「Handmade Dumplings」

Ingredients and amounts

• 20 dumplings (single serving)
• 200 g all-purpose flour
• 150 ml cold water
• 2-3 ml sesame oil
• 250 g lean ground pork
• 20 g fatty ground pork (optional)
• 3 g ginger
• 15 g scallion
• 3 g salt
• 2 ml oyster sauce
• 2 ml sesame oil
• 2 ml light soy sauce
• 1 egg

Step-by-step method

1. 1

   Step 1

   Place all the flour in a bowl.

2. 2

   Step 2

   Add the sesame oil.

3. 3

   Step 3

   Make a well in the center of the flour.

4. 4

   Step 4

   Add the water in 4-5 batches, mixing as you go, until a shaggy, slightly dry dough forms.

5. 5

   Step 5

   Stop adding water and press the dough together with your hands.

6. 6

   Step 6

   Press the dough until it incorporates all the flour from the sides of the bowl. The bowl and dough should be clean.

7. 7

   Step 7

   Place the dough on a work surface, cover with the inverted bowl, and let it rest at 25°C for about 45 minutes.

8. 8

   Step 8

   After resting, roll the dough into a log, gather it into a ball, and roll it into a log again. Repeat this 3 times.

9. 9

   Step 9

   Roll the dough into a log and cut it into 20 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball about 3-3.5 cm in diameter.

10. 10

    Step 10

    Flatten each dough ball. Dust your hands, work surface, rolling pin, and the dough pieces with flour to prevent sticking.

11. 11

    Step 11

    Roll each piece into a circle about 8 cm in diameter and 2 mm thick, with the center slightly thicker (about 1 mm thicker) than the edges.

12. 12

    Step 12

    Remove the skin from the pork, keeping some fat, and cut it into small pieces.

13. 13

    Step 13

    Use a knife (or two) to chop the pork into a fine mince. Place in a bowl.

14. 14

    Step 14

    Finely mince the ginger and scallion, add to the bowl with the pork, and mix well.

15. 15

    Step 15

    Wash the chives and cut them into pieces no longer than 3 mm.

16. 16

    Step 16

    Combine the chives with the pork mince. Add 2 ml each of oyster sauce, light soy sauce, and sesame oil, plus the egg white from one egg. Mix thoroughly with your hands.

17. 17

    Step 17

    Let the filling rest for 30 minutes before assembling the dumplings.

18. 18

    Step 18

    Hold a wrapper in your left hand. Keep the side that will hold the filling free of flour to ensure it seals properly.

19. 19

    Step 19

    Use chopsticks in your right hand to place a portion of filling about half the diameter of the wrapper onto the center.

20. 20

    Step 20

    Seal the dumpling by pressing the edges together all around. For personal consumption, a simple seal is fine; just ensure no filling leaks out.

21. 21

    Step 21

    Use a pot that can hold 20 dumplings at once, or cook them in batches.

22. 22

    Step 22

    Fill the pot with water to about 3/4 of its height and bring to a boil.

23. 23

    Step 23

    Bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat, add the dumplings, then reduce the heat to medium.

24. 24

    Step 24

    After adding the dumplings and once the water bubbles again, add 50 ml of cold water along the edge of the pot. Repeat this step twice.

25. 25

    Step 25

    After the third boil, add another 50 ml of cold water. Once it boils again, reduce the heat to low and cook for 60 seconds, then remove the dumplings.