I apologize for the delay, but I have been extremely busy lately. This weekend we will continue our exploration of various kitchen deities by looking at Zao Jun.
Most of the kitchen deities with which we are familiar are female. Zao Jun, however, is the Chinese kitchen god. There are many domestic gods in the Chinese household, but Zao Jun is considered the most important. It is Zao Jun who, just before the Chinese New Year, returns to heaven to report every household's activities to the Jade Emperor, who rewards or punishes the households accordingly.
Zao Jun has been worshiped as a kitchen deity since at least the second century BCE (Before Common Era). There are several myths that explain just how he become a kitchen god. One of the most common stories states that Zao Jun was once a mortal man named Zhang Dan.
Zhang Dan started cheating on his wife with some pretty young thang. As punishment for cheating on his wife, he was plagued with bad luck and stricken blind. He was forced to resort to begging. (Good.)
One day, while out begging for alms, Zhang Dan happened upon the house of his former wife. Being blind, he did not recognize where he was. His former wife took pity on him, invited him into her house, and cooked him a meal. He told his wife what had happened to him since he left her. He began to cry and his tears miraculously restored his eyesight. Recognizing the kind woman as his wife, he was overcome with shame and threw himself into the hearth. He did not realize that a fire was burning in the hearth and was consumed by the flames. His wife tried to save him, but all that was left was a leg. His wife created a shrine to him in the fireplace, and this began Zao Jun's association with the stove or hearth in Chinese homes.
Traditionally Chinese homes keep a paper effigy of Zao Jun (and his wife, who writes down everything that happens in the house so her husband can report bad to the Jade Emperor). Offerings of food and incense are left for Zao Jun on his birthday (the third day of the eighth lunar month) and also on the twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month, when he reports back to heaven. On this day the lips of the effigy may be sweetened with honey, or perhaps glued together with the sticky substance. The old effigy is burned and replaced with a new one. Firecrackers are also lit in order to help speed his way to heaven.
Food for Chinese New Year
Jiaozi, or dumplings, symbolize wealth and prosperity because of their resemblance to the silver ingots once used as currency. Family members traditionally stay up all night making the jiaozi, which are eaten at midnight.
HOT WATER DOUGH:
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups boiling water
In a stainless steel bowl mix flour and salt. Slowly add hot water to flour in 1/4 cup increments. Mix with chopsticks until a ball is formed and the dough is not too hot to handle. On a floured surface, knead dough until it becomes a smooth, elastic ball. Place back in bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rest for at least 1 hour. Working on a floured surface with floured hands, roll out dough to form a long 'noodle', 1-inch in diameter. Cut 1/2-inch pieces and turn them over so the cut sides are facing up. Flatten with your palm and roll out thin using a rolling pin. The dumpling wrapper should end up about 3 inches in diameter.
PORK AND GINGER FILLING:
2 cups chopped napa cabbage
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/2 pound ground pork (Don't get lean pork, the fat is good for juicy and flavorful dumplings)
2 tablespoons minced ginger
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons thin soy sauce
3 tablespoons sesame oil
1 egg
1 to 2 cups chicken stock or water
Sprinkle cabbage with the 1/2 tablespoon of salt and let stand for 30 minutes. Place the cabbage on a clean dishtowel or cheesecloth and squeeze out any water. The dryer the cabbage the better. In a large bowl thoroughly mix the cabbage with all of the other ingredients, except the chicken stock. Cook a tester to check the seasoning.
MAKING THE DUMPLINGS: Place a small mound of filling in the middle of the wrapper. (Be very careful not to touch the edges with the filling as this will impede proper sealing of the dumplings. Nothing is worse than dumplings breaking during cooking.) Fold the wrapper in half to form a half moon shape. Starting on one end fold/pinch the wrapper tightly together. Proceed with this fold/pinch method until the dumpling is completely sealed. There will be approximately 10 to 14 folds per dumpling. Rest the dumplings with the folded edges straight up.
COOKING THE DUMPLINGS: In a hot saute pan coated well with oil, place pot stickers flat side down and cook until the bottom is browned. Have pan cover ready and add 1 cup of chicken stock, cover immediately. Be careful, the liquid will splatter! The stock will steam the pot stickers. Check them in 5 minutes as more stock may be needed. The trick here is that once the dumplings are firm and fully cooked the stock will evaporate and the bottoms will crisp-up again.
SPICY SOY DIPPING SAUCE:1/3 cup thin soy sauce
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
1/3 cup sliced scallions
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon sambalCombine all and serve in a small bowl.
(Recipe source: Foodnetwork.com)
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