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- Homemade Pretzels
Making these homemade pretzels is one of the easiest baking projects I think I've ever undertaken. They can be made super fast since there isn't much rise time needed, and they don't require a ton of skill to make. EQUIPMENT: Food Scale Diastatic Malt Powder INGREDIENTS: Dough: 4 cup flour (632g) 1g diastatic malt powder (optional) 12g salt 1.5. tablespoons (13g) instant yeast 1.5 cups (365g) water percent lukewarm water @ 95f 35c 1.5 tablespoon (21g) butter softened Lye Solution (please use a food scale to be accurate here): 1000g cold water 30g lye beads (this equates to a 3% solution) Baking Soda Alternative to Lye (be aware that your pretzels will be different in color and flavor if you go this route): 1000g cold water 60g baking soda INSTRUCTIONS: Primed Yeast Mix yeast and water. Let sit in warm area ten minutes before using. Dough Incorporate yeast and water mix into dry ingredient bowl using medium-low speed. Gradually add butter, then mix 2-3 more minutes until fully mixed and elastic. Proof for 15 minutes with damp towel on top. Divide do into 8 pieces weighing 127 g. Lightly shape dough in a fat log 4 in or 1 cm long. Place in baking sheet greased with oil. Cover with damp towel or plastic wrap and let rest for 5 minutes. When shaping pretzel dough, start from center, increase pressure as you reach ends to get a tapered effect until getting a long tapered torpedo 20 in or 50 cm long (think about a giant earthworm here, fat in the middle skinny on the ends). Take the two ends, bring them together, gently cross over each other. Twist end pieces once, gently bring it down to front and attach those legs to the base line on oiled sheet tray, cover and proof for 30 min. Put in fridge to cool, prep lye solution LYE SOLUTION: 1000 g cold water to 30g of food grade lye beads. Whisk until all are dissolved. IMPORTANT: USE GLOVES! Drop in solution 10 seconds per side. Place on wire rack setup over drain excess lye mixture. Make sure rack is greased otherwise it sticks. Slash base or thickest part of pretzel with razor blade Finish with flaky salt, then bake at 425 F or 218 C for 15-20 min or until golden brown.
- Homemade Beer
If you want to know how to brew beer, but don't know where to start then you came to the right place. I wouldn't say it's the easiest thing in the world but it's also not that hard once you actually do it and see for yourself. EQUIPMENT: Full Brewing Kit Full Brewing Kit INGREDIENTS: Grain Sack Ingredients: 1.5 lb (680g) Belgian pilsen 12 oz (340g) German wheat 12 oz (340g) Aromatic malt 8 oz (226g) special roast (lovibond 50) 4 oz (113g) Caramunich malt The Boil Ingredients: 3 gallons (11.5 liters) water (plus 4cups (1 liter) for draining) 5 pounds (2.25kilo) pilsen light liquid malt extract .5 oz (14g) sorachi hops (added at the beginning) 1 oz (28g) styrian goldings hops (added with 15 minutes remaining) 65g galangal or ginger 10g coriander seeds, toasted 3g grains of paradise, toasted INSTRUCTIONS: Method: Fill your grain sack with your assortment of grains: 1.5 pounds of Belgian Pilsen, 12 ounces of German wheat, 12 ounces of aromatic wheat, 8 ounces of special roast and 4 ounces of caramunich malt. Tie off your sack and drop it into 3 gallons of water which has been heated to 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure to dunk it in and out to make sure it’s hydrated. Let your grains steep for one hour, maintaining that temperature by checking in every 10 minutes. While your grains are steeping, sanitize your carboy and your airlocks. Once your grains are done steeping, lift your sack out of the water and strain 4 cups of hot water through the bag until it stops dripping. Discard the grains and bring your liquid to a boil. Add in 5 pounds of Pilsen light liquid malt. As soon as the liquid comes to a boil, set your timer for an hour and toss in ½ an ounce of Sorachi hops. Let your mixture boil for that hour; and when 20 minutes are remaining add in your spices: 3 grams of grains of paradise, 10 grams of coriander, 65 grams of peeled and sliced galangal. Wrap your spices in cheesecloth and tie it off with kitchen twine. Toss your bag into the boiling wort, then at the 10 minute mark add one ounce of Styrian Goulding’s hops; finishing out the boil. Once your time is up, let your wort cool down to 80 degrees fahrenheit. Once cooled, funnel in your sanitized carboy using your sanitized funnel. Top it off with enough water to reach the 5 gallon mark. Take your yeast bag and cut it open using sanitized scissors. Pour it directly into your beer, then add your prepared airlock and its stopper. Make sure it’s fully licked down on your carboy; letting it ferment at room temperature in a dark area with no sunlight for 14 days. Once you’ve hit your 14 days, sanitize your bottles and prime them all with priming sugar. Using a sanitized auto siphon and bottle filler, attach your racking cane to the siphon and the other end to a bottle filler. Carefully place the siphon in your beer and begin pumping your beer through the siphon into the bottom of a beer bottle. Once you’ve reached the top of the bottle, pull your siphon out. Repeat with remaining bottles. Using a bottle capper, cap your bottles and place back in a dark place; letting them condition at room temperature for 3 weeks. Once your 3 weeks have passed, place in the fridge for 24 hours.
