Qingdao mackerel dumplings
Bàyú jiǎozi (鲅鱼饺子) — plump boiled dumplings with a fluffy mackerel and chive filling
Every spring, when Spanish mackerel run off the Shandong coast, Qingdao families fill the kitchen table with flour and fish for these large boiled dumplings; restaurants by the harbour serve them by the plate all year. The filling is whipped with peppercorn-infused water until it turns light and almost mousse-like, with chives for freshness and a little fatty pork for richness. Bitten open, they are juicy, briny and sweet rather than fishy. Eat them straight from the pot with black vinegar and crushed garlic, with a pot of jasmine tea. Chef's tip: if you can't find Spanish mackerel, ordinary mackerel or a mix of mackerel and cod works well.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the dough
For the filling
To serve
Method
0/10 doneStep 1: Mix 14 oz plain flour and ½ tsp salt, add 1 cup cold water gradually and knead for 8 minutes into a firm, smooth dough. Cover and rest for 30 minutes while you make the filling.
10 minStep 2: Steep 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns in ½ cup hot water for 15 minutes, then strain and let the water cool. Discard the peppercorns.
15 minStep 3: Run your fingers over the 1 ⅛ lb Spanish mackerel or mackerel fillets to catch any bones, then chop it finely with a heavy knife (or pulse briefly in a processor) until it is a coarse paste. Use a separate board from anything eaten raw.
Step 4: Put the fish in a bowl with 3 ½ oz fatty minced pork, ½ oz fresh ginger, 1 ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp ground white pepper. Stir hard in one direction with chopsticks for 2 minutes until sticky.
2 minStep 5: Add the cooled pepper water 2 tablespoons at a time, stirring in the same direction until each lot is absorbed before adding the next. The filling will turn pale and fluffy. Pouring it all in at once is a common mistake: it never absorbs and the dumplings leak.
6 minStep 6: Fold 5 ½ oz Chinese or garden chives, 2 tbsp sesame oil and 1 tbsp neutral oil into the filling just before wrapping, so the chives do not wilt and weep. Keep the filling in the fridge between batches.
Step 7: Roll the dough into a log, cut into 32 pieces, and roll each into an 8–9 cm round, thinner at the edge than in the middle.
Step 8: Put a heaped tablespoon of filling in the centre of each wrapper, fold in half and press the edges firmly together, squeezing out the air. Set on a floured tray, not touching.
25 minStep 9: Bring a large pan of water to a rolling boil. Add 12–15 dumplings, stir gently so they do not stick and boil over a high heat. When they float, cook for 3–4 minutes more, until the skins are translucent and the dumplings puff.
8 minStep 10: Cut one open to check: the filling should be firm and opaque all through, with no pink from the pork, and should reach 160°F (160 °F). Lift out with a slotted spoon and serve with black vinegar and garlic while you cook the next batch.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 33 g
- Carbs
- 64 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does qingdao mackerel dumplings take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 50 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of fresh ginger?
- ¼ tsp ground ginger per tbsp fresh (add it with the spices).
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