MORE FUN WITH DIM SUM

This is Dionisio Esperas (Dio) our instructor for the Dim Sum class at the Natural Food Co-op. This was a hands on class so we all got a chance to make all the Dim Sum dishes.

We made wonton for the wonton soup, pot stickers, foil wrapped chicken and steamed pork bao (pork buns).

Dio is a great instructor with a great sense of humor. His recipes are usually pretty straight forward and not too complicated. The recipes for Dim Sum just takes a bit more time for preparing the ingredients.. lots of chopping involved.
There were 4 to 5 people per table and we all got the prepared fillings for each dish.
We then assembled each item after Dio demonstrated how it was supposed to be done. The pot stickers and the pork bao involved a lot of pleats. As each dish was completed it was taken to the back kitchen to cook and as the finished cooking they were brought out for us to enjoy.
I think my favorite was the wonton soup and the potstickers. The bao didn't taste like the kind you get at the Asian bakery, I think I need to play with the dough and filling and tweak it a little. It's hard when you don't have a lot of time to make the particular dish. The easiest was the foil wrapped chicken, but we made it with chicken breast(for a more healthful dish) rather than the thigh meat and baked rather than fried the wrapped chicken. It was rather dry and needed more of a sauce inside the wrap. We put some Hoisin sauce on it after it was baked and that made it better. Here are my finished products.. not exactly perfect, but not too bad.

Here is the recipe for the wonton filling:
11/2lbs coarsely ground pork
6 green onions finely chopped, white and green parts
1Tbsp freshly grated ginger
2 egg yolks
1tsp sugar
2 Tbsp sherry or Chinese rice wine
2Tbsp soy sauce or light soy
1tsp sea salt
1/4tsp ground white pepper
1tsp corn starch
2tsp sesame oil
1 package wonton skins (about 60)
In a mixing bowl, combine the green onion, ginger, sugar, soy sauce, white pepper,sherry, cornstarch and sesame oil and mix well. Add in the pork and mix until just combined. *check seasonings.
Place 4-6 wonton skins on a flat surface. Place a teaspoon of filling onto the center of each wonton skin. Brush edges with water to create a seal. Lift one corner over to the opposite corner forming a triangle. Press edges firmly around the filling to eliminate any air pockets and seal.
Moisten opposite corners of the long side. Curl the corners toward each other and overlap one on top of the other. Press firmly to seal. Repeat until all filling is used. Wonton can be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated covered. **Can be frozen for up to about 2 months.

These classes at the Co-op are a lot of fun. Dio is having a barbecue class on Thursday which should be fun. It won't be a hands on class but fun non the less, Dio is great at barbecue.

_Eileen_