jmcquown wrote:
> "Sheldon" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
> >
> > jmcquown wrote:
> > > I have no cornstarch. I have no arrowroot. I need something to
help
> > bind
> > > together the filling for steamed (Asian) dumplings. I think
flour
> > would be
> > > too glutinous. Aside from going to the store, any suggestions?
> > >
> > > Recipe follows:
> > >
> > > 3 oz. crab meat
> > > 6 oz. ground pork
> > > 6 large shrimp, minced*
> > > 1 Tbs. water
> > > 1-1/2 tsp. cornstarch
> > > 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
> > > 1 egg
> > > 1-1/2 tsp. light soy sauce
> > > 1 Tbs. oil
> > > 1/2 tsp. pepper
> > >
> > > *or 1 can baby shrimp, well drained
> > > Combine all ingredients except wonton wrappers. Place 1 Tbs.
filling
> > in the
> > > center of each wrapper and fold and pinch to seal with moistened
> > fingers.
> > > Cover and steam over boiling water 20-25 minutes.
> > >
> > > Jill
> >
> > I've actually watched such items as dumpling/wonton filling being
made
> > at Chinese restaurants (I'm always snooping at food prep), they
don't
> > use corn starch or any other starch as a binder... they use egg
white
> > (no yolk)... starch is a great thickener (and filler) but a really
> > lousy binder, especially when ingredients begin to ooze liquid...
in
> > the above recipe the cornstarch is there to absorb the liquid
steaming
> > from the meat during cooking, otherwise by the time it's served
> > there'll be a puddle in the dish and the filling texture will
become
> > like it's pre-eaten... the egg is the binder... if you have no
starch
> > you may want to add a small bit of cooked white rice to the
mixture.
> > But I'd question the Asian authenticity of that recipe when it
calls
> > for whole egg.
> >
> I got the recipe when we lived in Bangkok. Have you never heard of
whole
> egg stirred into fried rice?

You're not making fried rice. In fried rice the whole egg is first
fried like an omelet and then used in bits as a garnish, raw egg is not
blended into anything... in fact in Chinese fried rice only the yolk is
fried, the whites are saved for other things, like stuffing mixtures,
lobster sauce, hot n' sour soup, for coating seafood, etc. There's no
egg yolk blended into stuffing mixtures. The yolks are used separately
too, with egg drop soup, egg foo yong, etc. most of the whites are
removed for other uses. Separating eggs is common in all cusines. You
heard of hoodwinked, well you've been Bang Cocked! hehe

Sheldon