Red Wine In My Belly

mmmmmm how nice
Because I live in a household that mainly consumes
white wines, semillons and sauvignons
(no chardonnay cos too flowery),
I had temporarily forgotten my love for
reds like shiraz, merlot, bordeaux and pinots

so just now while looking for a bday present for dadman
the Bee and I bought ourselves some red

mmm, shiraz, south african

better consume all the wine I can here where
its cheap man, rather than go back to
malaysia where I can get one mediocre bottle for the price of 3 here
how utterly dispiriting for the budding alcoholic

I am currently consuming, thai flavoured
potato crisps(tonguetwister)
man are they sogoodIwanttoeatthemallup

Ok. Look. I know what you're thinking
(that I am avoiding the subject)
not that the Bee is here, I've been neglecting my blog right?

I am sorry.
Really wan.

But what I've actually been doing is making dumplings.
Xiao Long Bao.
Or Siow Loong Pau.
Depending on what type of chinese person you are.

Dumplings, You Say?

So, I made dumplings
but not just any dumplings, xiao long bao
the soup filled ones

This particular frenzy started courtesy of Leyna
who has been 'plagued' with asian food cravings this past week
and keeps sending me detailed lists of stuff that she
wants to devour, thus transferring this itch to me

this is how I found myself browsing Malaysian blog-food sites
and came across one ShaolinTiger
who regaled with details of his obsession with Xiao Long Bao

Ironically he is a Brit living in Malaysia, hailing
from Worcester I believe, which is where this Malaysian
is spending this weekend in Great Britain.

Xiao Long Bao. Once you pop you can't stop.

You have to let it sit for a precious few seconds
when it comes off the heat, so that the gluten firms up
and you don't pierce the skin and lose that gorgeous nectar.

The centre is filled with a delicious broth
that bursts forth, filling your mouth
when your teeth break the skin of the dumpling

Once the broth is spent, there is the succulent
gingery meat to coat your tongue
then into your belly it all goes
and you reach for another one.

How is soup in a dumpling achieved?

I injected it in with a syringe.

No lah. Aspic.
This is basically jellified stock obtained by adding
pig-skin or pigs trotters in stock,
the skin of pig has lots of properties -collagen etc.
(but other meats can be used as well)
that help the stock set once refrigerated.

Once hard, slice into cubes and encase with meat
You can see some peeking out of the meat above.