Chicken Dumplings

These dumplings, when shallow-fried, make a good first course to a multi course meal. The can also be steamed and served as a snack or poached in large quantities for a complete meal.



Making the dumplings is a fun project for the whole family!

Ingredients:

Serves: 4
Makes: about 30 dumplings

Ingredients:

For the dough:

• 2 cups All Purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
• 3/4 cup boiling water
• 1/4 tsp salt

For the filling:

• 1/2 lb. white cabbage, shredded
• 1/2 lb. ground chicken
• 1/2 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger
• salt to taste
• 1 Tbsp. light soy sauce
• 2 tsp Chinese rice wine
• 1 tsp sesame oil

For the dipping sauce:

• 2 Tbsp. red chili oil
• 1 Tbsp. light soy sauce
• 1 tsp finely chopped garlic
• 1 Tbsp. finely chopped scallions

Directions:

Sift the flour into a bowl, add salt, then pour in the water and mix to a firm dough. Knead until smooth on a lightly floured surface, then cover with a damp cloth and set aside for 25-30 minutes. For the filling mix cabbage, ground chicken, scallions, ginger, salt, soy sauce, wine and sesame oil.

Lightly dust a work surface with flour. Knead and roll the dough into a long sausage about 1 inch in diameter. Cut the sausage into 30 small pieces and flatten each piece with the palm of your hand. Using a rolling pin, roll out each piece into a thin pancake about 2 1/2 inches in diameter.

Place about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the filling in the center of each pancake and fold into a half-moon pouch. Pinch the edges firmly so that the dumplings is tightly sealed.

Half fill a large saucepan with water. Bring to simmering point. Add the dumplings and simmer for about 5 minutes. The dumplings will float to the surface. Remove the dumplings with large slotted spoon, drain them briefly, then spread them on trays.

Make the dipping sauce by combining all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and mixing well. Serve in a small bowl with the dumplings.