- Okonomiyaki
Okonomiyaki are the Japanese Street Food Pancakes of your dreams. No not the fluffy pancakes that you've seen float around the internet, these are better. EQUIPMENT: Bonito Flakes Nonstick Pan INGREDIENTS: For Okonomiyaki Batter: 1 cup (152g) all purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon (3g) kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon (1g) baking powder 4 eggs 1/2 cup (120ml) dashi 1/2 large head cabbage 2 tablespoons (30g) red pickled ginger chopped (beni shoga) 1/4 pound shrimp, poached and cut into small bite sized pieces *optional* 1/2 cup (30g) agedama/tenkasu (tempura scrap) 1 bunch thin sliced green onion For Homemade Okonomiyaki Sauce: 2 tablespoons (53g) lacto ketchup or regular ketchup 2 tablespoons (28ml) Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon (14ml) soy sauce 1 tablespooonn 14g honey 2 teaspoons (8g) molasses For Toppings: Bonito Flakes Thin sliced green onion Thin chiffonade nori INSTRUCTIONS: Batter Mix flour, baking powder, salt, whole eggs and dashi. Lumps are ok. Season your green cabbage with salt, and squeeze the water out of it. Poach your shrimp in a bit of dashi. Cool off and cut into small pieces Toss cabbage, shrimp, pickled ginger, agedama and onion whites in batter. To cook the pancake, start a nonstick pan with a cooking spray in medium heat. Add thin strips of pork belly. Flip pancake and brush with sauce. Flip pancake again and brush the other side with sauce. Once pancake is done, finish with one last drizzle of sauce, finish with bonito flakes, kewpie mayonnaise, sliced green onions and nori. Okonomiyaki Sauce Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Store and use as needed.
- Dashi and Miso Soup
This recipe is one of the most used bases of Japanese food; the humble Dashi (Japanese Sea Stock). There are many kinds but this is the most common one. It's the same broth that you use to make homemade miso soup, tempura sauce, and much much more. EQUIPMENT: Kitchen Scale Katsuobushi Kezuri (slicer) INGREDIENTS: Dashi Ingredients: 1qt (950ml) filtered cold water 4 (2inch) (10g) pieces kombu 1.25 cup (12g) bonito flakes Miso Soup Ingredients: 1 qt (950ml) Dashi 2.5 Tbsp (60g) miso Salt to taste Cubed soft tofu Thin sliced green onion INSTRUCTIONS: Dashi Method: Shave your Katsuobushi into thin slices either using a bonito kuzuri or a knife. Take 4 2-inch pieces of kombu and combine that with 1 quart of cold water in a small sauce pot. Let it soak for 25-30 minutes or until completely softened. Heat the pot over medium-high heat and right before it simmers, cut the heat down to low. Maintain a constant temperature of 170 degrees Fahrenheit. Add in your bonito flakes and continue to steep in the hot liquid for 15 minutes. Remove the kombu and strain the liquid through a mesh strainer. Miso Soup Method: Heat up your dashi in a small sauce pot until it begins to simmer. Place a mesh strainer on the pot. Add 2 ½ tablespoons of miso paste to your strainer and whisk together until it dissipates. Add tofu and sliced green onions to your bowl if desired. Serve.
