the noodles get soft and tender. That's when you know it is soft enough. At that point put in a can of bean sprouts. (Shredded carrots, cabbage or something else you like in chow mein would also be pretty good in it too. Add whatever you want! :) )