NEW YORK — As a white American, I’m in no position to expound on the correct way to make Chinese dumplings.
Jiaozi, bao, mantou, shumai — I will enthusiastically eat these things if you invite me to dim sum, but I’m not an expert in making them. I am an expert, however, in attempting to reproduce my favorite restaurant dishes at home.
Homemade Americanized Chinese dumplings are way cheaper than the restaurant version.
Plus, they are really not difficult. You can pleat them up all fancy, but shaping dumplings can be as easy as folding the wrappers in half and pressing the edges together with your fingers: It’s like sealing an envelope, but with water instead of saliva, and no risk of paper cuts.
The most readily available type of dumpling wrap is the wonton wrap, which contains egg (unlike traditional potsticker dough, which is made only of flour and water). So this recipe calls for readymade wonton wraps, which are delightfully doughy and chewy when cooked. (To anyone who protests that you must make the dough from scratch: Come on. Do you always make pasta from scratch, too?)