- Flour Tortillas
There is no substitute for perfect fresh hand-made tortillas hot off the comal. It's the key ingredient for a good old fashioned taco, and knowing how to make them will only do good things for you. EQUIPMENT: Comal Rolling Pin INGREDIENTS: 2.5 cups (346g) all purpose flour 1 teaspoon (6g) fine sea salt 1.5 teaspoons(6g) baking powder 3 tablespoons (33g) lard, vegetable shortening, or vegetable oil 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon (189ml) warm water (not hot) INSTRUCTIONS: Mix everything but water until you get a cornmeal texture with flower. Add water gradually and mix until it comes together In a floured surface, knead until smooth. Cover and rest dough for 10 minutes. Divide dough into 16 even pieces or 35g per piece Roll into balls. Flatten them with a rolling pin or a tortilla press, 1/8 in thick. Sear in a cast iron pan until it puffs up. Rotate until other side is cooked. Store in a tortilla warmer or two clean towels.
- Homemade Sausage
Anyone can make homemade sausage. I never realized how easy it was until I started doing it myself. It doesn't take to long, the ingredients are super cheap for what it yields, and it's delicious! EQUIPMENT: Meat Grinder Hog Casings Sumac INGREDIENTS: Boneless pork shoulder Pork fat back (optional) 2% salt Your choice of flavorings and seasonings Mild Italian: 3 pounds (1300g) pork shoulder 1/4 pound (113g) pork fat back 2.5 Tbsp (29g) kosher salt 1 Tbsp (6g) coriander seeds 1 Tbsp (6g) fennel seeds 2 tsp (5g) black peppercorns 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced Bratwurst: 2 pounds (907g) boneless pork shoulder 1/3 pound (151g) pork fat back 2 Tbsp (22g) kosher salt 1 tsp (3g) black pepper, fine ground 1/2 tsp (3g) mace or allspice Small pinch savory *optional* 2 tsp (5g) dry mustard Merguez: 3 pounds (1300g) boneless lamb shoulder 1/2 pound (226g) pork fat back 3 Tbsp (33g) kosher salt 2 tsp (6g) cumin seeds 1 tsp (2g) fennel seeds 1 tsp (3g) sumac 1 tsp (2g) ground cinnamon 7 cloves garlic, peeled and minced 1/4 cup (60g) harissa paste INSTRUCTIONS: Method: Take the weight of all of your meat and fat in grams and multiple it by 0.02. That will give you a 2% weight of exactly how much salt you need to use for every pound. If you’re using natural hog casings, make sure you take them out of the packaging and rinse their salt cure off and let it sit in warm water for about 30 minutes. Mild: Start with 3 pounds of boneless pork shoulder and ¼ pound of pork fatback. Cut the fat into pieces. To make your spice mix: combine fennel seeds, coriander seeds, black peppercorns in a dry pan set over medium heat. Roast them by shaking the pan often until they’re fragrant (about 2-3 minutes.) Once that’s done, grind them up in a spice grinder until they’re nice and fine. Mix in kosher salt and combine with your meat; along with 3 cloves of finely minced garlic. Mix your ingredients together until thoroughly incorporated. Run your meat through the grinder accordingly. Bratwurst: Toss your meat with freshly ground black pepper, mace or allspice, dried savory, and dried mustard. Massage together and run it through the grinder as before. Merguez: Toss your meat with ground cumin and fennel seeds, sumac, ground cinnamon, and kosher salt. Mix together and add in your harissa paste and 7 cloves of minced garlic. Run through the grinder as before. To stuff your casings: The first thing you need to do is emulsify the meat and fat together by kneading it like a piece of dough. Attach your stuffing tube to your grinder attachment, screwing it on tight. Rub the tube with a little bit of oil and slide on a single casing; leaving 1 ½ inches of overhang. Start up your stuffer on low speed and add in your ground meat, slowly filling up your casing; pulling the casing when necessary to allow it to flow downward. Repeat this process until you’ve filled the entire casing, making sure to leave another 1 ½ inch of overhang on the other side. Once your sausage is 5-6 inches long, start with the farthest end and pinch it with both hands to close both ends. Twist the sausage to tighten. Repeat with remaining sausage links. Place your links on a baking sheet and leave in the fridge for 4 hours or ideally overnight to allow the casings to dry out. Make sure to flip them over halfway through. To cook: Place your sausage in a pot with just enough water to cover. Gently poach them over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Then sear in a pan.
