These little dumplings have a wonderful zingy note from the fresh ginger, onions and coriander, with a subtle seasoning from a dash of soy, mirin and sesame oil. Serve with a simple dipping sauce of soy sauce mixed with rice vinegar.
FOR THE WRAPPERS
120g (4½oz/1 cup) plain flour
1½ tsp ground turmeric
70–80ml (2½–3fl oz/¹/³ cup) just-boiled water
¼ tsp salt
cornflour, to dust
FOR THE FILLING
300g (10½oz/1¹/³ cups) beef mince
1 small red onion, grated or very finely chopped
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1 tsp sesame oil, plus extra if frying
1 tsp freshly grated root ginger
½ tsp mirin
½ tsp soy sauce
½ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp freshly chopped coriander
¼ tsp caster sugar
1 tbsp cornflour
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced into about 22 rounds
You’ll also need a steamer, lined with baking parchment.
To make the wrappers, sift the flour and turmeric into a large bowl, then follow the method on page 101. Dividing the dough into 8–9g (about ¼oz) pieces will make 22 wrappers.
Prepare the filling. Put the mince into a large bowl and add the rest of the ingredients except for the red chilli. Mix everything together.
Take a wrapper and rest it on the curve of your hand between the thumb and forefinger. Spoon in a heaped ½ tablespoon measure of the filling. Use your other hand to squeeze the wrapper around the meat, leaving the top of the shumai open. Pinch the side of the wrapper slightly together, leaving the top open, exposing the mince filling to make a barrel shape. Tap the base on the work surface. The final shape should be a short cylinder with a flat bottom so that it can sit up. Repeat with the remaining wrappers. Place a slice of red chilli on top of each shumai.
Place the shumai gently into a bamboo steamer and cook over a pan of just-simmering water, making sure the base of the steamer doesn’t touch the water, for 10–15 minutes.
If you don’t have a steamer, pour 1–2 teaspoons sesame oil into a large frying pan and place over a medium heat. Add the shumai, in two batches, and cook for 2 minutes first to cook the base. Add 75ml (2½fl oz/¹/³ cup) water and cover the pan with a lid. Cook for around 10 minutes until the filling is cooked.
.
豆腐とキヌアの シュウマイ
TOFU AND QUINOA SHUMAI
Makes 20
These vegan bites also feature shiitake mushrooms and a smattering of spring onion and green beans. They’re crowned with a spoonful of diced carrot to show them off. A simple bowl of soy sauce is great with these, but even better is a dab of punchy mustard.
2 large dried shiitake mushrooms (around 6g/¹/8oz/¹/8 cup)
175g (6oz/1 cup) firm or extra firm tofu
50g (2oz/¹/³ cup) cooked quinoa
1½ tbsp chopped green beans (about 3 green beans)
1 small spring onion, finely chopped, plus extra finely sliced to garnish, optional
¼ tsp salt
generous ½ tsp sugar
¹/8 tsp ground white pepper
1½ tsp cornflour
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp finely diced carrot (around ¼ carrot)
TO SERVE
soy sauce
Chinese hot mustard or Colman’s English mustard
You’ll also need a steamer, lined with baking parchment.
Start by soaking the mushrooms for the filling in boiling water. Leave to soften for 10 minutes. Drain well and pat dry, then finely chop.
Prepare the rest of the filling. Gently squeeze the tofu to break it up and release some of the water. You don’t have to make it totally dry. Put into a bowl, add the mushrooms, quinoa, beans and spring onion. Stir and lightly mash all the ingredients together until the tofu starts to crumble and everything is mixed well.
Put the salt into a small bowl and add the sugar, white pepper, cornflour, soy sauce and sesame oil. Whisk to combine, then pour over the tofu and quinoa mixture. Stir in the liquid, then use a fork or your hands to mash everything together.
Rest a dumpling wrapper between the thumb and forefinger of one hand. Scoop up about 1 tablespoon of filling into the centre of the wrapper, pressing it down gently. Gather the edge of the wrapper up and around the filling to create a border, pinching and folding into small pleats as you go, to give a round shape, with the filling exposed in the centre. It will be barrel-shaped and look like an open bag.
