Ba-Wan

Ba-wan is a Chinese dumpling made with a dough of rice flour, corn starch and sweet potato starch, that looks almost translucent after cooking. Pork, vegetables and sometimes eggs are stuffed inside and gravy poured on top.

However, the stuffing varies widely according to different regions in Taiwan, but usually consists of a mixture of pork, bamboo shoots, and shiitake mushrooms. The Changhua-style is considered to be the "standard" ba-wan as it is the most famous and most widely imitated of all styles.

The gelatinous dough is made of a combination of corn starch, sweet potato starch, and rice flour, which gives it its chewy, sticky, and gelatinous texture and a greyish translucent hue. Ba-wan are initially cooked by steaming; however, they may also be served after being deep fried to give them a "skin" or gently poached in oil to heat them without drying them out.

It is widely believed ba wan was invented during times of scarcity. The simple pork dumpling eventually became a luxurious snack as it was added as a favorite treat in Lunar New Year festivals.

How to Make Ba-Wan

Ingredients:

For the Filling
1/2 lb pork shoulder, finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh bamboo shoots, or canned bamboo shoots, rinsed well
1 teaspoon light soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

For the Wrapper
1/2 cup rice flour
1 cup cold water
2 cups boiling water
1/2 cup sweet-potato starch
1 cup cornstarch

For the Sauce
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar, plus more to taste
2 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 cup cold water
+ salt to taste

To Finish
+ vegetable or peanut oil, for greasing bowls
1/2 bunch coarsely chopped fresh cilantro (stems included)

Instructions:

For the Filling

1. In a large bowl, combine the pork, bamboo shoots, soy sauce, cornstarch, salt, and white pepper. You can do this up to a day ahead and store, covered, in the refrigerator.

For the Wrapper

1. In a large bowl, combine the rice flour and 1/4 cup of the cold water and mix until smooth. Whisk in the boiling water and stir well to eliminate any lumps and create a milky, translucent, thick liquid.

2. Combine the sweet-potato starch, cornstarch, and the remaining 3/4 cup cold water in a separate bowl. Pour this mixture into the warm rice-flour mixture and stir thoroughly until the mixture is thick and there are no lumps (if there are many visible lumps, strain the mixture through a colander).

For the Sauce

1. Add the orange juice, lime juice, vinegar, sugar, and soy sauce to a small saucepan over medium-high heat, and stir to combine thoroughly. Cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to boil.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water. Stir into the orange-juice mixture and continue to cook, stirring, until thickened, around 1 minute. Add salt to taste. Taste for seasoning and add extra sugar or a pinch of salt as desired. Remove from the heat and let cool completely before serving.

To Finish

1. Prepare a large steamer with boiling water underneath. Grease the insides of four small, round ramekins (or rice bowls or round sauce dishes) with oil.

2. Scoop about 1 tablespoon of the mochi mixture and spread it on the bottom of a ramekin. Place a small scoop of the filling on top of the mixture, followed by another scoop of the mochi mixture. Spread it to cover the meat mixture completely. Repeat for the remaining ramekins.

3. Place the ramekins in the steamer and steam until the starch is clear and set, about 15 minutes. Remove the bowls carefully. Ladle a scoop of the sauce over each ball and top with cilantro to serve.