- Soda with Anything Fermented
Making homemade soda is surprisingly fun, easy, and addicting to make at home. Not to mention the fermentation from the water kefir grains provide a whole extra layer of flavor! EQUIPMENT: Flip-Top Bottles Water Kefir Grains INGREDIENTS: For activation: 1/4 cup (56g) demerara, brown, or organic cane sugar 1/2 cup (118ml) hot water 3 cups (709ml) room temp filtered (ideally fluoride free) water For every batch of water kefir: 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp (78g) sugar *same as before* 1 cup (237ml) hot water 5 cups (1.2 liters) room temp filtered water INSTRUCTIONS: Method: To activate your kefir grains; take ¼ cup of demerara/brown sugar, ½ cup of water and add it to a small pan. Bring up to a heat to dissolve and then pour it in a 1 quart sized jar. Cover it with another 3 cups of room temperature water and mix. Add in your kefir grains, making sure the water is no higher than 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Cover the top with cheesecloth and tie it down with some butchers twine or a rubber band. Let it sit at room temperature for 3-4 days. To make kefir, strain the grains out of the liquid and discard the liquid. Dissolve ½ cup plus 2 teaspoons of sugar and 1 cup of hot water in a glass. Once completely dissolved, pout that into a ½ gallon jar and cover it with another 5 cups of water. Add in your activated kefir grains and cover with your cheesecloth lid. Leave out at room temperature for 24-48 hours. To flavor and carbonate your kefir, choose your favorite fresh fruits juices/extracts. Strain out your kefir grains and reserve the liquid. Add in your preferred fruits and sugar, place in a flip top bottle and let it sit out for 1-3 days; burping it every day.
- Lasagna
I'm talking homemade lasagna with fresh pasta, fresh ground meat (ground at home), homemade sauce that will make you cry (in a good way).This is the only recipe you need.It's lasagna, you just can't go wrong with it. EQUIPMENT: Pasta Roller Meat Grinder Attachment INGREDIENTS: 1lb (450g) ground beef (chuck) 1 lb (450g) ground pork (pork shoulder) 1 medium sized onion 1 rib of celery 1 medium sized onion 2 carrots 2 cloves garlic thinly sliced (I also added this and forgot to mention it) 3 Tbsp (60g) tomato paste 1 cup (236ml) white wine 1.5 cups (354ml) chicken stock 1- 17.6 oz(500g) container of crushed tomatoes Salt to taste Homemade Fresh Pasta: 3 cups (480g) all purpose flour (or 00 tipo) 5 whole eggs 1/2 tsp (3g) fine sea salt Water if needed For assembly you'll need: A 16oz tub whole milk ricotta Parmigiana reggiano *optional* fontina Fresh mozzarella (two 500g balls should do) Fresh basil 13 slices of prosciutto di parma Lasagna pasta sheets INSTRUCTIONS: Method: To make the sauce, take 1lb of ground beef and 1lb of ground pork and mix together in a bowl. Then in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, add in enough oil to coat the bottom. Take about half of your meat mixture and pat it into a large thin patty. Sear your meat in the pot for about 2-3 minutes on both sides. Repeat that until you use all of your meat. Remove meat from the pan and set it off to the side. In that same pan, cook off 4 ounces of guanciale or pancetta over medium heat until it releases its fat and fried itself in it. Once that’s done frying, add to that pot 1 medium onion finely diced, 1 finely diced celery, and 2 finely diced carrots. Give it a stir and let it saute over medium heat for about 2 minutes or until all the vegetables turn translucent. Then add in 3 tablespoons of tomato paste. Stir and let it cook in the pot until it begins to stick to the bottom. Add in 1 cup of white wine or water and give it a stir. Let the mixture simmer until it’s reduced by about half. Then add in 1 ½ cups of chicken stock, 17.6 ounces of crushed tomatoes, and your cooked meat. Allow that to simmer for about 1-2 hours or until it’s reduced and mostly meaty. To make your own pasta, add 3 cups of all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon of fine sea salt into a bowl and whisk together. Make a well in the flour mixture and add in 5 whole eggs. Start whisking together with a fork, slowly bringing in the flour from the sides. Once it starts to come together, begin kneading. Once you get a nice cohesive dough, knead until it’s relatively smooth. Wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for about an hour. After your dough has rested, divide into 4 equal parts and flatten each piece into a rough oveal. Run it through a pasta roller at the thickest setting; making sure to dust it with flour. Keep rolling that dough on a thinner and thinner setting one at a time until you reach the final setting. