Most cultures have dumplings because well-seasoned ingredients in a silky smooth wrapper are delicious. Chinese cuisine has incredible dumplings and one of my favourites is the potsticker; a part pan-fried part steamed dumpling that is crisp and chewy. In Vancouver I could pop into a restaurant after work to eat my body weight in dumplings. As a stay at home Mum in Suffolk I had to roll up my sleeves and learn how to make these delicious parcels. I make them more in the winter when it’s rainy outside and we all spend a Saturday afternoon making potstickers ready in time to eat whilst watching Strictly.
MAKING THE DUMPLING WRAPPER DOUGH
INGREDIENTS
Makes 24 Dumplings
WRAPPERS
240g of plain flour
1/2 tsp salt
125ml boiled water
75ml iced water
- Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl then add the salt. Add the just boiled water and mix using chopsticks until you have a crumb like consistency. Add the ice cold water and mix to combine the flour into a dough.
- Tip the dough out and kneed for 10 minutes until it’s silky smooth. Put the dough back in the bowl then cover with a damp cloth and plate while you make the filling.
MAKING THE DUMPLING FILLING
INGREDIENTS
Makes 24 Dumplings
FILLING
100g cabbage
1 tsp salt
150g ground pork
100g raw prawn
1 tsp each of corn starch, soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice vinegar
5g ginger
1 garlic clove
1 tbsp chives
veg oil & water for cooking
- Chop the cabbage as finely as you can and put into a wide bowl lined with muslin or a clean tea towel then sprinkle over 1 tsp of salt and set aside for 15 minutes.
- Chop the prawns into small pieces then tip into a large mixing bowl along with the pork and corn starch then mix.
- Add the soy sauce, sesame oil and rice vinegar. Finely chop the garlic and ginger then add to the bowl along with the chives and stir.
- Use the muslin to squeeze out any liquid from the cabbage then add it to the bowl and stir.
- Put the bowl in the fridge until your dumpling wrappers are ready.
MAKING THE DIPPING SAUCE
INGREDIENTS
DIPPING SAUCE
2 tbsp soy
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 garlic clove
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 apple cider vinegar
about 5cm of chopped chilli and spring onion
- Put all the ingredients for the dipping sauce into a bowl and set aside, not in the fridge.
FORMING THE DUMPLING WRAPPERS
- Sprinkle flour onto your surface then tip out the dough and form it into a 3cm thick donut ring.
- Cut the ring in half to make two logs then cut off 3 cm pieces until you have 24 pieces.
- Flatten each section then roll into circular disc 1mm thick. Keep a damp cloth over your finished wrappers until you’re ready to fill them.
FILLING THE DUMPLINGS
- Put 1 heaped tsp of filling in the wrapper and pinch the middle edges together.
- Starting at the middle fold the side furthest away from you in 1cm folds towards the middle on each side until the dumpling is sealed.
COOKING THE DUMPLINGS
- Put 1 tbsp of veg oil in a large frying pan, that has a tight fitting lid, on a medium high heat.
- Arrange 12 dumplings in a circle. Cook for 3-4 minutes until golden on the bottom. Put 75ml of water in a cup and hold in one hand then lift the pan lid with the other pan, immediately add the water and replace the lid.
- Steam for exactly 2 minutes then remove the lid and leave uncovered until the water has evaporated.
- Put the cooked dumplings into a bowl or steam basket while you cook the second batch. Serve with the dipping sauce.
One Tough Cooker 