101 Dumplings – Part 2

Steamed pork and prawn dumplings with a Sichuan dipping sauce.

Hope you’re all ready for the second course for our 101 dumplings night – steamed pork and prawn dumplings! The perfect combination for any dumpling and sauce. They’re just amazingly yummy! While I’m writing this, all I want is to eat dumplings!! Steamed chicken dumplings were served as part of the second course also (recipe on its way).

My adaptation of a Sichuan dipping sauce for these dumplings is what makes them really come to life. Start with a small amount of dipping sauce poured over your dumplings and add more if needed. It’s best to start with a small amount of sauce, you can always add more. Or you can just add a couple of teaspoons and get right into it!

Be warned – this dipping sauce is quite powerful and unless you’re used to very hot tastes, please use in moderation!

I’m looking forward to heading back to China & the Sichuan province one day in the future. I can’t wait to try firsthand the Sichuan flower for its numbing experience.

INGREDIENTS:
Filling: (prepared one day ahead of time)
500 grams pork mince
130 grams green prawns, shell removed
3 spring onions (scallions or green onions) finely sliced
2 teaspoons sesame oil
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Wonton wrappers: Makes roughly 40 wrappers
2 cups flour, sifted
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup boiling water
Rice flour for dusting wrappers

Dipping sauce:
See recipe

METHOD:
For the filling:
Add all ingredients together in a mixing bowl and combine well.  Place in an airtight container and store in the fridge overnight.

The next day, remove the filling about half an hour before you wish to make the dumplings.  Follow this recipe to learn how to wrap the dumplings – remember practice makes perfect!

For the wrappers:
Follow how I did them.

For the steamed pork and prawn dumplings:
This folding technique is called chao shou (in Mandarin it translates to ‘crossed hands’).  This is how I folded mine – Add a teaspoon of mixture to the middle of each wrapper and dab the outer pastry with a small amount of water, using your index finger. Fold in half to make a half circle and then cross the two tips (arms) together, over the belly (filling) of the dumpling. Continue until all of the wrappers and/or filling has been used.

OR
Follow this recipe.

In the large steamer base or wok, boil water over high heat.  Place the dumplings on individual pieces of baking paper and place in a steamer insert or bamboo basket.  This is done to ensure they don’t stick to your steamer and split when you try to get them out – a tip I received from the Vietnamese lady who sold me my steamer. Or you can use banana or cabbage leaves or even a plate. Steam the dumplings for 15-20 minutes or until tender and cooked through.

Remove all baking paper and place on a serving plate.

Serve with Sichuan dipping sauce