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season it generously with salt. For fresh noodles, blanch them in the water for about 10 seconds and pull them out immediately. If you’re using premade noodles, cook your noodles in the pot until it’s very very al dente. To assemble your lasagna, first grease a 9x13 inch baking pan with butter. Apply a very thin layer of sauce in the bottom to prevent sticking. Then layer your lasagna by placing a layer of pasta sheets, ½ cup of whole milk ricotta, fresh basil leaves, prosciutto di parma, your meat sauce and then a layer of parmigiano-reggiano, fontina and mozzarella. Repeat this layering process until the pan is full. Top your lasagna with cheese and place on a baking sheet. Put your lasagna in the oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for one hour or until nice and brown. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 20-25 minutes.
- Black Garlic
It only takes 10 minutes of active time to make black garlic. Everything else is just letting it sit at home while you live your life. Black garlic also referred to black gold (for good reason), is one of the greatest kitchen condiments you'll ever experience and it's even better when you make it yourself. EQUIPMENT: Dehydrator Fermentation Station Shallow Half Hotel Pan INGREDIENTS: Garlic and one of the three (dehydrator, rice cooker, proofer) Black Garlic Bonito Compound Butter: 1 head peeled black garlic 3 Tbsp (1g) bonito flakes 1/2 pound (227g) unsalted butter, room temperature Black Garlic Chimichurri: 1 fresno chili 1 bunch parsley zest and juice from 2 lemons 2 head black garlic, peeled, Extra virgin olive oil to cover Salt to taste Black Garlic Miso Marinade: 1 head peeled black garlic 1/4 cup (68g) barley miso Splash of rice vinegar Splash of mirin Salt to taste 2 Tbsp (14g) olive oil Water to loosen INSTRUCTIONS: Method: Individually wrap your garlic bulbs in plastic wrap, and then it in 2 layers of foil. If you’re using the dehydrator, place the garlic in a metal or heat proof container that will hold all of your bulbs. Place in the dehydrator and set it to 140 degrees Fahrenheit and let it go for 4-8 weeks. Don’t forget to reset the timer every 99 hours. If you’re using a rice cooker, place some sort of a small grate in the bottom to keep your garlic from touching; and place your garlic in the cooker. Set it to a warm function with the lid on and let it sit for 4-8 weeks. If you’re using a fermentation station, place your wrapped garlic in a pot and place the lid on. Set it at 140 degrees Fahrenheit and let it sit for 4-8 weeks. Once your garlic is done, let it sit at room temperature for about a day to redistribute its moisture. Then store it in the fridge until it’s completely black. Black Garlic Bonito Butter Method: Take 3 tablespoons of bonito flakes and roughly chop it. Repeat this process with 1-2 heads of peeled black garlic. Add both of these ingredients to ½ pound of unsalted butter that is at room temperature. Mix it all together and lay it down on a sheet of plastic wrap. Rotate the plastic wrap around to create a sausage shape. Grab the ends and make sure there is no seam. Roll your sausage shape against your counter over and over, allowing it to get tighter. Tie off the ends and place in the fridge until completely firm. Black Garlic Chimichurri Method: Roughly mince one fresno chili and then finely chop a bunch of parsley. Add in the zest and juice from one lemon and two heads of black garlic finely chopped. Add just enough olive oil to cover the ingredients, and mix together until incorporated. Season generously with salt. Black Garlic Miso Marinade Method: In a blender, add in one head of peeled black garlic, ¼ cup of barley miso, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, a splash of mirin a splash of rice vinegar, and a pinch of salt. Blend it together and serve.
