Noodles, breads, pasta... these are what northerners enjoy. And around the Lunar New Year, spring wraps join jiaozi (dumplings) at family celebrations.
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Super thin and tender |
As you can tell from the name, spring wraps are meant to be enjoyed during the Lunar Year, and we still have one more week to go before the Lantern Festival (the first full moon that marks the end of the festivities), so here is yet another traditional northern treat to enjoy.
You do not have to be terribly fancy with the fillings (unless you want to, of course). Usually there are at least simple three stir-fries set out with spring wraps, along with some shredded green onions and a sweet wheat paste sauce.
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Korean tianmianjiang |
The correct translation is, then, sweet wheat paste. An elderly friend from Shandong once described how they used to make it when he was a child: steamed breads (mantou) were left to mold, and then mixed with water, sugar, and some soy sauce to ferment. I've made it myself that way, and it worked out pretty well, but the Korean brands in particular are really quite good and inexpensive, so it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to make it myself.
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The bing should be translucent |
If you are serving spring wraps with some simple stir-fries as your main dish, count on about 4 wraps per person. Otherwise, 2 apiece will probably be just right.
Spring wraps
Chunbing 春餅
Beijing
Makes 16 wraps
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons soft lard, shortening, or unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
¾ cup boiling filtered water
About 1 tablespoon cool filtered water
Roasted sesame oil, as needed
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Divvy up the dough |
2. Let the dough rest for about 20 minutes under a damp towel or plastic wrap. Roll the dough into an even rope 16 inches long (use a ruler for best results), and then cut the dough into 16 1-inch pieces. Roll each piece between your hands to form a ball, and then flatten the balls into even discs on the board, covering any pieces you are not immediately working on.
3, Prepare a clean, unoiled skillet, preferably seasoned cast iron (see Tips), as well a plate to hold the finished wraps and a clean towel. Pour a few tablespoons of sesame oil into a small bowl and have both a small rolling pin and a pastry brush ready.
5. Heat the skillet over medium heat until the edge of the skillet is just too hot to touch for more than a few milliseconds. Place one of the sandwiched circles on the skillet and gently shake the skillet back and forth so that the dough slides on the surface and doesn't stick (see Tips). As soon as the dough either puffs up or is covered in bubbles, flip it over to cook the other side. Both sides of the wrap should only be very lightly browned with golden dots (see Tips). Place the cooked wrap in the prepared plate and immediately cover with the towel so that it steams (see Tips). Repeat with all of the circles until done.
6. Remove the bottom wrap from the pile and gently peel the two sides apart; it should be soft and supple from steaming under the other cooked wraps. If it is at all brittle, steam it before peeling it apart, as it will crack and tear once it is hard or overcooked. Place the peeled wraps on top of the other wraps and continue to remove the bottom one, peeling it apart, and returning it to the stack. When all of the wraps have been peeled apart, fold them into quarters. They may be served immediately or cooled, placed in a resealable plastic bag, and either refrigerated or frozen.
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Wrap diameter: 6 inches or so |
Tips
Different flours require different amounts of moisture, so be flexible here if you are not using the Korean flour and if you are in a high altitude, for example. Whole wheat flour yields rather brittle wraps, so I don't recommend it unless you have a better source of flour than I do. Using as little additional flour and water as possible makes this a soft, workable dough. You will see that the board in these photos is unfloured, and yet the dough does not stick to the board, the rolling pin, or the hands. This is what you want.
Any type of solid fat can be used here as long as it is fresh, unsalted, and at room temperature.
Other liquid fats can be used instead of the roasted sesame oil, such as peanut or vegetable oil.
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Bubbled up and ready to flip |
Cook the wraps only until they are barely cooked on each side; you do not want big brown spots, as this tells you that the heat is too high. Adjust the temperature so that the dough cooks only to pale golden spots at the most, as this will give you tender wraps that do not break.
The biggest secret to preparing perfect spring wraps is letting them steam under a pile of other wraps before separating them. You will of course want to immediately enjoy the magic and peel them apart, but wait a few minutes. The steam will moisten them just enough so that they turn supple. I learned this by trial and a whole lot of error!
what are some recommendations for fillings?
ReplyDeleteAnything stir-fried, gently crunchy, and in thin shreds works perfectly here. I like them lightly seasoned since I always include sweet wheat paste and julienned green onions on the side. Mung bean sprouts are perfect, as are any type of shredded pork, chicken, vegetables... whatever suits your fancy, really.
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