When it comes to Chinese comfort food, nothing beats a really good bowl of hand-pulled noodles or a steaming, silky bowl of mapo tofu. Yet our love affair with Chinese food often centers around dumplings.

Whether they’re boiled, steamed or pan-fried, it’s just so easy to eat five, six or even a dozen of the plump and juicy dough bundles stuffed with ground meat and/or vegetables. And you don’t even need to head to your favorite Chinese restaurant or order takeout to enjoy them.

With a bit of practice, most home cooks will find jiaozi fairly easy (and fun!) to make, especially if you get an assembly line going and opt for pre-made wrappers.

Because they’re shaped like ancient Chinese ingots, dumplings are often a celebratory food in China, enjoyed during holidays such as the Lunar New Year, when they symbolize wealth and prosperity for the upcoming year. But that’s not always the case. Former Pittsburgher Hannah Che, who wrote the James Beard Award-winning “The Vegan Chinese Kitchen” in 2022, grew up eating them any time the family got together.

Dumplings take quite a few forms in China, depending on the province and region, says Che. Since both parents are from northern China, her family mostly ate boiled dumplings. Dumpling-making was also very much a joint effort, with her father rolling the homemade dough wrappers, most everyone else filling and pleating them and her mom handling the cooking.

It would have been quicker and easier to use the inexpensive frozen wrappers you can find in any Asian market, and she’s quick to point out there’s no shame in going the convenience route. In fact, this is how many Chinese home cooks make dumplings.

“It’s just we always made the dough from scratch,” Che says on an early morning phone call from Dali in China’s southwestern Yunnan province, where she is working on a second cookbook that will focus on tofu.

Dumpling do’s and don’ts

Gretchen McKay places filling in her homemade dumplings before she broils them in her kitchen on Wednesday, April 3, 2024, in Avon. (Benjamin B. Braun/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS)

Dumplings from scratch are better for one simple reason: texture.

“Homemade dumplings just always have a more satisfying mouth feel,” Che says.

Also, scratch wrappers only require mixing all-purpose flour and water, then letting the dough rest for a little bit to become smooth and silky before kneading and rolling it out. “You don’t need any leavening.”

That said, she still has some tips to make rolling, stuffing and pinching homemade dumplings a little easier for beginners.

For starters, if you’re going to boil the dumplings, it’s important to use cold water when mixing the dough because it will give you a thicker skin. Otherwise, they will fall apart in boiling water. (If you’re going to pan-fry the dumplings, however, use hot water for a more delicate wrapper.)

You need to get the proportion of water to flour just right; if it’s too soft, it will fall apart under the weight of the filling. This is the one time you might consider using a scale to weigh both water and flour.

“It should be really elastic, but still stiff,” Che says.

Take a rest

Gretchen McKay pinches one of her homemade dumplings to keep the filling in before she broils it in her kitchen on Wednesday, April 3, 2024, in Avon. (Benjamin B. Braun/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS)

It’s also essential to allow the dough to rest on the counter (to relax it and make it easier to roll), and aim for consistently sized portions when you pinch or cut the dough after rolling or spinning it into ropes.

Rolling the dough between two pieces of parchment paper eases the process. You also might consider using a tortilla press if you’ve got one handy — especially if you’re intimidated by the thought of all that rolling.

“It’s a definite time saver!” she says.

The wrappers don’t have to be a perfect circle, just roundish.

When it comes to preparing a meat filling, combinations are endless, but Che says it’s important to add in some chives, green onions or chopped cabbage “so there is something juicy (but not watery) in there besides the meat.”

If you’d rather go vegetarian, you need similar aromatics along with “something meaty” like tofu or tofu skin to give the dumpling some heft.

“You can also include vermicelli or glass noodles because you can chop it up really nice, and it adds this richness and texture to the filling that is really satisfying,” she says.

Just be sure to squeeze a vegetarian filling to remove any excess water. And you’ll also want to go heavier on the salt than you would ordinarily on both varieties because the dough wrapper will subdue the seasonings.

Mixing and stuffing

Gretchen McKay mixes homemade dumpling filling in her kitchen on Wednesday, April 3, 2024, in Avon. (Benjamin B. Braun/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS)

Another time-saver: Use a food processor instead of mixing all the ingredients by hand.

“It really saves a lot of time, and you want something pasty,” says Che.

Now you’re ready to stuff and pleat the bundles.