- Shrimp Tempura
Making homemade shrimp tempura doesn't require a lot of fancy ingredients or gadgets. Just some good shrimp, some water, some flour, some oil, and that's pretty much it. EQUIPMENT: Candy Thermometer Deep Fry Thermometer INGREDIENTS: Tempura Batter Ingredients: 1 cup (150g) all purpose flour 1/4 tsp baking soda 1 cup (236ml) cold carbonated water 2-4 ice cubes 1 egg Tempura Sauce Ingredients: 1 cup (236ml) water 2 - 3inch pieces kombu (5g) 1/2 cup (5g) bonito flakes 1/4cup (60ml) soy sauce 1/4 cup (60ml) mirin INSTRUCTIONS: Method: In a medium sized bowl, crack one whole egg and whisk until broken up and homogenized. While whisking, stream in 1 cup of cold carbonated water. Drop in 3-4 ice cubes to keep the batter cold. In a separate bowl, add a ¼ teaspoon of baking soda and 1 cup of all-purpose flour. Give a nice mix until everything is evenly incorporated. Sift your flour mixture directly into your egg mixture. Using chopsticks, mix until it starts to come together. For your shrimp, make sure they are peeled and deveined. If not, cut a line down the top of them to pull the vein out. Grab the shell and peel it right off. Use the back part of your knife to lightly scrape the tail piece of each shrimp to remove the dirt. To make you’re shrimp straight, make tiny scores along the length of the underbelly. Make sure to not go too deep. Repeat this on the other side. Lightly squeeze and gently pull it apart to have it straighten out. Repeat this with your remaining shrimp. To fry, start by filling a medium sized heavy-bottomed pot a little above halfway with oil. Insert a frying/candy thermometer into your oil, and heat your oil up to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Once your oil reaches that temperature, dredge your shrimp in all-purpose flour and then dip it in the batter making sure it’s totally covered. Gently lower the shrimp into the hot oil, while making a swirling motion. This will help keep the shrimp straight. Using a stock skimmer, clean out the flakes in your oil to avoid overcrowding. Repeat this process until you’ve fried all of your shrimp. Season your shrimp with a bit of togashi and serve with your dipping sauce. To make your sauce, pour one cup of water in a small sauce pot. Add in two pieces of kombu - 3 inches each. Bring up to a steamy heat and let it steep for 12 minutes. Once that time is up, remove and discard the kombu. Add in ½ a cup of bonito flakes and keep your pot at a steamy heat for 8 minutes. Strain through a mesh strainer and add in ¼ cup of soy sauce, and ¼ cup of mirin. Mix and serve with your shrimp.
- Steamed Dumplings
Making steamed dumplings is easy. I swear. And we're making our own homemade dumpling dough here! The only thing that takes a little practice is the shaping and pleating of the dumpling. Once you've gotten that down you'll be a steamed dumpling god. EQUIPMENT: Pasta Roller INGREDIENTS: Dumpling Dough: 3 cups (400g) all purpose flour 3/4 cup(216g) boiling water *see notes* 1 tsp (7g) fine sea salt Dumpling Filling: 1 pound (450g) ground pork (20% fat or higher) 3 cloves garlic 1/4 head large napa cabbage 1 bunch green onion thinly sliced 2 inch (4cm) piece ginger, peeled and grated 1 Tbsp (15g) soy sauce 1.5 tsp (8g) kosher salt Dumpling Sauce: Black Vinegar OR 3 Tbsp (44g) soy sauce 1 Tbsp (14g) rice vinegar 1 Tbsp (14g) hot water 1 tsp (5g) granulated sugar 1 tsp (4g) sesame oil 1 clove garlic minced 1 bunch green onion slice (green part only) INSTRUCTIONS: *Notes on boiling water in dough*: First off, please please be careful not to burn yourself. Second, you may need to add a bit more water to get the dough to come together. If you do, then add it 1 tablespoon at a time. Method: To make the dough, measure 3 cups of all-purpose flour in a large bowl. Whisk in one teaspoon of fine sea salt until evenly incorporated. Now add in ¾ cup of boiling water and mix with a wooden spoon to make a rough dough. Begin kneading the dough until it comes together. Continue kneading for 5 minutes until smooth. Shape your dough into thick discs and