Recipe: Guõ Tiē (potstickers)

the pot-sticker on the far left is American

It's a simple fact. I love dumplings, in all shapes, flavours and sizes... My mum will tell you, I love dumplings. It's the first thing I request for when I'm back in Singapore. Dumplings. Even the word 'dumplings' connotes in my sleepy mind juicily wrapped mini-parcels, pork broth, pastry with a toothsome bite, and cute chubby cheeks. Dumplings dumplings dumplings - guo tie, xiao long bao, jiao zi, won ton and my favourite dim sum item, jiu cai jiao (chive dumplings). Last year, I went on a quest to find the best xiao long bao in the world. Verdict:

Singapore: Ming Jiang Restaurant, Goodwood Park Hotel;

London: The Chinese Experience, Shaftsbury Avenue, and the reverent Hakkasan.

I've been meaning to make a batch for the longest time - one of my planned culinary projects. So, on Saturday, with a free afternoon at hand and an extra pair of deft dough kneading hands, I thought it was time.

Guo Tie

Filling

A - MEAT

300g pork belly

300g prawns

B - INGREDIENTS

7 leaves of chinese big cabbage, finely julienned and parboiled - drain drain drain, no excess water please!

6 chinese mushrooms, soaked in boiling water (30 mins)

1 tbsp spring onions, minced

1 tbsp ginger, minced

1 bunch of chives, minced (optional)

C- DRY SEASONING

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

2 tsp chicken stock powder

pepper to taste

D - WET SEASONING

2 tbsp light soya sauce

1 tbsp chinese cooking wine

2 tbsp sesame oil

E - OTHERS

1 egg

A - Mince the meat. Using a knife/chopper to mince produces lovely fluffy filling, rather than the mushy lump you get from a foor processor - but sometimes I am lazy... Set aside.

B - Prepare the filling ingredients. In addition to the dough, the secret to good filling is to mince everything as miniscule and as consistently as possible.

C - Add to A.

D - Add to C. Always add the sesame oil last as the oil "seals" the seasoning in. Leave aside for 30 mins.

E - Add to D to "bind" the filling.

Wrappers

I'm usually lazy and buy store-bought wrappers (note: guo tie/jiaozi wrappers are different from won ton wrappers, which have egg in them and are square). They are too thick and too big for genuinely good dumplings, since the consistency of the dough is the single most important consideration in good dumplings, but sometimes time is valuable.

I was taught to make dough with cold water, but recently came across an interesting method by the esteemable kuidaore (trackback Friday 4 August 2006) - looking at her beautiful pictures alone makes one hungry. From her blog, here is someone who is truly dedicated to perfection in food.

Wrapping the dumplings is a matter of the way you were taught. Kuiadore has great pictures of the process. My method is similar - I started writing it down here, but realised that no one was going to get it without pictures. Do not worry, it will happen soon. Promise!

Dip

Chinese black vinegar

Ginger, finely julienned

I am always reminded how refined and clever Chinese culture is when I see people pick a small brush of julienned ginger and literally use it as a brush to brush their dumpling with vinegar. Then there are those for whom chopsticks are a new thing, and for these poor souls, it is eminently excusable to poke your chopsticks through the dumpling (unless it contains broth, like xiao long baos) and dunk them into the vinegar.

Enjoy! This is truly my favourite comfort food of all time.