Wontons / To be a Taiwanese or American? It’s all good! 雲吞/ 做為一個台灣人還是美國人呢？都好的!

I had been living in America over than 20 years now ! I got used to all that non authentic Chinese food. But that wontons with the big thick wrapper with dark soy sauce seasoning, taste pretty savor and sweet. Plus the sizes are almost bigger than any Asian dumplings. I would never feel it right. I don’t mind having one or two serve in the soup once for a while when I get ready tired. This soup would still comfort me when I get homesick!

These things with the very thin wrapper and have a little piece meat filing inside. My parents would call it flat food in Taiwanese. Most of kids would call it huntuns during the school advocated to speak in Chinese. In my childhood, I would dumped my backpack and rushed to noodles stand with that starving and craving desires. I would order a bowl wontons noodles soup with a plate of braised seaweeds and drying soy beans curds. That was my ultimate simple comfort and pleasure. I guess it was around my Junior high. There was a shop remodeling and getting to be opened. It says big wontons on the advertising signboard. What is wontons. I couldn’t find out by myself without any online searching like today.

Therefore, I was very curious and expected that restaurant to be open. So I could try it to figure that out. I still remember the feeling when I had my first wontons till today. Full of filling, fresh meat, sooth silky wrapper, and soup was clearly. There were even including the thin fried egg slices, seaweed, and pickled mustard root in the soup. At that moment, no matter is the name of flat foods or huntuns from the little down in affordable price. It all turned into fancy big wontons from the great city.

I started my marriage life when I was 25 years old. I went back to school as the full time student and learning the new language. At the same time I was trying to be a good housewife how to deal with daily living basis. Because of kids then I got into to the America society. I still keep my Asian culture such as the respect the elder, friendly with brothers and friends. I still keep this old tradition but I got more in love with the Asian history art and craft as I get older when I miss my homelands. I could be I was coming from a very conservative family, so I was craving for the freedom. That’s made me very open minded today. I’m believing in science for my living, but I respect all the goddess and ghosts. I care about the respect between people, even they have ages differences. Men and women should have same equal rights and be treated fairly. According the teaching style for my teenagers. I’m always trying to be as their teacher or friend. But I do have my insist as the parent. I would keep the fight for its own good!

Fortunately, my boy would say, he has very different parents than others. He said, my husband and I both are crazy, childish, dramatic. But we enjoy to accept the new technology information and knowledge. We would give them lots of freedom to be choose what they like and what they want to be studying. My daughter also said, she was glad that I did stop her to get that crazy madly print clothing when she was younger. Nor forbid her to wear some dress would showed too much unpleasant skin and make herself look cheap. Of course she would not mention the scene when she had fight with me. She said, she is glad that I keep the bottom line of my education disciplines. Otherwise she might did something stupid or things that she would regret.

My kids are very Americanize. Despite my old boy has speech development delay, so we united the one language in my family. I have a little bit sorry, but I won’t regret! Future will never be clear when we stand in front of it. The only thing we could do is do our best decision at that moment. Moreover, my kids are gonna lives in America. I want them feel free and comfort has same right and freedom to compete with others. Non of feeling like the secondary American citizens nor Taiwanese and Americans.

Perhaps my kids are like that big American wontons that most Asian will never get used to it! But they sure had tasted of the real flat foods or the fresh huntuns. They could tell you the difference in between. They also know the idea of being Asian had been set the root, sprout in the bottom of their hearts. Now I could only pay a little more tension and slowly introduce them the Chinese to them. Hopefully they will get to know the great beauty of Asian cultures one day in the future. These are the special fortunes they have since they were born. My dear kids, good luck for you guys all !!!

Wontons

Ingredients:

1. 1 pound ground pork around. Asian Supermarket ground pork are more richer in flavor and contain more fat.

2. 2-3 thin slices ginger.

3. 1 Scallion.

4. Wonton wrappers.

Seasoning:

1. 2 tablespoons of soy sauce.

2. 1 tablespoon of oysters sauce.

3. 1 tablespoons of vegetables oil.

4. 1 tablespoon of light sesame oil.

5. 1 tablespoon of rice wine.

6. Salt and white pepper.

Add the ginger, scallion with 1/4 cups of water in the blender. Blended it as become the juice.

