This weeks recipe is from North-Eastern China, a region famous for its delicious jiao zi (dumplings). Small parcels of minced meat spiced with sesame oil, ginger and Soya sauce are wrapped in a wheat flour pastry case. Jiao zi are served with a traditional Chinese sauce – light Soya sauce with just a dash of vinegar. A fun way to serve the dumplings is alongside the ingredients for you to mix your own dumplings sauce: light Soya sauce, vinegar, chilli oil and garlic, adding a fun and interactive element to your dinner party. Makes 25 dumplings.
Ingredients
170g plain strong white flour for case and 10g for dusting
70ml water to bind
80g medium size pork mince (lean mince) from the shoulder
Bunch Coriander
40g spring onion
Head of ginger
Soy sauce
12ml malt vinegar max
1 tsp sesame oil
8 tbsp light soy sauce
4 tbsp malt vinegar
1 tsp chilli oil
2 tsp crushed garlic
Directions
Put 2 litres of water in a saucepan and bring to the boil whilst preparing the dumplings.
Make the dough and divide into pieces of about 9g each. Using a small rolling pin, roll and flatten each piece into a circle of approx 10cm radius to form a dough case.
Mix the filling ingredients together and scoop one teaspoon of the filling onto the dough case. Fold the case over into a semicircle and squeeze the open edges together to close, crimping to create a crescent moon shaped dumpling. Repeat until you have several dumplings.
Place the dumplings into the boiling water and stir gently on a rolling boil. When the dumplings start to float, continue to stir gently for five minutes. Drain and serve.
Mix 2 tablespoons of light soya sauce with 1 tablespoon of malt vinegar. Add half a teaspoon of fresh crushed garlic and a quarter of a teaspoon of chilli oil.
