Making dumplings
The dumpling is a common Chinese food which generally consists of minced meat and finely chopped vegetables wrapped into a elastic piece of dough skin. Although they are an everyday staple, they are also very important for the celebration of Chinese New Year in northern China, when all the family members gather. This is because the pronunciation of dumpling (饺子, jiao zi) a lso refers to the hinge between the old and the new year, and it is shaped like an ingot, a type of ancient Chinese money to symbolise wealth. So it is considered lucky to eat dumplings to bring good luck in the coming year. Apart from being eaten on Chinese New Year’s Eve, and special family reunions, dumplings are also traditionally eaten for farewell to family members or friends. Popular meat fillings include ground pork, ground beef, ground chicken, shrimp and even fish. Popular mixtures include pork with Chinese cabbage, pork with garlic, chives, shrimp with vegetables, pork with spring onion, g...
