Jiaozi

Ingredients

• 300g all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
• 130ml warm water
• pinch of salt
• 300g ground pork (20-30% fat)
• 300g napa cabbage, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp salt, for the cabbage
• 3 scallions, minced
• 1 tbsp minced ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp Shaoxing wine
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• black vinegar, soy sauce, and chili oil, for dipping

Before you cook

• Mix the flour, warm water, and a pinch of salt into a shaggy dough, then knead for 5 minutes until smooth.
• Cover the dough and rest it for 30 minutes.
• Toss the chopped cabbage with 1/2 tsp salt and let it sit for 10 minutes, then squeeze out as much liquid as possible with your hands.
• Combine the pork, squeezed cabbage, scallions, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, wine, and white pepper in a bowl and stir in one direction until sticky.
• Roll the rested dough into a long rope and cut it into 30 pieces.
• Roll each piece into a thin round wrapper about 8cm across, keeping the center slightly thicker than the edges.

Steps

1. Place a heaped teaspoon of filling in the center of each wrapper.
2. Fold the wrapper in half over the filling and pleat the edges closed, pressing out any trapped air.
3. Keep finished dumplings covered with a damp towel while you shape the rest.
4. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil.
5. Drop the dumplings into the water in batches, stirring gently so they don't stick to the bottom.
6. When the water returns to a boil, add a splash of cold water, then repeat this twice more.
7. Boil for 8 to 10 minutes total until the dumplings float and the filling is cooked through.
8. Lift the dumplings out with a slotted spoon and serve hot with a dipping sauce of black vinegar, soy sauce, and chili oil.