Archive for 'Behind the stores'

Welcome to the Dumpling Studio

Guest post by Poppet’s Window

We’re in Coburg, standing outside a small warehouse. The door opens suddenly and a smiling Chinese man – who I later find out is called Liang – opens the door and gestures emphatically for us to follow him inside. Huge sacks of flour and shelves full of shiny bottles of soy and rice vinegar line the walls.

Liang hands us hair nets and leads us through a plastic sheet covering the door. We follow him into a large open space. About ten people stand on each side of a stainless steel bench, hand-making dumplings for Oriental Teahouse and laughing at private jokes. Nearby, two men are chopping up orange Peking duck, while another staff member slowly stirs strips of wagyu beef in a giant wok full of broth. But it’s the dumpling table that is the most fascinating.

There are a number of dumpling masters, qualified senior chefs who have been crafting dumplings for eight years or more. Their hands move at lightening speed: rolling, pulling, stuffing, folding. Unless you’ve made dumplings for nearly a decade, you can’t be called a dumpling master. One gentleman has been making dumplings for over 40 years, and between just four dumpling masters, there is over a century’s worth of dumpling making experience. They won’t even let other staff members steam the dumplings, should they do it incorrectly.

From start to finish, including cooking time, a single handmade dumpling takes one and a half hours to prepare. It’s for this reason that Oriental Teahouse freezes their dumplings as soon as they’re made. It’s necessary to freeze the dumplings fresh, so that when they’re steamed and served at Oriental Teahouse, you can taste the love and effort that has gone into each one.

It may sound simple enough, but it didn’t tale me long to figure out that there are lots of steps in ensuring that the dumplings are perfectly prepared. Firstly, they have to be made by dumpling experts with the best ingredients possible. Next, the dumplings have to be put in the freezer room so their freshness is preserved. Following that, the staff have to remember to rotate the stock, to make sure that the dumplings served retain their taste and texture, and so that there is no wastage. The dumplings then have to be transported with care. Once they are cooked, they have to be served as soon as possible so they don’t cool too much or appear tired on the table.

About fourteen members of the Oriental Teahouse family work in the Coburg dumpling studio. Each one has the precision of an artist. They spread their passion by bringing their Chinese culture to hungry mouths, one dumpling at a time. In other words, without their hard work and practiced hands, Oriental Teahouse would not exist.

RECIPE: Sticky Ginger & Pepper Pork Dumpling Soup

How to make Sticky Ginger & Pepper Pork Dumpling Soup

To celebrate our Chadstone dumpling masterclass taking place this Saturday 27th October, we’re giving away our sticky ginger and pepper pork dumpling soup recipe! David Zhou himself will guide 20 lucky people in preparing the dish. It starts at 2pm outside Lindt. We will also be offering samples outside Aldi and Rainbow Meats between 1pm-2pm, so come on down for some free chilli wagyu beef and chicken dumplings! Please contact the Chadstone store for more information here.

Ingredients:

• White Gluten Flour 250g
• Warm Water

• Pork mince 200g
• Ginger 3cm cube minced
• 1 Clove Garlic finely chopped
• Fresh coriander for garnish
• Red Radish x 2 (finely sliced)

• Salt – 1 pinch
• Light soy  - 3 tbl spoon
• Black pepper – 1 pinch
• Sesame oil – 1 tbl spoon
• Veg oil - 2 tbl spoon
   

2. Making the filling
Mix the pork, garlic, ginger, salt, light soy sauce, black pepper & sesame oil.

3. Making the dumplings
Roll the dough into a long cylinder about 3 cm in diameter and cut into pieces of 3cm. Next, shape the dough piece into a cup shape and place the pork filling inside. Close up the opening and gently roll into a ball. Scatter flour on a tray and place the dumplings on it.

4. Making the stock
Boil 750ml of water in a sauce pan of water, and use a spoon to create small meat balls with the remaining pork mince filling. Add them to the hot boiling water. Add 2 or 3 slices of fresh ginger & 1 tsp salt and bring to boil, let it simmer on the side.

Bring to boil  a 2nd pot of 1 1/2 litres of water and gently add the dumplings to cook. Carefully stir  the dumplings in the same direction so they don’t stick to the bottom of the sauce pan or break.

Bring the water to boil again. When the dumplings float, add cold water and simmer for another 3 min. Scoop out the dumplings and add to the stock pot, then add coriander radish & pepper to garnish.

4. Making you full
Serve in separate bowls or in 1 big bowl to share, then dig in!

Greatest Father’s day gift

What has been the greatest Father’s day given or been suggested to by given?? A quick google search will show you that tech gifts are in the top 10. Then there’s car accessories and anything gadgety. After a quick chat with some of the dad’s here in Dumpling HQ, and posing this question to their dads…”What would be the greatest gift of all?”

TIME.

Working at Oriental Teahouse

“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” ~ Chinese Proverb

Here we bid Rachel our Chapel St Retail tea guru GOOD LUCK and farewell. Our professionally trained and accredited singer from the UK is heading back home to endeavour into the next chapter in life.  The Oriental Teahouse family wishes you the best of luck and we will miss your cheery smile, and warmth. We’re sure you have also touched the lives of many Oriental Teahouse customers, as you have ours with your gentle grace.