I looking for a recipe for these steamed dumplings...?

Question

I was in thailand and I tried these amazing little dim sum dumplings that were a white bread-ish outside with a red pork inside. I was wondering what they were and where I could find the recipe.

Thanks!

Answer 1

Dumplings to the Chinese are like BBQs in this country.  There are thousands of recipes.  Here is one popular one:

Pork Dumplings with Soy-Ginger Sauce  

  

1 pound pork butt, coarsely ground

1 cup finely chopped scallions

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil

1 tablespoon peeled, grated gingerroot

1/2 pound Chinese Napa cabbage,* finely chopped

1 1-pound package round dumpling wrappers (gyoza), 3 inches in diameter

Soy-Ginger Sauce

In a large bowl, combine the pork, scallions, soy sauce, sesame oil and gingerroot. Mix well so that the flavors will penetrate the meat. Then add the cabbage and mix until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined. The filling will not taste right if you try to combine all the ingredients at once. Place 1 dumpling wrapper on a plate or a board. Place 1 scant tablespoon of pork mixture in the center. Moisten the edges of the wrapper with a little water, then fold them over the filling to form a half-moon shape. Pinch the center together first, then stand the dumpling up on its base and pleat one of the sides of the half-moon twice, halfway between the outer edge and the center. Pleat the other side in the same way and leave the dumpling standing up. Stand the finished dumplings on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Do not allow the sides of the dumplings to touch each other, or they will stick together. Repeat, using the remaining dumpling wrappers and pork filling. The dumplings can be made in advance and frozen for up to 3 months, or they may be cooked immediately, either boiled or pan-fried. Serve hot, with Soy-Ginger Sauce on the side. *If you cannot get napa cabbage, substitute green cabbage. Because it is not as moist as the Chinese cabbage, add 2 tablespoons of water to the pork filling before incorporating the cabbage.

Soy-Ginger Sauce:

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon peeled, julienned gingerroot, soaked in ice water

Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. Mix thoroughly and serve. This sauce will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator, without the gingerroot. Add the gingerroot when ready to serve.

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Steamed Pork Wonton Dumplings  

  

1 pound ground pork

1 (5-ounce) can water chestnuts, strained and finely chopped

1/2 cup scallions, finely chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon jarred minced ginger

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 egg, beaten

1 pack oriental sesame dressing mix

2 tablespoon oyster sauce

1 (16-ounce) pack wonton wrappers

Savoy or Napa cabbage

Bamboo steamer

In a large bowl mix pork, water chestnuts, scallions, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, egg, sesame dressing mix, and oyster sauce. Fill center of each wonton wrapper with 1 teaspoon of meat filling. Gather wrapper up and twist to secure sides. Brush the edges of the wontons with water to help seal. Arrange cabbage leaves on the bottom of a bamboo steamer. Place dumplings about 1-inch apart and steam until the filling is cooked through, about 20 minutes.

Answer 2

The dish itself is called Cha Sui Bao, which is a common dish for Dim Sum and means Steamed Barbeque Pork Bun. The red pork is the Cha Sui and the bun outside is the bao.

You can find a basic recipe for the bao here:

http://chinesefood.about.com/od/dimsumbu...

and for the filling here:

http://chinesefood.about.com/od/dimsumbu...

(you can either make your own cha sui by using a packet or pre-made sauce and cooking pork in it, or you can go to a chinese deli to buy it premade. the most common chinese delis are called "sam woo barbeque" and there are several in any area with a lot of chinese people. you could also buy already cooked cha sui in dim sum restuarants, usually every  dim sum place sells to-go cha sui and even the cha sui baos)