Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Pork and Kuchay Dumplings

Whenever I think about preparing a quick snack or think about instant ulam, dumplings are usually one of my top choices because:

(1) they're easy to prepare - boiled, pan fried, and;
(2) they're versatile - can be eaten with rice, noodles, soup, or even just eaten alone.

My favorite dumplings will always be the vegetable dumplings that Mom used to buy from a small restaurant called Mien San along Gilmore Ave. It's been a while since I had them so I cannot really recall what's inside and it wasn't until recently that I found out that Kuchay (Chinese Chives or Korean Chives) is one of the main ingredients.

With that, I decided to experiment. This came out good - not the same as Mien San's, but tasty nevertheless - and the best part is that since it's home made (except for the wrappers), it's not riddled with preservatives.

1 lb ground pork
4 pcs dried mushrooms, rehydrated and chopped
12 pcs chives (full stalks), chopped - could add more
1 egg
1 tbsp sesame oil
pepper to taste
2 tsp salt
dimsum wrapper (used Cantonese style)

To seal the dumplings - mixture of 1 tsp cornstarch, 2 tbsp water

Mix the ingredients together and form into dumplings. Dumplings could be steamed or pan fried. You could also store leftover dumplings in the freezer. Arrange them in a plate or container such that they do not touch each other, put the in the freezer - do not put them in a freezer bag or let them touch each other until they are frozen so that they do not stick together.

*This recipe made 46 dumplings which we devoured in a few sittings. Hubby declares that he loves this :)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Pig eats almost anything dirty and they
are very lazy animals. It is the most avaricious of all domestic
animals. Amongst all animals, pig is the cradle of harmful germs.
It's meat serves as carrier of diseases to mankind.
DISEASES CAUSED BY PORK

The following lists show germs or parasites that are found
in pork and some diseases caused by them. Many of these
diseases are contagious while some are proven fatal.This proves
that the more science advances the more Islam is shown correct
as a religion of God.

PARASITIC DISEASES

a) TRICHINELLA SPIRATIS ( Trichina worms )
It is the most dangerous parasite to man ( Rheumatism and
muscular pain). The infected persons shown no symptoms, recover
very slowly some die, some reduced to permanent invalids. No one
is immune from this disease and there is no cure.

b) TAENIA SOLIUM ( Pork tape worm )
The worm causes malnourishment of the person leading
to anemia, diarrhea, extreme depression melancholia and
digestive disturbances. Cysticercosis means that larva enter
the blood stream then settle down in one or more of the vital
organs of the body, for example: brain, liver, lungs or spinal
cord. They grow and encapsulate, inducing pressure to the
system around, resulting in dangerous diseases (diarrhea,
digestive disorder, anemia, chronic invalidation).

c) ROUND WORMS
Examples: Ascaris, which may lead to digestive
disturbances, appendicitis, obstructive jaundice.

d) HOOK WORMS
Examples:Ancylostomiasis, which may lead to
anemia, oedema, heart failure or retarded
growth ( mental and physical), tuberculosis,
diarrhea and typhoid.

e) SCHITOSOMA JAPONICUM
Bleeding, anemia and other syndromes. If ova
are settled in the brain or spinal cord, paralysis
and death may occur.

f) PARAGOMINES WESTERMAINI
Infestation leading to bleeding of the lungs
( endenve haemoptysis)

g) PACIOLEPSIS BUSKI
Digestive disturbances leading to persistent
diarrhea; generalized oedema.

h) CLONORCHIS SINENSIS
chlonorchiasis-obstructive jaundice, liver enlargement.

i) METASTRONGYLUS APRI
Causes bronchitis, abscess of the lungs.

j) GIGANTHORINCHUS GIGAS
Cause anemia and digestive disorders.

k) BALATITIDIUM COLI
Causes acute dysentery and general weakness.

BACTERIAL DISEASES

1. Tuberculosis
2. Fusiformis necrofurus: causing foot-rot which is very
difficult to heal.
3. Salmonella Cholera suis: causing cholera
4. Paratyphoid
5. Bruceellosis: Acute, sub acute and chronic. It may lead
to permanent disabilities.
6. Swine Erysipelas: causing Erypelas in man.

Viral Diseases
1. Small pox: is was a source of infection to man.
2. Japanese B-encepphalitis: It is the source of infection
3. Influenza, foot mouth disease, gas tro-enteritis of the
new born babies.

Protozoal Diseases : Toxo plasma goundii- It is a very
dangerous diseases.A new born baby of an infected woman may die
within few days or weeks after delivery. But if he survives
he may develop blindness or deafness.In adult chronic exhaustive
fever with enlarged liver and spleen may occur. Pneumonia, or
celebro- spinal meninggitis which may lead to death or madness.
The patient may become blind and deaf too.

Fats In Pigs:
Pork contains more fats than other meats.
Therefore, people who are fond of pork are more obese than
others. Cholesterol is higher in their blood thus making them
more prone to asthereosclerosis cardiovascular accidents and
sudden death.

Other Diseases :
Flesh of the pork is hard to digest and may
lead to chronic digestive disturbances. Pimples, boils, cysts are
common in pork eaters. These are some of the parasites and
diseases found in pork and/ or the skin of pigs and certainly
there are many more. There is still no means of killing these
parasites, in the tissues, neither has anyone found a method of
expelling them, even produced any specific treatment for the
diseases.

emcee quay-sy said...

I guess getting ill is a cause of unhygienic food preparation.

Most pork sold in the market are from pig farms (and they feed them synthetic feeds).

Kuchay pork dumplings are the best! thank you for sharing your recipe..

"It's better to eat than not to eat at all. Makes you more sick when you are too choosy and too mindful on what you eat. Sometimes, being sick, too is all in the mind."