RECIPE: Step-by-step guide to making prawn dumplings

Serving sauce and wrapper

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To prepare the Sichuan sauce: 

1 Combine the light soya sauce, chili oil, black vinegar and sugar in a saucepan over low heat, stirring it occasionally. 

2 Once it simmers and the sugar is melted, add the star anise, peppercorn, parsley, garlic and ginger. 

3 Simmer for 20min. Sieve the mixture and discard the ingredients. Cool the sauce at room temperature. 

 

To make the dumpling wrapper: 

1 Place the flour in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre of the flour and add a third of the water. Gradually add more water as you knead the dough by hand. 

2 Once all the water has been added, mix in the salt and the vegetable shortening. Knead till smooth. 

3 Chill the dough for 30min. 

Dumpling filling

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1 Mix the pork belly, prawns, sesame oil, cornstarch, pepper, chicken seasoning powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl. 

Dumpling filling

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2 Freeze for 5-10min. 

To wrap and cook the dumplings

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1 On a countertop lightly dusted with flour, roll the dough into long tubes. Divide them up into pebble-sized pieces. 

2 To test that the dough is ready, it should be cut away easily. It should not be too stretchy or bounces back after you pinch it. 

To wrap and cook the dumplings

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3 With a rolling pin, flatten the dough portions into 2mm-thick rounds.

To wrap and cook the dumplings

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4 Place 1 tbsp of filling on a dumpling wrapper. 

To wrap and cook the dumplings

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5 Fold the dumpling in half to enclose the filling, pinching the edges together to seal it. 

To wrap and cook the dumplings

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6 Place the dumpling on your palm and pinch the two ends together. The flattened edge should fold upwards and flatten against the rounded side of the dumpling.

To cook the dumplings

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Cook the dumplings in boiling water for 5min. 

Serving

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Serve hot with the Sichuan sauce on the side.