Farm to Fork Friday: Learn how to make dumplings from scratch at Dumpling House

MAKE THE SAVORY, AND SOMETIMES SWEET TREAT ON THIS FARM TO FORK FRIDAY. WE’RE TALKING DUMPLING CULTURE AT THE DUMPLING HOUSE. THESE TASTY LITTLE TREATS HERE, MADE BY LINDA LU, THE OWNER OF THE DUMPLING HOUSE ALONG J STREET. ALTHOUGH SHE OWNS SEVERAL LOCATIONS AROUND OUR AREA AND DAVIS AND LODI ALSO ALONG FREEPORT, YOU’VE BEEN MAKING DUMPLINGS FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS. YES, MORE THAN 20 YEARS. AND YOU LIKE TO SPREAD DUMPLING CULTURE? YEAH, I LIKE TO HAVE PROMOTE THE DUMPLING CULTURE TO AMERICAN. AND IT’S NOT JUST FOR CHINESE NEW YEAR. IT’S SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN HAVE ALL YEAR ROUND. RIGHT? YES. WE CAN HAVE DUMPLING ALL YEAR ROUND. AND SHE’S GOING TO TEACH US HOW TO MAKE DUMPLINGS. JUST LIKE THIS ONE. BUT FIRST LET’S TALK ABOUT THESE INGREDIENTS THAT YOU THAT YOU USE THE FRESHER IS THE BETTER FARM TO FORK. AND IT TASTES BETTER. IT COSTS A LITTLE MORE YOU SAID, BUT IT TASTES BETTER. IT COSTS A LITTLE BIT MORE. BUT TASTES BETTER. WE USE ALL FRESH INGREDIENTS LIKE A FRESH GARLIC. UH, EVERYTHING’S FRESH. AND THE FRESH GINGER. NOT A PACKAGED GINGER POWDER. FRESH GINGER, FRESH TY, FRESH ONION. AND WE CHOP ALL TOGETHER WITH MEAT AND AND MAKE A DUMPLING. SO SHE’S GOING TO TEACH US HOW TO MAKE THE PORK CHIVES, DUMPLINGS. BUT THIS KIND OF DUMPLING RIGHT HERE. THIS IS A BEAUT. RIGHT? THIS IS A BAO ALSO RELATED TO DUMPLING. THIS IS A CHINESE COLD HOGAO INSIDE SHRIMP ALSO IS SIMILAR. LIKE A DUMPLING. THESE ARE SO CUTE. AND THAT ONE IS A SHUMAI. ALSO IS DUMPLING. ANOTHER ONE SPECIAL ONE IS A CHOCOLATE BAO. OH, YOU BELIEVE WE USE THE CHOCOLATE? I LOVE THAT OKAY, SO QUICKLY. HOW DO WE MAKE THESE DUMPLINGS? YOU LIKE TO START WITH YOUR OWN DOUGH THAT YOU MAKE? YES. AND YOU MAKE THEM BY HAND. AND YOU ALSO HAVE A MACHINE, A DUMPLING MACHINE THAT YOU CAN SEE HERE AT THE DUMPLING HOUSE IN ACTION FOR THIS DOUGH, YOU USE A POWDER. YOU USE A WET FLOUR, UH, HALF WATER AND MIX TOGETHER TO MAKE YOUR OWN DOUGH. IF YOU DON’T WANT TO MAKE YOUR OWN DOUGH, YOU CAN BUY IT FROM ANY ASIAN MARKET. IT IS MUCH EASIER. THIS IS FROM THE STORE. JUST LIKE THAT. YEAH, BUT YOU CAN MAKE IT YOURSELF. YOU JUST ROLL IT OUT LIKE A LITTLE TORTILLA. YES. AND THEN IN YOUR PORK CHIVE MIXTURE THERE. WHAT DO YOU HAVE IN THERE? UH, IT’S A CABBAGE. FRESH ONION, GINGER, SESAME OIL, A LITTLE BIT WINE. AND AND WHITE PEPPER AS A LOT OF. PLUS SOME SECRET. SOME OF IT’S A SECRET. AND THEN YOU JUST FILL THE LITTLE ROUND WITH THE LITTLE. YOU GET IT WET. IS THAT WATER? THAT. YES. JUST WATER. OKAY. AND YOU FILL IT UP AND THEN YOU KIND OF PINCH IT LIKE IN YOUR LITTLE FINGERS, LIKE A LITTLE HAND, A LITTLE HEART. THAT’S SO CUTE. ALL RIGHT. AND THEN AFTER THAT YOU STEAM THEM OR FRY THEM. RIGHT. IF YOU FRY THEM, THEY’RE POTSTICKER. YEAH. IF WE STEAM IT, COME OUT THE DUMPLING AFTER STEAM. IF YOU PAN FRY THE BOTTOM, IT COME OUT THE POTSTICKERS. OKAY. AND THIS IS WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE WITH THEY’RE DONE. JUST STEAMED THIS IS JUSTINE. THEY’RE SO DELICIOUS. LINDA. LOU, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TEACHING US HOW TO MAKE THESE DELICIOUS DUMPLINGS. AND AGAIN, THIS IS THE DUMPLING HOUSE ALONG J STREET. BUT THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER LOCATIONS. AND LINDA, SHE IS SEMI-RETIRED NOW. SHE’S ACTUALLY MADE SOME OF HER LONGTIME EMPLOYEES AS PART OWNERS. YES, THEY ALL HAPPY. EVERYBODY BE AN OWNER, BE A PARTNER. AND, UH, WE BOTH MAKE MONEY.