In traditional food culture, dumplings undoubtedly occupy a pivotal position. During festive seasons or home-cooked meals, a plate of steaming, thin-skinned dumplings can always evoke people's taste buds and create a warm and harmonious table atmosphere.
In order to make dumplings delicious and fragrant, the preparation of fillings is crucial, and the question of whether to use raw oil or cooked oil when mixing the filling often becomes the focus of many people's doubts. In fact, this seemingly small choice is actually related to the final flavor presentation of dumplings.
Next, I will teach you the correct way to choose raw oil and cooked oil when mixing dumpling filling, so as to help you cook dumplings with excellent taste and aroma.
【The difference between raw oil and cooked oil】
Raw oil, that is, edible oil that has not been heat-treated, such as common peanut oil, corn oil, olive oil, etc., which maintains the original flavor and nutritional content of the raw oil. Cooked oil, on the other hand, usually refers to edible oil that has been heated at high temperature to evaporate the water in the oil, remove impurities, and change the molecular structure of the oil.
When making dumpling filling, people often use onions, ginger, garlic and other seasonings to stir-fry until fragrant and then take them out, leaving cooked oil with a rich fragrance for mixing the filling.
【Raw oil filling: retain the original flavor】
The biggest advantage of using raw oil to mix dumpling filling is that it can retain the original flavor of the ingredients to the greatest extent. The raw oil itself does not have an overly strong smell, which will not mask the natural aroma of meat, vegetables, seafood and other main ingredients in the filling, but can improve the moistness and smoothness of the filling to a certain extent.
For diners who are looking for the original taste of the ingredients and like the fresh taste, raw oil is a good choice. Especially for seafood dumpling fillings, such as mackerel, shrimp, etc., raw oil can highlight its delicious taste and avoid the aroma of cooked oil dominating.
【Cooked oil filling: increase flavor and flavor】
Cooked oil stuffing focuses more on giving the oil a unique aroma through the cooking process, so as to enhance the overall flavor of the dumplings. In the process of frying cooked oil, the aroma of onions, ginger, garlic and other spices is fully integrated into the oil, making the originally bland oil instantly become fragrant.
When mixed with fillings, this cooked oil not only brings rich layers to the dumplings, but also makes the filling more mellow and attractive, especially suitable for traditional flavors such as pork and green onions, beef and radish. The aroma of cooked oil permeates each plump dumpling, and when you bite into it, it is full of aroma and unforgettable.
[How to choose: depending on the filling and taste]
The answer is not fixed, but depends on the characteristics of the chosen filling, as well as personal taste preferences.
1. Filling characteristics: As mentioned above, seafood fillings are suitable for raw oil to highlight their original flavor due to their deliciousness, while for meat and vegetable fillings, especially those that need to enhance the flavor with the help of rich seasonings, the flavor enhancement effect of cooked oil is more significant.
2. Taste preference: If you prefer a light, natural texture, raw oil is undoubtedly the best choice, on the other hand, if you prefer dumplings with rich aroma and mellow flavor, cooked oil and filling will definitely meet your expectations.
3. Be creative: You can also try mixing raw oil with cooked oil in proportion, which not only retains the original flavor of the ingredients, but also adds a complex aroma, which may create a unique dumpling flavor.
When mixing dumpling filling, the choice between raw oil and cooked oil is not absolute, the key is to understand the characteristics of both and use them flexibly according to actual needs. Only by choosing the right oil can the dumpling filling really "live", so that each dumpling exudes an attractive aroma and meets your expectations for food.