Light chop all the meat till the protein tissue will be connected. Then add in all the seasoning and mix well. Following the ginger scallion blended juice, keep stirring at the same direction. This meat filling will be looked like the sticky dough.

If you like the shrimps wontons. You could add in the same amount of peeled shrimps. Half of shrimps diced and the other half smashed then chopped it as the stick paste. Mix it with the same group pork filling, add salt and a little bit more white pepper.

If you like the vegetables wontons, you could add in any vegetables you like. Just blanching the vegetables in the salty water, rinse in the cold water, squeeze the water out, diced. A just the vegetables and meat proportion by your own taste. No need to be exactly.

Nonsticking baking sheets are the great choice for the wrapping wontons. If you are not going to serve right away. Place the wontons in the freezer as soon as you finish wrapping. Waited till all the wontons become hardened in the freezer. Tap the baking sheet on the tough surface. All the wontons should be very easy to be released. Place them in the zip bag could save more space in the frozen section. These dumplings could keep at these three months.

No need to be deforested. Just add in the hot broiling water. When the wontons come up to the surface. Turn heat down. See the wrapper becomes fluffy and transparent then it’s done! Drained out place in your favor broth. Sprinkle some diced celeries, scallions or cilantro. Serve it while it’s hot.

*if you like more, you could add in the fried egg thin slices, seaweed slices, dry baby shrimps, and pickled mustard root.

No broth? Simply add 2 star anise, 1 tablespoon of oysters sauce, 1 teaspoons of soy sauce, salt and white pepper and 2-3 times of water from the wontons. Directly bring it to the broiling point. Put in about 15 wontons after the soup is broiling. Turn down the heat when you see the wontons float on the surface of soup. This way could keep the soup clear.

*Spicy chili oil wontons? Choose your favorite chili oil, add in the soy sauce, few vinegar, a touch of sugar. Sprinkle some diced scallions and cilantros. This is my American kids favorite sauce and they can make it by themselves too! It’s also the loving taste from Taiwan. We are Taiwanese and Americans too. No conflicts!!!

來美國二十多年了! 吃了不少不道地的中國菜, 不過也習慣了! 但那有著胖嘟嘟的皮, 醬色深, 味道鹹甜而且尺寸幾乎比華人的水餃個還頭大的雲吞, 我卻怎麼也吃也不對胃. 不過偶爾累的時候來一兩顆當湯餃吃. 也能安穩異郷遊子的靈魂.

小時候這薄薄的麵皮裹著丁點肉的東西, 在爸媽的那個年代台語叫”扁食”. 而那時對於提倡說國語的孩子們, 嘴裡說的卻是餛飩. 孩童時期的我, 一放學回家後, 急急忙忙的丟下書包. 騎著單車帶著飢餓的心, 飛奔向麵攤. 就點碗陽春麵加上幾顆餛飩, 再切一小盤豆干和海帶. 那是一種無比簡單的慰藉與幸福. 到了國高中那時吧?小鎮上開始有間店面裝修著. 招牌上就寫著著”上海大雲吞”. 雲吞是什麼呢? 在那沒有手機也沒有電腦的年代. 我只能有滿心期待等店開張, 一品究竟! 我至今一直記得那大雲吞入口的感覺. 餡多肉鮮皮滑湯清, 但卻味道十足. 湯裡頭還伴隨著蛋絲, 海苔絲與榨菜絲. 瞬間小鎮上的平價扁食和餛飩全都升格為都市豪華版的大雲吞了!

二十五歲的我在美國開始了我的婚姻生活. 一邊回校當學生, 學著新的語言. 另一邊則學會如何當一位好妻子, 怎樣打理生活中的柴米油鹽醬醋茶. 也因為有了孩子進入了美國的社會, 了解美國的文化. 經過這些年下來, 我的傳統中華文化, 敬老尊賢,兄友弟恭. 這些思想依舊存在. 更多的是隨著年齡的增長和對家鄉的思念, 令我對古代歷史文物產生更多的喜愛. 也許我從小就誕生在很保守的家庭裡, 所以我從小就渴望自由. 因此我的思想一直是很開放的. 我遵從科學的生活方式, 但我敬鬼神. 我在意人與人之間即使有年齢差距也得互相尊重. 兩性之間更應該是被平等的對待. 面對我家現在的青少年孩子們的敎育方式. 我則盡可能做到亦師亦友的角色. 當然我有時也會有很堅持當父母的角色的時候, 和孩子奮戰到底!

