普羅旺斯的天空下 Living in Provence

還在台灣和澳洲時, 還蠻常自己包水餃、鍋貼, 因為可以方便的買到還不錯的餃子皮。所以常一次包上百個, 冷凍起來, 太累不想煮時便可以下些水餃做為迅速卻不失營養的一餐, 遠遠好過速食店的漢堡。

但自從到了法國後, 自製手工水餃成了我的惡夢...因為真正的北方餃子、鍋貼還未在此被廣泛的認識, 這裡'所謂'的餃 (法文統稱ravioli)其實是中國南方的餛飩(黃色的方皮, 但包裝上卻還標示水餃皮!!) 直到上個月, 我看到了從荷蘭進口的冷凍水餃皮, 但我看了一下它的成份, 還是決定自己踏實一點, 桿皮去吧!  因為要做水餃和鍋貼, 所以必須製作2份不同的麵團, 冷麵和燙麵團。

老公之前也不知道什麼是水餃、鍋貼, 但在嘗過已後, 非常喜歡並到處向他的同事介紹此美味的小點, 想當然而 - 他的同事無人知曉此美味小點...其中有人下單想買我的手工水餃、鍋貼, 但我想目前光是包我們自己吃的都工程浩大了, 先向他的同事 say no 吧。

在此分享些製作圖片

水餃的沾醬 - 我個人偏好只用黑醋加鮮切的小辣椒(自家種的); 鍋貼的沾醬 - 我通常是一半黑醋一半醬油。

內餡部份:  我通常是買約800公克的豬腿肉和豬肩膀的部未, 自己用食物調理機打; 另外加上半顆高麗菜、少許薑、蒜和蔥, 也用食物調理機打碎。調味部份我都是憑'感覺', 通常會使用醬油、白胡椒、紹興酒和麻油。測試調味是否足夠, 可在內餡打完水和蔬菜、辛香料和醬汁混和後, 製作小顆肉球, 用鍋子煎熟後試味道。

住在台灣的朋友真幸福, 可以隨時取得好吃的水餃、鍋貼, 就連在雪梨也可吃到鼎泰豐!

English Version:

I used to make my own dumplings more often when in Taiwan and Australia because it was easy to get decent dumpling wrappers from local Asian grocers.  I love these dumplings as they make such a quick meal, yet much healthier than a hamburgers from a fast food restaurant.

Since in France, homemade dumplings have become a nightmare for me.  As it is less recognised, the 'so-called' dumpling here is actually "wonton" (the wrappers you will find in Asian grocers, are 'actually' the wonton wrappers, even though they are still marked as 'pate à ravioli' -  French for dumpling wrappers!!).  Not until last month, I saw the real Northern dumpling wrappers, but it was frozen and imported from the Netherlands and I had a look of the ingredients used...I decided to still make my own wrappers.  

To make homemade dumplings would usually involve making 2 batches of doughs for me; one for making boiled dumplings, and the other for the pan fried jiaozi (or potstickers).  

My husband did not know the real 'Northern (China)" dumplings until I made some for him (including the pan fried jiaozi or potstickers); he then told his friends at work how good they are but no one knows these little delicacies, of course!

Here are just some photos I took while making my own dumplings.  

I personally, prefer eating boiled dumplings with Chinese black rice vinegar and some freshly chopped chili; and pan fried ones with half soy sauce and half rice vinegar.

For the fillings:  I usually use 800g of ground pork (a mixture of pork leg and shoulder and ground them in a food processor), half of a cabbage, a piece of ginger, a few garlic cloves, some spring onion, all finely chopped.  Seasonings:  soy sauce, ground white pepper, Chinese rice wine, and sesame oil (form a small meatball and cook it in a pan to taste if there is enough seasoning.)  These are just rough measures as I normally do as how I feel...lol  

I miss living in Taiwan and Australia because I could easily get these delicious treats.  And right after I left Oz, they even opened my favorite dumpling restaurant, Din Tai Fung in Sydney!!