wrap in plastic wrap. Let it rest at room temperature for 1 hour. To make the fillings, slice and rough chop ¼ head of napa cabbage. Make sure to reserve at least 6 of the outer leaves. Place your cabbage in a bowl and season it generously with salt. Squeeze to soften and bruise; releasing any liquid. Drain out half of the liquid and add in one bunch of thinly sliced green onions and 1lb. of ground pork. (at least 20% fat) To that bowl, add in 3 cloves of freshly grated garlic, a 2-inch piece of peeled and grated ginger, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and 1.5 teaspoons of kosher salt. Mix together until evenly incorporated. Wrap your bowl in plastic wrap and let it sit in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. Take your dough and cut it into 4 equal pieces. Using either a rolling pin or a pasta roller, take a ¼ of your dough and roll it out into a rough rectangle about 1/2 -inch thick. Roll it with your rolling pin or pasta roller until very thin but still handleable. Using a 3 ½ inch circular cutter, cut out circles of the dough. Make sure to take your scrap dough and reuse it. To shape your dumplings, add some of your filling to the center of your dough circle. Lightly brush some water around the edge of the dumpling to help with sealing. Fold it over like a taco but only adhere to the center point of it; leaving two open ends. Starting from the left of the center point, use your index fingers to fold the top portion of the dumpling dough towards the center fold. Pinch that down and repeat this process, working away from the center seam until you have 3 evenly spaced pleats. Repeat this process on the other side. Place your dumplings on a sheet tray dusted generously with flour. To steam, take a bamboo steamer and line it with your reserved cabbage leaves. Place your steamer to fit snug over a pot of boiling water. Place as many dumplings as possible in your steamer basket without them touching. Cover and steam for 7-10 minutes or until fully cooked. To make your dipping sauce, you can use black vinegar OR... Mix one teaspoon of granulated sugar with one tablespoon of hot water. Let it dissolve. Then ass 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, one tablespoon of rice vinegar, one teaspoon of sesame oil, one clove of garlic minced and half a green onion thinly sliced. Stir to incorporate and serve with your dumplings.
- Cured Egg Yolks
Cured egg yolks are the mysterious, and slightly strange homemade condiment that everyone should be making. For something as fancy sounding as it is, the recipe itself is extraordinarily simple. EQUIPMENT: Sahara Dehydrator INGREDIENTS: 6 egg yolks 2 cups (316g) kosher salt 1 cup (220g) granulated sugar aromatics, spices, dried mushrooms of your choice The Aromatics I Used: 1 Tbsp (4g) coriander seeds 1 Tbsp (4g) pink peppercorns 1 tsp (2g) sichuan peppercorns 1 tsp (2g) black peppercorns 4 bay leaves 1/3 cup (9g) dried chanterelle mushrooms INSTRUCTIONS: Method: Add in your coriander seeds, pink peppercorns, sichuan peppercorns, black peppercorns, bay leaves and dried chanterelle mushrooms to a skillet and toast. Let the spices cool, then blend into a fine powder. Mix your aromatics with 2 cups of kosher salt and one cup of granulated sugar. Whisk together evenly and spread half of your cure mixture into a baking pan so it coats the bottom. Make 6 equally spaced apart small indentations in the cure mixture, making sure to not go all the way to the bottom of the pan. Place an egg yolk in each indentation without breaking it. Cover each yolk in a mound of cure until you’ve used all of the mixture. Wrap your pan in plastic wrap and let them cure in the fridge for 4-6 days until firm and handleable. Once your yolks are cured, take them out of the mixture and rinse gently under cold water to remove the cure off of the surface. Gently dry them on a paper towel. Either using an oven or a dehydrator, take your egg yolks and dehydrate them at 140 degrees Fahrenheit for 2 hours. Once dehydrated, let them cool and use them on just about anything.