Anna Z- 12:56 am PDT - Feb 9, 2000 -# 2100 of 8764
"harken joltheads! or dickins take ye!" 1653 Urquart (Rabelais) prol.

Dumpling Skins (Wheat Starch/Tapioca Flour Dough)

Special thanks to Lana Mak for the recipe.

Used for: ha gau, fung ngan gau, fun guor, jai gau

Ingredients

2 Cups wheat starch
1 Cups tapioca flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups boiling water
3 tablespoon lard
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

Preparation

Mixing the dough

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix the wheat starch, the tapioca flour, and salt. As the dough hooks rotate, add boiling water.
2. Add the lard and the sesame oil and mix together thoroughly.
3. Add 1 teaspoon of water if dough is too dry.
4. Continue mixing until a ball of dough forms.
5. Remove from bowl, knead a few times, divide into four equal parts, place each into a plastic bag until ready to use.

Making the skins

1. Before working with dough, oil the work surface.
2. Soak a paper towel so that cleaver blade is slightly oiled and repeatedly rub cleaver across folded towel so that cleaver blade is oiled.
3. Roll pieces of dough into sausage shaped lenghs about 12 inches long and 1 inch in diameter.
4. Cut a 1/2 inch piece from the length.
5. Roll into a small ball, then press down with the palm of your hand.
6. Press flat with the broad side of the cleaver to create the round skin 2 1/4 inches in diameter.

Note: Dough can be set aside for a few hours or overnight in cold weather. It must remain at room temperature; it cannot be refrigerated or frozen.