Pot Sticker Dumplings (Jiaozi)

The Dough

• 185g middle gluten flour
• 110ml boiling water
• 1 tsp oil

The Filling

• ½ bunch of coriander
• 3 spring onions
• 1 ginger cube
• 1 clove garlic
• 5 chinese mushrooms
• 300g Pork Mince

The Marinade

• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• ¼ teaspoon sugar

THE DOUGH

1. Sieve the flour into a mixing bowl.

2. Gradually add the water, whilst mixing with a fork / hand

3. Once all water is added, fold into a ball

4. Knead for 5 minutes on a hard surface until slightly elastic consistency is reached (this should be a ‘play dough’ consistency – you may need more / less water for the correct consistency – use the measurements as a guideline only). Once the consistency is reached, roll out the pastry to roughly1-2mm thick

5. Use a 70mm diameter circular cutter to cut out as many pastries as possible

FILLING & MARINADE

6. Finely chop all filling ingredients

7. Mix with marinade

8. Mix with any of the above filling options

WRAPPING

9. Place 1 teaspoon of the filling in the centre of each circle of dough. Fold the bottom centre over the filling to form a semicircle and pinch the top tight.

10. Pinch the two corners of the semicircle together leaving two symmetrical ‘Mickey Mouse ear’ shapes between your centre fold and the corner folds.

11. Now pinch the ‘ears’ in towards you to make four layered folds.

12. Tidy up to create a ‘half-moon’ shape and arrange on a plate.

13. Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan to high heat

14. Place dumplings in pan – base down

15. Now turn heat down to medium and fry dumplings until base is golden brown

16. Using a lid as a shield, pour hot water into pan until dumplings are ½ covered. Cover quickly with lid

17. Cover with lid for 5-10 mins on medium heat until all water has evaporated

18. Once pan is completely dry of water, allow dumplings to crisp up on the bottom for a further minute

SERVING

19.Serve with a mixture of equal amounts of soy sauce, vinegar and matchsticks of ginger