Lamb and carrot dumplings
Northern China eats dumplings at the Winter Solstice — this filling of lamb and carrot, with ginger, spring onion and Sichuan pepper, is warming and filling.
- 30 min
- Serves 2
- Boil
- Medium
Why it suits you: Yang-deficient types feel the cold most, and the solstice, when yin peaks, is the moment to warm yang. Lamb warms the middle and the kidneys, carrot strengthens the spleen, and ginger and Sichuan pepper chase away cold and lamb's gamy note. A Northern saying warns that skipping solstice dumplings will freeze your ears off.
Method
Prep 20 min · Cook 10 min- 1Finely grate the carrot, toss with a pinch of salt, squeeze out the liquid and chop.
- 2Mix the lamb with the soy sauce, salt, Sichuan pepper and water, stirring in one direction until sticky, then fold in the carrot, ginger, spring onion and sesame oil.
- 3Put a teaspoon of filling on each wrapper, fold in half and pinch the edges to seal. Make them at the weekend and freeze them for weekday mornings.
- 4Drop the dumplings into a large pan of boiling water. When it returns to the boil, add half a bowl of cold water; repeat twice until the dumplings float and puff up.
- 5Lift out and serve with black vinegar for dipping.
Cautions
- Lamb is warming — pause it with a sore throat, mouth ulcers or fever.
Chef's tips
- Beating water into the filling keeps the dumplings juicy; cook frozen dumplings straight from the freezer.
The TCM view
Lamb is sweet and warm, warming the middle and the kidneys and supporting qi and blood; carrot is sweet and neutral, strengthening the spleen; ginger is pungent and warm, dispelling cold; Sichuan pepper is pungent and warm, warming the middle and easing pain. Warming and nourishing overall, it suits yang-deficient types at the Winter Solstice.
