In China, making and eating dumplings (called "jiaozi" in Chinese) is an important activity for most families on New Year's Eve. Serving them is believed to bring prosperity. Festival dumplings are always made before midnight and eaten during the last hour of the old year and the first hour of the lunar new year.
UNL's Confucius Institute is offering a Chinese dumpling making class, 5 to 6:30 p.m. Sept. 17 in Ruth Leverton Hall. The class will include information on making three kinds of dumplings.
Dumplings are a versatile food that can be eaten all year round and at any time of the day — breakfast, lunch or dinner. They can constitute any course of a meal, acting as an appetizer, side dish or the main course. As a popular dish in homes, each family has its own preferred method of preparation to make dumplings and use ingredients that vary widely from region to region. Chinese dumplings may be divided into various categories depending on how they are cooked. The most common types are boiled, steamed and pan-fried (often called potstickers).
Class participants will get hands-on experience in how to make all three kinds of dumplings using various types of fillings. A $30 registration fee covers all course materials, handouts, ingredients and soft drinks.
For more information, or to register, contact Angela Rystrom at arystrom2@unl.edu or 402-472-5370.
Class size is limited to 20 participants. This is the first in a series of Confucius Institute classes to feature Chinese cooking. The next class is Nov. 26.
- Angela Rystrom, Confucius Institute