慶幸的是, 現今我家的兒子會說, 他有一對很不一樣的父母. 他說我和我老公都很瘋狂, 很幼稚, 戲劇張力十足. 但是我們願意接受新資訊, 新知識. 我們願意相信他們, 給予他們很多自由選擇自己喜歡的和想要做的事. 我女兒也説了, 她很謝謝我當初沒讓她買某些花路路的衣服, 或是暴露太多身體的部分, 而降低了她自身的價值. 她當然沒提到她曾經和我爭執耍脾氣的那一幕. 但是她很慶幸我守住敎育他們生活規範的那道底線. 她說, 要不然她可能也會做出一些後悔,愚蠢的事.

我家的孩子們很美國化. 雖然因為老大有語言發展遲緩的原因所以統一說美語而沒說中文. 我有點小遺憾, 但是我不後悔! 人生中面對未來本是模糊的, 我能做的就是在活著的當下做最佳的選擇. 更何況孩子們本來就是要在美國生活的. 當然要活的像個美國人, 讓他們感到自由自在的在這遍土地上和大家一起公平競爭. 而不是令他們懷著像二等公民, 不是台灣人也不是美國人的心情!

也許我家的孩子們就像那華人吃不慣的美式大雲吞. 但是他們是吃過真正的扁食嚐過新鮮餛飩的. 他們了解箇中的相異處. 他們自己也知道其實華人的思想敎育, 早已在他們的心中無形中長了根發了芽. 現在的我只能有點耐心慢慢引導中文給他們. 希望有一天他們能夠體驗到中華文化的博大精深與美麗. 這些可是他們與生俱來的的另一項資產啊! 我親愛的孩子們, 祝你們好運囉!

雲呑

材料:

1. 約1磅豬絞肉. 肥肉20%-30%都可以. 中國超市買的豬絞肉部位比較肥美.

2. 2-3片薑.

3. 1根蔥.

調味料:

1. 2大匙醬油.

2. 1大匙蠔油.

3. 1大匙沙拉油.

4. 1大匙香油.

5. 1大匙酒.

6. 塩和白胡椒粉.

薑蔥加入約1/4杯的水, 用食物調理機打成汁.

絞肉輕剁至蛋白質的筋性連結成絲. 然後加入所有調味料拌勻. 隨後再加入蔥薑汁液, 不斷同一方向拌勻.使肉餡成為一團像溼黏的麵團即可.

*喜歡鮮蝦雲吞的可以放入和絞肉同等量的去殼蝦子. 蝦子一半切丁, 一半拍扁剁成泥. 再扮入肉餡, 塩和白胡椒可多放些.

*喜歡菜肉餛飩的, 可以加入自己喜歡的蔬菜. 用熱水加點鹽巴然後川燙, 沖涼, 擰乾水分, 再將綠色蔬菜剁成碎末. 蔬菜和肉的比例可以依個人口味做調整. 不用太拘束!

*採用不沾的烤盤來放置包好的雲吞. 如果你沒有要直接食用, 包好後盡量快速冷凍. 待凍成硬態狀, 稍摔打烤盤使雲吞個個分離. 然後快速放入封口袋便能減少冷凍空間上的貯存. 這些雲吞至少可以保存三個月.

*烹煮的時候無需退冰. 大火水滾後直接下鍋, 浮出水面改小火等麵皮蓬起來呈現透明狀即可. 撈出放入自己喜歡的高湯中, 灑上芹菜珠, 蔥花, 或是香菜. 滴上少許香油趁熱食用.

*喜愛料多一點的可以加入蛋絲, 海苔絲, 小蝦米, 榨菜絲.

*沒高湯嗎？在鍋中直接加入兩顆八角, 一大匙蠔油, 一小匙醬油, 塩和白胡椒和2-3倍餛飩的水. 煮沸後再放入約15顆左右的餛飩. 記得餛飩一浮出水面後, 火得改中小火. 這樣湯才不會混濁!

*喜歡紅油抄手的, 用自己喜歡的辣椒油, 拌入醬油, 少許醋, 一點糖. 灑入蔥花和香菜. 這醬料是我家美國孩子也會調的美味點心, 也是他們最愛的台灣味! 我們是台灣人也是美國人, 沒有衝突的!