January 2022 Parenta magazine

Chinese dumplings
Pinecone bird feeder
This simple recipe is from BBC Bitesize. You could use this craft to celebrate
Chinese New Year in your setting with the children.
If you are planning to take part in The Big Schools Bird Watch, this pinecone birdfeeder
might be the perfect activity, which has been inspired by the RSPB’s craft.
You will need:
For the dough
• 140g plain flour
• 125ml water
For the filling
• Finely chopped
vegetables
• You could include:
spinach, spring
onions, mushrooms,
cabbage, carrots
• ½ tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp cold water
• salt and pepper
Image source: Preschool Inspirations
Instructions:
1. Stir the water into the flour until mixed - add more water if the mixture seems dry.
2. Knead the dough with your hands and add a little bit of flour if it’s sticky.
3. Put the dough in a bowl, covered with a clean, damp towel, and let it rest for around 20 minutes.
4. After resting, tear the dough into sixteen equal-sized pieces and flatten them into round flat pancakes.
5. Add all of the filling ingredients into a bowl; and mix together.
6. Place a spoonful of filling into of each pancake and add a little bit of water to the edges of the pancakes.
7. Fold the dough in half and pinch the edges together with your fingers.
8. An adult will then need to boil a pan of water, to then add the dumplings and put on the lid.
9. Boil the dumplings for three to four minutes and then serve.
10. *Optional* You could add a little dish of soy sauce for dipping, as seen in the image above.
You will
need:
• Dried pine or fir cones
• Bird seed
• Raisins
• Peanuts
• Grated cheese
• Suet or lard
• A mixing bowl
• Scissors
• String
Instructions:
1. Make your bird mix with the bird seed, raisins and peanuts and grated cheese.
2. Leave the lard out to warm up to room temperature and then cut into small
pieces.
3. Add the lard and the bird mix into the mixing bowl and use your fingertips to
mix together until the fats hold the ingredients together.
4. Get all of your cones and loop the string around the top of them so they are
secure.
5. Use your hands to pack the bird mixture around the cones. Try to fit as much in
as possible.
6. Once you are finished put your cones into the fridge for around an hour to set.
7. After this, you can hang up your feeders on the trees and watch the birds
coming to visit for a snack!
24 January 2022 | parenta.com
parenta.com | January 2022 25