Since the primary goal is to keep the filling inside, and elaborate pinches take a lot of practice, settle for a basic half-moon shape unless you really want to make it look pretty. This is especially true if you’re simply going to boil them, says Che. Fancy edges are more for steamed dumplings served for dim sum, where the presentation is more refined.

Make sure the finished dumplings are flat on the bottom. It makes them easier to pick up with a pair of chopsticks.

Che’s final words of advice: Find a partner or, even better, several.

“Dumpling making is definitely more enjoyable when it’s a communal activity,” she says.

All those bodies working in unison, in fact, is what makes dumplings a celebration food in Chinese culture.

“It takes so long, you might as well have lots of hands,” she says, laughing.

Homemade jiaozi (dumplings)

This dough comes together, rolls out easily and can be used regardless of filling or the cooking method. Since I was making them by myself, I halved the recipe for a smaller batch of about 50 dumplings stuffed with a classic cabbage-and-pork filling.

If you’re going to freeze the dumplings, place them in a single layer on a cookie sheet and freeze until hard before storing in a plastic bag.

For an easy dipping sauce, stir together 2 tablespoons of black vinegar, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, a pinch of sugar and a heaping teaspoon (or more) of chili crisp, chili oil or sriracha.

INGREDIENTS

For dough:

4 cups (560 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons (280 grams) cold water

For filling:

1 pound ground pork
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion
4 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons sesame oil
1 cup finely chopped Chinese cabbage

DIRECTIONS

Prepare dough. Put flour in a large bowl and add all the water. Mix together with a pair of chopsticks until all the flakes come together in a shaggy ball. Start kneading dough with your hands and incorporate any remaining flour. Let rest 5 minutes, then knead again until it is taut, smooth and firm, about 7 minutes.
Cover with a tea towel and allow dough to rest for 15 minutes. Dough should feel slightly tacky, but not damp.
While dough is resting, prepare filling. In a large bowl, combine pork, ginger, garlic, green onion, soy sauce, sesame oil and cabbage. Stir until well mixed.
Once rested, divide dough in half. Form one portion into a ball, poke a hole in the center and shape like a doughnut. Lift dough so gravity causes the bottom to stretch and gently shape with your hands as it grows skinnier, forming an O-shaped rope.
When the rope is 3/4 inch in diameter, break doughnut into a long rope and tear off 3/4 -inch pieces with a sharp, quick snap of your wrist. (They should weigh about 10 grams.) You can also use a knife or pastry scraper. Dust pieces with flour and repeat with remaining dough.
Roll each piece into a small ball, then flatten it between palms to create a disc resembling a wafer cookie. Press thumb into dough to create a “belly” in the center.
Roll dough ball into a circle about 3 inches in diameter. (The edges should be thinner than the center.) Don’t worry if it’s not perfect; it only needs to be roundish. The key is to keep size consistent so dumplings cook consistently.
Place 2 teaspoons of filling onto each dumpling round. If you don’t want to pleat the dumplings, the easiest way to seal them is to fold the wrapper over the filling into a half-moon shape. Match the edges together and press as if you were sealing an envelope. There is no need to seal homemade wrappers with water. (There is enough moisture in the dough to seal.)
Hold sealed edge of dumpling between fingers, press bottom belly of the dumpling into a board so it stands up. Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper and repeat with remaining dumplings.
To boil: Bring 4 quarts water to a boil. Add 10-12 dumplings and gently stir. When water returns to a boil, add 1 cup of cold water and bring water back to a boil. Dumplings are done when they are puffed up and floating on the surface, about 5 minutes. Remove from pot to plate with a large slotted spoon or strainer.
To steam: Line steamer basket with steamer paper and place prepared dumplings in a single layer in the basket, with 1 inch between each. Place basket on top of pot and steam, covered, for 8-10 minutes, or until wrappers puff up. (Meat fillings will take longer.)
To pan-fry: Preheat a 9-inch skillet over medium heat for 1 minute. Add enough vegetable oil to coat bottom surface, then carefully arrange dumplings in a single layer, flat side down. Add 1/2 cup water to skillet and cover immediately. Cook for 7-9 minutes, until water has evaporated and bottoms of dumplings are golden brown.

Makes about 48 dumplings.

— adapted from “The Vegan Chinese Kitchen” by Hannah Che (Clarkson Potter, $35)

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Lakeview Hospital officials are in the midst of designing the hospital’s new $400 million campus in Stillwater, and they are asking the public to weigh in.

