Dumplings!

So these are the dumplings we'll have at the restaurant. Pork and Nappa Cabbage. In TW, people make them mostly with Gao Li Tsai, a thicker, snappier cabbage that gives more bite. I don't like the crunchiness it brings so I use Nappa. I picked it up from my mom who's family is from Shandong (Northern China) and they use Napa. Korea is close to Shandong and they use Nappa for mandoo a lot too. Funny note, Korean historians have tried to claim Shandong as a part of Korea so that's interesting haha.

I fold my dumplings by pressing with my thumbs. It gives you a nice thick outer rim, you get a chew that's reminiscent of thicker northern dumplings, but its still a think skin I use so you taste the meat. Best of both worlds. There's always a discussion/debate at the crib about whether thin or thick skin dumplings are better. I think pressing in this manner solves the problem. You also get a thick line through the middle of the dumpling (like in top photo) that is cool.

Here, you can see the outer rim of the dumpling. It has body, it stands up, there's a good chew.

But! It's still a thin skin where you'll taste the filling inside.