In celebration of the Lunar New Year, we made dumplings called jiaozi this week, which Chinese people eat so they will possess longevity and wealth! Students started class by wrapping dumplings using pre-made filling, then filled bamboo steamers lined with cabbage leaves with their creations. While the dumplings steamed, we made the filling for the next day’s class. We diced tofu, sliced cabbage, minced shiitake mushrooms and cilantro, grated carrot and ginger, and pressed garlic. We made a simple dipping sauce with soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and a pinch of ground white pepper.
Many chefs expressed their hesitation to try something that contained mushrooms. But we’ve been working together with most of our students for many months, if not years, now, and the minute students tried the dumplings, they asked for seconds. Vegetarian and vegan dumplings such as these, with the right balance of texture and umami and sweetness, make for a healthy breakfast filled with vegetables kids might not otherwise find appealing. Happy Year of the Rat!
