Xuwu Fried Dumplings Introduction
Chen Shih-Tzung (born in 1960) started making and selling pan-fried buns at the age of 27. Initially, he sold them in Wushi, traveling to nearby villages with a cart. He worked early in the morning and returned late at night, with each bun priced starting at 5 NT dollars. Since 2009, he has been located at his current site for sales. Xinshi Pan-Fried Buns use all-purpose flour, with fillings that include pork, cabbage, spices, tofu skin, carrots, and scallions. The process is as follows: dough is fermented and set aside. Pork is sliced and stir-fried with scallions, tofu skin, and spices, then set aside. Cabbage and carrots are briefly blanched, then stir-fried with scallions and seasonings, and set aside. Small pieces of the fermented dough are flattened and filled with the stir-fried cabbage and pork shreds, forming the buns, which are then set aside. In the afternoon, the buns are delivered to the market. After heating the pan, a small amount of salad oil is added, and the buns are placed in the pan. They are pressed down with a hand, then a mixture of dough and water is poured in. They are fried for about 6 minutes, flipped, and then fried for another 4 minutes before being taken off the heat and set aside. When customers buy them, they are placed in bags for takeout. Adding salad oil in the pan prevents the buns from sticking; the water mixture is made from flour and water.