“Our goal is to design it with – and for – the community,” hospital officials wrote in the introduction to a new online survey. “We’re hoping you’ll … help us understand what’s most special about our current campus and what you hope for in the new hospital campus.”

The new hospital campus, located at the northeast corner of Minnesota 36 and Manning Avenue, is expected to open in late 2027 or early 2028. It will include a birth center, emergency medicine, advanced critical care, and specialized centers for heart, cancer and orthopedic care.

The new site will give the hospital room to expand and greater visibility, said Lakeview Hospital President Brandi Lunneborg.

The 12-question survey, which is open through May 24, “is one way to connect directly with our patients, visitors and the communities this new campus will serve in Stillwater and across the east metro and western Wisconsin,” she said.

Lakeview officials created the survey with HKS Architects in Chicago, which is designing the new campus in partnership with local architectural firm BWBR. “We’ll use input from it to design the new campus,” Lunneborg said. “It’s the first of many opportunities that community members will have to share ideas and get involved in our new Lakeview Hospital campus.”

Among the survey questions:

“What does Lakeview Hospital mean to you and the community?”
“What do you hope the new Lakeview Hospital campus will bring to the community?”
“How can the new Lakeview Hospital campus support the economy of the area?”

Respondents are asked to list, in order of preference, what they like about the current Lakeview Hospital campus at 927 W. Churchill St., and how they would like to see the new Lakeview Hospital campus “address the natural environment responsibly.”

Questions about roads/trails, access and safety factors also are included, as well as a question about factors that would enhance patients’ and visitors’ “comfort and experience.”

A map showing the site plan for the new Lakeview Hospital in Stillwater. Officials say the new campus, which will be located at the northeast corner of Minnesota 36 and Manning Avenue, should open in late 2027 or early 2028. (Courtesy of HealthPartners)

Lunneborg said she is especially excited to see the results from Question No. 10, which asks participants to look at 10 photos and pick two that “spark the feelings they hope to have when visiting the new Lakeview Hospital campus.”

“It includes everything from images of a community garden to health technology to a canoe next to a lake,” she said. “Lakeview Hospital means so many different things to so many different people. We think this question, and really all of the questions, will offer great insight into what our community appreciates at our current location and what they hope to see in the future Lakeview Hospital campus. If something is important to anyone who is responding, we want to understand that.”

The online survey is available in English and Spanish and can be requested in additional languages; a phone survey option will be available next week. Participants who agree to enter their contact information will be entered into a weekly drawing for a $25 gift card.

As work on the hospital’s design progresses, officials anticipate engaging with nearby neighbors over the summer and fall, Lunneborg said.

An official groundbreaking for the new site has not yet been scheduled, she said.

Lakeview Hospital design input

For more information and to access the online survey, go to healthpartners.com/lakeviewexpansion.

To request a paper copy of the survey, email NewLakeviewHospitalCampus@healthpartners.com.

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Eleven years ago, La Rifa Chocolatería in Mexico City introduced a dizzyingly dark, dense chocolate and cream tamal to its menu. Run through with the sultry flavors of caramel, butterscotch and molasses, the dish would quickly become one of its most popular to date.

Of its carefully collected local ingredients (blue corn masa from Cal y Maíz, nata from Lácteos la Ordeña and Mexican-grown cacao toasted and ground in-house), the tamal’s most remarkable element may be piloncillo, an unrefined whole-cane sugar.

“The caramel flavors in the piloncillo balance the acidity of our chocolates,” said Mónica Lozano, a founding partner of La Rifa, which gets its piloncillo from sustainable sugar cane farms in the eastern part of Mexico.

You can taste the grassy honeysuckle and anise flavors of the sugar cane in the piloncillo because it’s made by hand without industrial processing, she said, adding that the chocolatería prefers it to regular sugar.

Known as chancaca in Chile, Bolivia and Peru, and panela in Guatemala and Colombia, piloncillo (in Mexico) is made by crushing and extracting the juice from sugar cane. (A similar product, jaggery, is found in South Asia, Central America, Brazil and Africa.) The crushed cane and fibers are dried and fuel the fire used to boil the juice, evaporate the water and caramelize the sugars. The hot syrup, similar to molasses, is poured into wooden cone-shaped molds, cooled until hard, then sold in stores and markets.

