Pork and cabbage dumplings

These are another staple on the yum cha trolley, and probably one of the most well-known and widely enjoyed Chinese foods among Westerners. Who doesn’t love a good pork and cabbage dumpling?

Pork and cabbage dumplings Credit: Alana Dimou

• makes

  40

• prep

  1:10 hour

• cook

  35 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 6 dried shiitake mushrooms
• 2 tbsp dried shrimp
• 285 g wombok (Chinese cabbage), finely chopped
• 2 tsp fine sea salt
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 225 g minced pork
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp minced ginger
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 1 tbsp shaoxing rice wine
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• ⅛ tsp ground white pepper
• 30 g finely chopped spring onion
• dumpling dipping sauce, to serve

Dumpling skins

• 200 g (1⅓ cups) bread flour
• 100 g (⅔ cup) plain flour
• 1 tsp fine sea salt

Dumpling dipping sauce

• 3 tbsp Chinkiang black vinegar
• 70 ml light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp caster sugar

It's best to start this recipe the day before.

Soaking time: 8 hours (or overnight)

Marinating time: 3 hours

Resting time: 45 minutes

Instructions

1. For the dumpling dipping sauce, place all the ingredients and 100 ml water in a small bowl and mix until the sugar has dissolved. Pour into a clean jar and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
2. Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in 250 ml water for at least 8 hours or overnight. Strain and reserve the liquid. Soak the dried shrimp in 3 tablespoons water for 30 minutes. Finely dice the shrimp and shiitake.
3. Mix the cabbage and 1 teaspoon of the salt, then set aside for 30 minutes or until soft. Drain and squeeze out any excess water from the cabbage.
4. Heat the canola oil in a large frying pan over high heat, add the shrimp and shiitake and saute for 2–3 minutes until fragrant.
5. Mix the pork with the remaining salt and the soy sauce, stirring until sticky, then gradually add up to 3 tablespoons of the reserved shiitake soaking liquid. Continue mixing until the meat mixture has absorbed all the liquid. Add the ginger, sugar, shaoxing wine, sesame oil, pepper and spring onion, then add the cabbage and mix well. Store in the fridge for at least 3 hours to give the flavours time to develop.
6. To make the dumpling skins, combine the flours and salt in a bowl, then add 180–200 ml (6–7 fl oz) tepid water and mix until well combined. Knead in the bowl for about 5 minutes.
7. Turn out onto a clean bench (no need to flour the bench even if the dough feels slightly sticky). Knead the dough by pushing it away and rolling it back, then turning it 90 degrees, pushing away and rolling back, and so on, for another 5 minutes. Roll the dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and rest for 15 minutes.
8. After resting, knead the dough again as you would knead bread (push in, turn, push in, turn) for another 5 minutes. The dough should now be nice and smooth. Roll the dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and rest for another 30 minutes.
9. Roll the dough into four cylinders and cut each cylinder into 10 even-sized pieces. Roll each piece into a thin round. Cover the rolled-out skins with a clean damp cloth so they don't dry out.
10. Pick up a round of dough with your left hand, dampen the edge with a little water and add a teaspoon of the filling. Pleat the dumpling by pushing the dumpling skin with the index finger of one hand and pressing to secure the pleat with the index finger of the other hand. You should be able to achieve 7–8 pleats. If this is too tricky, simply seal the dumplings however you wish – they may not look traditional but they'll still taste great.
11. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling, covering the dumplings as you make them so they don't dry out.
12. Pour water into a large saucepan to a depth of about 3 cm (1¼ in) and bring to the boil. Lightly oil a large bamboo steamer to prevent sticking and line with baking paper or individual dim sum papers.
13. Working in batches, add the dumplings to the steamer in a single layer, then cover and steam for 6–8 minutes or until cooked through. Serve hot with dumpling dipping sauce.

Notes for the dipping sauce

• For extra flavour, toast spices such as star anise, clove or fennel seeds and infuse in the water for 30 minutes. Strain and add to the sauce.

• You can also add fresh ingredients just before serving. Try some sliced fresh chilli or chilli oil, chopped garlic, ginger, spring onion or coriander leaves.

Hong Kong Local by ArChan Chan, published by Smith Street Books (RRP $39.99). Photography by Alana Dimou.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.