Chinese Dumpling With Taro Root (Chinese Street Food In Hoiping, China)

Chinese Dumplings With Taro Root. Taro Root is very delicious as a filling for steamed Chinese Dumplings. I discovered this when I was walking around in the alleys and side streets in Hoiping, China. Dim sum snacks were sold by street vendors. I have always eaten taro root but never in a dumpling. See below for
my recipe for Taro Root Dumpling:

Taro Root Dumpling Recipe

12 oz. taro root
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup premix dumpling flour
1 cup water
1 teaspoon cooking oil

Peel the skin of the taro root with a potato peeler or knife. Wash the taro root with cold water. Cut taro into chunks. Put taro root in pot with 1 cup water. Add salt and boil for 15 to 20 minutes.
Put taro root in bowl and mash with a fork or chopsticks. Put mashed taro root aside.

To make the dumpling wraps, boil 1 1/2 cups water in a small pot. You only need 1 cup of water but it's better to boil a little extra. In a mixing bowl add the premix dumpling flour. Gradually add 1 cup of water to the flour, mixing well with a fork or chopsticks. Add the cooking oil and mix dough with you hands for 1 to 2 minutes.

Break the dough into 12 pieces. This recipe makes 12 dumplings. Roll each piece of dough between your hands and then flatten the dough. Press the dough from the middle to the outside. Make the the middle is slightly thicker than the outside so the dumpling wrap doesn't break in the middle. Put 4 or 5 folds on one side of the dumpling wrap to form a pocket. Put 1 tablespoon or more of the taro root filling in each dumpling. Seal the edges of the dumplings by pinching the sides together. You can also fold the dumplings in a more simple way by folding in half into a half moon shape. Put the 12 dumpling in a metal pan. Grease the pan with cooking oil so the dumplings don't stick.

Put some water in a wide pan and bring to a boil. Put tray of dumplings and cover with a lid. Steam for 15 minutes. Remove tray from pan and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve on small plates with soy sauce or your favourite condiment. Enjoy!