It’s used in desserts like puerquitos, soft, pig-shaped cookies popular in Mexico and not unlike gingerbread. Capirotada, a fruit-filled bread pudding eaten during Lent and Easter, and café de olla, a spiced coffee, are both sweetened with piloncillo. It also adds depth and complexity to savory dishes, like moles and guisos (stews), giving them smoky, coffee and rummy flavors.

The easiest way to use piloncillo is to make a simple syrup and flavor it with citrus zest, warming spices or even chiles, then pour it over buñelos, pancakes or roasted sweet potatoes. You can also mix it into coffee or hot chocolate, and use it in recipes that call for molasses, like barbecue sauces, cakes and pies.

But to experience piloncillo’s recipe-changing power in your own cooking, you’re going to have to box-grate it into soft, pillowy piles. Yes, it’s a little bit of a workout, but it’s completely worth it. (Some larger pieces of that caramelized sugar will fall through the grater holes, and that’s OK. They’ll wind up as golden toffee-like nuggets in your baked goods.)

In cookies — like in this piloncillo chocolate chip cookie — you get all the flavor of browned butter without the work, since the intense sugar cane mimics its flavor. And, if you are a dark chocolate lover, you can use a much more intensely flavored chocolate because the piloncillo will mellow and balance its assertiveness.

Piloncillo has a very long shelf life and can be stored in a resealable plastic bag in your pantry for months. Because you’ll be shaving rock-hard sugar into a fine dust, the large holes of your grater are going to dull after several uses and will make grating harder cheeses like Parmesan more of a chore. You may want to consider buying a cheap box grater and designating it just for piloncillo. Save the fancy one for your cheese.

Piloncillo Chocolate Chip Cookies

By Rick A. Martínez

Piloncillo, unrefined whole-cane sugar, is the key ingredient of these richly nuanced cookies. Known as piloncillo in Mexico; chancaca in Chile, Bolivia and Peru; or panela in other Latin American countries, it is commonly used in both sweet and savory dishes and is made by crushing, extracting and boiling down the juice from sugar cane to caramelize the sugars. It adds notes of caramel, butterscotch and molasses to everything from cakes to barbecue sauce. In this cookie, the grated piloncillo complements the bittersweet chocolate and adds the nutty flavor of the toasted milk solids in browned butter, but without any of the work. It is a bit of a chore to grate, but the flavor it adds is well worth it.

Yield: About 17 cookies

Total time: 1 hour

INGREDIENTS

6 ounces/170 grams piloncillo
1/3 cup/67 grams granulated sugar
1/2 cup/113 grams unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) or 1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 large egg
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste
1 2/3 cups/211 grams all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 heaping cup/170 grams bittersweet chocolate chips or chunks (preferably 72% cacao or higher)
Flaky sea salt or kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

With racks in the upper and lower thirds, heat oven to 350 degrees. Grate piloncillo using the large holes of a box grater. The grated piloncillo won’t look or feel like dark brown sugar; it will more closely resemble grated hard cheese and will have crumbly, irregular shapes with some larger split pea-size pieces. (The larger pieces will taste like and have the texture of broken bits of toffee inside the baked cookie.)
Whisk grated piloncillo, granulated sugar, butter and kosher salt in a large bowl until evenly mixed. Vigorously whisk in egg and vanilla until mixture lightens in color and becomes almost ribbony but with undissolved pieces of piloncillo, about 1 minute. This step is very important and will give your cookie a shiny top, like a brownie, that will crisp as it bakes.
Add flour and baking soda and, using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, mix until dough comes together and no floury bits remain, about 30 seconds. Stir in chocolate until evenly distributed. Dough will be soft and may be warmer than room temperature. Refrigerate for 30 minutes (or up to 5 days; see Tip) to enhance flavor and allow the dough to firm up.
Portion out balls of dough (about 2 generous tablespoons each) and space about 2 inches apart on 2 parchment-lined baking sheets. (You can also form dough into table tennis-size balls with your hands.) Do not flatten; cookies will spread as they bake. Sprinkle each ball with flaky or kosher salt.
Bake cookies, 2 sheets at a time, switching the pans halfway through, until edges are brown and firm but centers are still soft, 16 to 18 minutes. Let cool on baking sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Tips: Cookie dough can be made up to 5 days ahead; store in an airtight container and chill. Or portion into balls, cover with plastic and freeze up to 3 months. Let dough come to room temperature before baking.

This article originally appeare in the New York Times.

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