Set on a clean work surface or board to flatten the base. Spoon some finely diced carrot into the middle to finish it off. Set aside, spaced apart, on the baking parchment, covered with a dry tea towel or clingfilm, while you shape the rest.
Place the shumai in a steamer tray, open-side up, spacing them around 2–5cm (¾–2in) away from the edge, so they don’t stick.
If you can’t steam all the dumplings at once, steam in batches, keeping the uncooked ones covered to prevent them from drying out.
Steam the dumplings over a pan of boiling water for 6–8 minutes, until they have puffed slightly and their skins have become translucent. If you don’t have a steamer, use the same technique on page 98. Remove each tray and place it on top of a serving plate. Serve immediately with the soy sauce and mustard.
餃子の皮
GYOZA WRAPPERS
Makes 20
These simple wrappers are made from plain flour, water and salt, which are kneaded together to make a dough, rested, then shaped into rounds, ready to be filled. Easy!
60–70ml (2¼–2½fl oz) just-boiled water
¼ tsp salt
120g (4½oz/1 cup) plain flour
cornflour, to dust
Measure 60ml (2fl oz/¼ cup) of the water into a heatproof jug and add the salt. Stir to dissolve.
Sift the flour into a heatproof bowl and make a well in the middle. Pour the water gradually into the middle, stirring all the time.
Shape into a ball, scraping and mopping up all the flour from around the sides of the bowl as you do so. If it feels a bit dry, add the extra water to help the dough pick up and absorb any excess flour. Keep squeezing the mixture constantly until it starts to feel firm.
Transfer the ball to a clean work surface or board and knead for 10 minutes until very firm and until the skin of the dough no longer cracks. It should be very smooth.
Cut the dough in half and squeeze and roll each piece into a log, around 10cm (4in) in length. Wrap in clingfilm or in a sealable bag and set aside for 30 minutes at room temperature.
Cut one log into 10 even-sized pieces (each will be about 8g/¼oz). Cover the pieces with a damp tea towel to prevent them from drying out.
Take one piece of dough and shape it into a disc. Sprinkle the work surface or a board with a little cornflour and, using a rolling pin, roll out into a circle measuring 8cm (3¼in) – the wrapper should be around 1–2mm (less than ¹/8in) thick. Dust with a little cornflour and put on a plate. Keep the dough covered with clingfilm until you’re ready to use it.
Roll out the remaining pieces in the same way, then do the same again with the other log. If you end up with slightly odd-shaped rounds, use an 8cm- (¾in-) round scone cutter to neaten off.
餃子
CLASSIC MEAT GYOZA
Makes 20
If you can track down garlic chives, they will give a lovely herb and garlic flavour to the finished dumplings. If you can only buy regular chives, use the same quantity of herb and add 1 small crushed garlic clove to the mix, too.
Mix the sauce ingredients together. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and set aside.
Put the shiitake mushrooms into a bowl and pour over enough boiling water to cover. Soak for 10 minutes, then drain, finely chop and mop with kitchen paper to remove any excess liquid.
Put the cabbage into a bowl and sprinkle with the ½ tsp salt. Give it a bit of a massage and leave for 10–15 minutes. Drain well and squeeze out any excess moisture. Put the cabbage back into the bowl. Add the minced pork or chicken, the chives, the mushrooms, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil and pinch of salt. Mix well.
Fill a small bowl with cold water. Dry your hands completely (or wrappers will stick). Rest a dumpling wrapper between the thumb and forefinger of one hand. Put 2 teaspoons of the filling into the middle and spread out slightly, leaving around 1cm (½in) border. Dip a finger in the water and run it around the edge of the wrapper. Make a semi-circle by folding the wrapper in half, pinching the nearest edge. Using your thumbs at the front of the wrapper, start to pleat the edge, keeping the back smooth and pushing the pleats against the back of the wrapper, lightly squeezing to secure and seal. Fill all the wrappers in this way.
Cook the dumplings in two batches. Heat 2 teaspoons sesame oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the dumplings, flat-side down, for about 2 minutes until a golden crust forms on the bottom. Add 75ml (2½fl oz/¹/³ cup) water and immediately cover with a lid and let the steam cook the dumplings for 8 minutes or until all the water has evaporated. Remove the lid and let the dumplings cook for another minute until they lift off from the bottom of the pan easily. You might need a spatula to help if they are a little sticky, being careful not to break the wrappers. Remove to a plate and keep hot. Repeat with the second batch.
