Spinach and water chestnut dumplings

One of the most versatile foods in Hong Kong, this steamed dumpling recipe tastes just as great if you wish to use a different folding or cooking method to make pot stickers, wontons, shui jiao, and even gyoza.

Credit: Adam Liaw

• makes

  20

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1½ tsp Chinese cooking wine
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• ground white pepper, to taste
• 1 tsp olive oil  
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 200 g canned, drained water chestnuts, finely chopped
• 250 g baby spinach, finely chopped  
• 2 tbsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp water
• 25–30 vegan dumpling wrappers

To serve

• light soy sauce
• finely chopped chilli
• coriander leaves

Cooling time: 20 minutes

Instructions

1. Combine the soy sauce, cooking wine, sesame oil and a pinch of pepper in a bowl.
   
2. Heat the oil in a large non–stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the ginger and stir for 1 minute or until fragrant, then add the water chestnut and stir for another minute. Add the spinach, increase the heat to high and stir until wilted. Add the combined sauces and cook for another minute. Add the cornflour mixture and cook for another minute or until thickened. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
   
3. To assemble the dumplings, fill a small bowl with water for dipping your finger into. Place 1 teaspoon of filling in the centre of a wrapper. Dip one finger in water, wet the edges and fold over to form a triangle. Gently press out and bubbles and seal the triangle. Wet one of the bottom corners of the triangle and bring the two corners together and seal. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.
   
4. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add the dumplings in batches and simmer until they float to the top. Remove with a slotted spoon, place in a shallow serving bowl, drizzle with light soy sauce and serve scattered with chilli and coriander leaves.

Photography by Adam Liaw.

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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.