Chicken and Cilantro Dumplings and Emmy Lou Harris’ Cheat Sheet

Hi everyone. I went to see Emmy lou Harris and The Low Anthem last night. Emmy Lou came out with the opening band and sang one of their beautiful songs with them. What struck me was not how great her voice still is, but that she walked right out to a huge audience with a cheat sheet of the lyrics in plain view.

If Emmy Lou can have the confidence to still need lyrics after a 4o year career in music, you can cook without having to memorize the recipe. A lot of novice cooks I know feel they are not “real cooks” because they need to have the recipes for every dish in their head. Not true. Some brains are as fried as the dumplings you may be making so please don’t feel bad about having to consult a recipe. If Emmy Lou can do it, so can you.

Here’s the chicken dumpling recipe and a live version of the song To Ohio from The Low Anthem:

stack of 50 or so flour dumpling/wonton wrappers
3/4 lb steamed chicken
1 cup cleaned,chopped cilantro
1/2 shredded carrot, then chopped fine
1 tsp canola oil
1 and 1/2 cup cooked rice, white or brown
salt and black pepper

Shred cooked chicken in a Food processor until like crumbs.
In a medium sized skillet, heat up oil for a minute or so.
Add the cilantro and carrots and sautee until wilted.
Add the shredded chicken and stir.
Add salt and pepper to taste.

Lay out dumpling wrappers and take a tsp of chicken mixture mixed with a tsp of the cooked rice and mush together to form a ball. Add a little water if necessary to form a ball.
Add in the center of the wrapper, wet one side of wrapper with a touch of water as though it were an envelope seal and fold over with the other side of the wrapper. Press together with your fingers so it looks like above dumplings that my friend’s Kristen and Kate are holding.
Continue until all are completed.
Steam dumplings in a steamer or vegetable steamer sprayed or brushed with a little oil so they don’t stick in batches and then pan fry until brown in a little oil.
Serve hot with Thai chili sauce, soy sauce with a few drops of sesame oil or any sauce you like on the side.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4h6JZHf9H2U?fs=1]