Chinese potsticker dumplings
Ingredients
For the dough
- 140g/5oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 125ml/4fl oz very hot water
For the stuffing
- 110g/4oz pork mince
- 75g/3oz Chinese cabbage or spinach, finely chopped
- 1 tsp finely chopped ginger
- ½ tbsp Shaoxing rice wine (or dry sherry if none is available)
- ½ tbsp dark soy sauce
- ½ tsp light soy sauce
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1½ tbsp finely chopped spring onions
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- ½ tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp cold chicken stock or water
To cook
- about 1 tbsp groundnut oil
- 75ml/3fl oz water
For the dipping sauce
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp white rice vinegar
- 2 tsp chilli oil
Method
For the dough, place the flour into a large bowl and stir the hot water gradually into it, mixing all the time with a fork or chopsticks, until the water is incorporated. Add more water if the mixture seems dry.
Tip the dough mixture onto a clean work surface and knead it with your hands, dusting the dough with a little flour if it's sticky. Continue kneading until it is smooth - this should take about eight minutes.
Put the dough back in the bowl, cover it with a clean damp towel and let it rest for about 20 minutes.
For the stuffing, while the dough is resting, combine the stuffing ingredients in a large bowl and mix them together thoroughly. Set aside.
After the resting period, take the dough out of the bowl and knead it again for about five minutes, dusting with a little flour if it is sticky.
Once the dough is smooth, shape it into a roll about 23cm/9in long and about 2.5cm/1in in diameter, using your hands.
With a sharp knife, slice the roll into 16 equal-sized pieces (each piece is about 15g/½ oz). Using your hands, roll each of the dough pieces into a small ball and then, with a rolling pin, roll each ball into a small, round, flat, 'pancake' about 9cm/3½in in diameter.
Arrange the round skins on a lightly floured tray and cover them with a damp kitchen towel to prevent them from drying out until you are ready to use them.
Place about two teaspoons of filling in the centre of each 'pancake' and moisten the edges with water. Fold the dough in half and pinch together with your fingers.
Pleat around the edge, pinching with your fingers to seal well. The dumpling should look like a small Cornish pasty with a flat base and rounded top.
Transfer each finished dumpling to the floured tray and keep it covered until you have stuffed all the dumplings in this way.
To cook, heat a large lidded frying pan (preferably a non-stick pan) until it is very hot. Add the groundnut oil and place the dumplings flat-side down into the pan.
Reduce the heat and cook for about two minutes until they the dumplings are lightly browned. Add the water, cover the pan tightly and simmer gently for about 12 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Check the water half-way through and add more if necessary. Uncover the pan and continue to cook for a further two minutes.
For the dipping sauce, combine all the dipping sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.
To serve, remove the dumplings from the pan with a large slotted spoon and serve with the dipping sauce.
