The key to great dumplings

By Chinese Cooking Demystified · 90 min

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Make the ginger and Sichuan peppercorn water: steep the peppercorns and smashed ginger in the hot boiled water for about 30 minutes, then strain once cool.
2. Mince the napa cabbage, toss it with 1 teaspoon of salt, and let it sit 10 to 15 minutes. Squeeze out the liquid, then squeeze again in a tofu or cheesecloth. Set aside.
3. Make the dough: mix 300 g flour (or 305 g Bob's Red Mill all-purpose, or 300 g King Arthur flour) with ¾ teaspoon salt. Slowly stir in 150 g water (140 g for Bob's Red Mill, 156 g for King Arthur). Once shaggy, press into a ball and rest 20 minutes. Skip this rest with Chinese or 00 flour.
4. Knead the dough for 10 to 15 minutes (or on speed three in a stand mixer), then rest 15 minutes.
5. Season the pork: mix 300 g ground pork belly with 1 teaspoon each of salt, five spice, chicken bouillon powder, cornstarch, soy sauce and Shaoxing wine. Slowly drizzle in the ginger and peppercorn water while stirring over 3 to 5 minutes, until slightly sticky. Optionally, slap the mixture into the bowl 3 to 4 times.
6. Make the seasoned oil if using it: fry the minced aromatics and steeped spices in 1.5 cups peppercorn-free peanut oil over medium heat for about 20 minutes, stopping before golden brown. Keep it hot, cover, and steep overnight, then strain.
7. Divide the dough into four logs, then into 9 to 10 g balls. Flour them well and flatten each into a disc. Roll each from the edge to the centre, turning as you go, about 16 times, to reach about 2.5 inches in diameter.
8. When just ready to wrap, mix the cabbage with the pork mixture, then add 2 tablespoons peanut oil plus 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, or about ¼ cup seasoned oil.
9. Wrap the dumplings. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil, add the dumplings and cover. When it boils again, add about ½ cup cool water and bring back to a boil. Repeat this once more (two additions in total) and cook until done.

Summarized from Chinese Cooking Demystified's video. Watch it for the details.

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