CHINESE DUMPLINGS -- Jiaozi

Today, May 19th, one of my students, came to our place and showed me how to make Jiaozi -- pronounced Jow-sa.  Dave was out at the West Campus, so we had the kitchen to ourselves, and we cooked up a storm.

It's quite an involved process, including finely chopping the pork and a lot of vegetables, making, rolling out and filling the dough, and then the boiling of the dumplings.

Mary, my evening class student is a Professor of Chemistry here at Shandong Normal University.  She was the dumpling expert, but she brought her daughter and two nieces to help.   Together, we managed the cooking beautifully.  No spills, and no cut fingers.  I learned how to crimp the edges of the dough like an expert.  And although I don't know that I could duplicate the process perfectly, I had a great time making and eating a lot of Jiaozi.  The dipping sauce really makes them.  It's made of finely chopped garlic, salt, soy sauce and vinegar of some sort.  Sooooo good!

 Here we are in my little, low counter-top kitchen.  As you can see, I only have a one burner stove, if you can call it that.  But it did the job.

Mary's on the left.  Toto is next.  She's holding a Chinese rolling pin.  Molly (Mary's daughter) and Shirley are next.  These are their American names.  I can't remember their Chinese names, so they make it easy for me by answering to their American names.