中文菜谱：荠菜猪肉盒子（杂粮版）

Ok, I know these are not the real authentic calzones you are expecting. They are more like extra extra extra large pan-fried Asian dumplings. People make them into these beautiful half moon shape dumplings with pretty wrinkles seal the edges.

Every family has its own unique traditional way to make them. And probably everyone considers the best ones are made in their grandma’s kitchen.

I make them at home all the time too. But this time I substituted regular with freshly ground multigrain flour to make a better healthier version.

Like a lot of people, I too, used to hold this biased opinion against multigrain food; thinking they are all rough and tough and taste like cardboard. However, after I start to make my own multigrain food at home, I realize how wrong I was before. Multigrain food can be tasty and healthy at the same time!

Ingredients for pork, eggs and vegetable filling：

400 g ground pork
3 to 4 large eggs
500 g frozen Shepherd’s purse (sold in Asian grocery stores; can be substituted with frozen spinach)
2 tablespoons rice cooking wine
1/4 to 1/3 low sodium soy sauce
1 to 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon corn starch
1/4 cup chicken stock/ water
salt to taste

For multigrain calzones：

200 g multigrain flour
50 g gluten flour
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
a pinch of salt
3/4 cup water (give or take a couple tablespoons depending on multigrain flour mixture)
2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil (for pan frying)

Directions：

I usually buy different high fiber whole grains from Sprouts and Wholefoods market and mix everything together in a big jar later. Top choices are but not limited to kidney beans, split green peas, yellow peas, barley, oats, wheat berries, lentils, wheat bran, flax seeds, and so on.

Add 2 cups multigrain mixture to a Vitamix blender dry container.

Grind on high speeds for 20 to 30 seconds.

Add 200g multigrain flour and gluten flour to a large bowl.

Add water, salt and oil. Combine everything together in the bowl and knead into a smooth ball of dough.

I use ground oat for dusting. And of course, ground oat is made by vitamix too.

Cover with plastic wrap. Let it rest for 10 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare pork filling.

I usually buy large piece of pork shoulder and grind them into ground pork, and then divide and freeze ground pork for later use. It takes longer than buying ground pork from grocery but the taste and flavor is so much better.

Add rice cooking wine, soy sauce, ground ginger, ground white peppercorn, oyster sauce, sesame oil and corn starch.

Whisk clock-wise with a pair of chopsticks.

While whisking, add a tablespoon chicken stock/ water. Whisk until the liquid is absorbed before adding more.

Defrosted shepherd’s purse

It might be considered weed here in America. However, shepherd’s purse is sold like any other vegetables. It is really a seasonal delicacy only found in early spring time. Asian people love it for its sweet, delicate, refreshing earthy flavors.