Culture

Hi, my name is Sophie and i am a dumpling fiend. Steamed dumplings, fried dumplings – all the dumplings! I spend a lot of time sourcing out the best dumpling stalls and night markets and frequently venture into D-graded food establishments to find premium offerings.

I had tried making dumplings before but my Caucasian man-like hands made the delicate motion of wrapper crimping somewhat a futile art for me. I think my father took pity on me when he presented me with my very own dumpling press (that or he wanted me to make him dumplings).

I threw in the Burger Sunday towel and directed my patience towards dumpling production! Mince and cabbage – that is pretty much all you need to make dumplings. Well, that and wrappers. Pork and coriander was my flavour of choice.

You can buy the wrappers at your local Asian supermarket for less than four dollars for a pack of 50. Making 50 dumplings is a horrendously tedious activity, even with your own dumpling press, so make sure you have plenty of time onhand. And hands. You can fry and steam or just fully steam your dumplings, up to you. Increase the greenery in your diet by serving these up with a side of steamed bok choy or whatever.

Ingredients

Makes 50 Dumplings

• 500g pork mince


• 3 cups finely shredded savoy cabbage


• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated


• 1 bunch coriander, finely chopped


• 2 spring onions, finely chopped


• 2 red chillis, finely chopped


• 4 cloves of garlic – you guessed it – finely chopped


• 2 tablespoons sesame oil


• 2 tablespoons soy sauce


• 2 tablespoons mirin


• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt


• 50 dumpling wrappers


• Equal parts soy sauce, sweet chilli sauce and sesame oil for the dipping sauce

Method

1. Mix together the filling ingredients with your hands. Place about a teaspoon and a half of filling in the centre of a dumpling wrapper. Rim the edge with a tiny bit of water, fold in half then press the edges together to seal them. Crimp the edges by pleating them over one another. Place folded dumplings on a floured bench while you assemble the rest.


2. To cook the dumplings, you can either steam them over boiling water for eight minutes (I made a makeshift steamer using a grated dish over a saucepan of simmering water with a lid whacked on it). Or you can fry the dumplings in a deep frying pan in a splash of sesame oil. Once both sides are brown, pour in a cup of hot water, place a lid over the top and leave to steam for eight minutes until they are cooked. Garnish with coriander and serve with a dipping sauce.