Potstickers

 

'Jiaozi' (in Chinese) or potsticker for the better name of it means "stuck to the wok". The story goes that it was accidentally "invented" when a chef in China's Imperial Court had forgotten about the dumplings that he had left on the stove and they ended up with a burnt crispy bottom, which adds texture to the softly steamed dumplings.

The list of ingredients may look extensive but once you have mastered the art of pleating dumplings at home with practice, they are a joy to make and can be quite therapeutic.

Prep time 40 mins  Cooking time 10 mins

INGREDIENTS:

300 g pork mince

4 napa cabbage leaves, stalks removed and chopped

1 1/2 Tbsps oyster sauce

2 Tbsps light soy sauce

2 Tbsps Shaoxing wine

1 Tbsp sesame oil

2 tsps corn flour

1 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground white pepper

2 Tbsps water

2 garlic cloves, chopped finely

1 Tbsp ginger, grated

1 tsp chicken bouillon (optional)

Oil, for cooking

Cornstarch slurry (1 heaped teaspoon of corn flour in 1/4 cup of water)

DUMPLING WRAPPERS (about 25)

260 g plain flour

1/2 tsp salt

130 ml warm water (extra 1-2 tablespoons if required)

DIPPING SAUCE

1 Tbsp Chinkiang black vinegar

2 Tbsps light soy sauce

1 1/2 tsp sesame oil

1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped

1 garlic clove, chopped finely

Chilli oil

METHOD:

1) To prepare the filling: Stir all the ingredients together with the pork mince (except oil and cornstarch slurry). This can even be prepared the day before;

2) To prepare the dipping sauce: Mix all the ingredients together, except the chilli oil;

3) To prepare the dumpling wrappers: Add the plain flour and salt into a bowl - make a well in the center and slowly add the water (hot but not boiling). Stir with a pair of chopsticks or spatula until all the water has incorporated into the flour, then knead by hand until the dough comes together. The dough does not have to be smooth in appearance at this point. Add a few more drops of water at a time (if the dough is too dry) but be very careful not to add too much, making the dough too wet;

4) Rest the dough for 10 minutes in a sealed bag or in the bowl, covered up by a tea towel;

5) After 10 minutes, knead the dough again until it becomes smooth and it bounces back when you press your thumb in (approximately 5 minutes). Let it sit and rest a second time for at least 30 mins, and upto 2 hours;

6) Dust a flat surface with some flour, make the dough into a sausage and cut out even pieces of the dough. Flatten each one by hand and start to roll and turn the piece at the same time. This will ensure that the edges are thin and will cook quicker while the center is thicker for the filling. Work with a small batch at a time and cover up the rest of the dough to prevent them from drying out. Place each wrapper on a plate without overlapping;

7) Once you have about 10-12 wrappers, put a tablespoon of filling in the center of each wrapper and start to pleat them into a half-moon shape dumpling;

8) Heat up a tablespoon of oil in a wok on medium heat, place the dumplings sitting upright without touching and cook until the underside is lightly golden in colour;

9) Stir and pour half of the cornstarch mixture in, then close lid and cook for 10 minutes. Open the lid and let all the water evaporates before dishing them onto a plate;

10) Serve with the dipping sauce and/or chilli oil.