Sprinkle the nori strips over the gyoza and serve hot with the dipping sauce.
豚肉とキャベツの 餃子
PORK AND CABBAGE GYOZA
Makes 20
The beauty of this recipe is that it’s made from just a handful of readily available ingredients. Chinese leaf cabbage, also known as Napa cabbage, gives a slightly sweet flavour here and provides body to the overall filling. Chilli oil works brilliantly in the sauce and there’s a tip at the end of the recipe to make your own, too.
½–1 tsp chilli oil, depending on how hot you like it, optional
Stir all the dipping sauce ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.
Put the cabbage in a bowl and sprinkle over ¼ teaspoon of the salt. Give it a bit of a massage to rub the salt in and leave for 10–15 minutes. Squeeze the cabbage to remove any moisture, then drain well and pat dry.
Put the pork, drained cabbage, remaining salt, white pepper, garlic, ginger and spring onion in a large bowl and knead the mixture until it comes together and starts to feel slightly sticky and paste-like.
Fill a small bowl with cold water. Rest a dumping wrapper between your thumb and forefinger of one hand and place a heaped teaspoon of the pork mixture into the middle. Spread out slightly, leaving a border of around 1cm (½in). Dip a finger into the bowl of water and run it round the edge of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper in half to make a crescent shape.
Pinch the edge on one side of the wrapper to start to seal it. With your forefinger supporting the back of the wrapper, use your two thumbs to pleat the front of the wrapper. As you move along and start to shape the gyoza, keep pressing the front and back together with your forefinger and thumb. You’ll end up with a curve of seven or eight pleats on the front of the gyoza and a smooth edge on the back. Fill all the wrappers in this way.
Cook the dumplings in two batches. Heat a little oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the dumplings, flat-side down, for about 2 minutes until a golden crust forms on the bottom. Add 75ml (2½fl oz/¹/³ cup) water and immediately cover the pan. Reduce the heat to low and cook the dumplings for 8 minutes or until all the water has evaporated. Take the lid off and let the dumplings cook for a further minute until they lift off the bottom of the pan easily. You might need a spatula to help them along if they are a little sticky, but take care not to break the wrappers. Repeat with the second batch of gyoza.
Serve hot with the dipping sauce.
エビ餃子
PRAWN GYOZA
Makes 20
This may look like a long list of ingredients, but you probably have most of them in your storecupboard. Choose the small Atlantic prawns, which have a lovely sweet taste and are easy to chop into small pieces, which is essential for this recipe. They’re available both in the chilled section and freezer section in supermarkets or fishmongers.
200g (7oz/1²/³ cups) Chinese, spring or Napa cabbage, finely shredded
chilli flakes, to taste
Mix all the dipping sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside.
For the cabbage salad, put the salt, sugar, vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce and garlic into a large bowl. Add the cabbage and a pinch of the chilli flakes and mix well. Set aside.
Next, prepare the filling. Put the cabbage into a bowl and sprinkle over the salt. Rub the salt in to give the cabbage a bit of a massage. Leave for 10–15 minutes, then drain well and squeeze to remove any moisture.
Place the prawns in a separate large bowl with the ginger, garlic, chilli and spring onion. Add the cabbage to the bowl. Sprinkle over the cornflour, then pour in the sesame oil, sugar, sake and soy sauce and mix everything together.
Lay out the wrappers, a few at a time, on a board. Fill a small bowl with cold water. Place a good heaped teaspoon of the filling in the centre of each wrapper, then dip your finger in the water and run it around the edge. Pinch the nearest side of the wrapper together, then use your two thumbs to work together and pleat the front of the wrapper five, six or seven times, squeezing it against the back of the wrapper as you move along. The back should be smooth and the front pleated so you end up with the classic dumpling shape. Place on a plate or tray and continue filling and wrapping until you’ve made them all.
Cook the dumplings in two batches. Heat 1–2 teaspoons sunflower or vegetable oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the dumplings, flat-side down, for about 2 minutes until a golden crust forms on the bottom. Add 75ml (2½fl oz/¹/³ cup) water and immediately cover. Reduce the heat to low-medium and let the steam cook the dumplings for 8 minutes or until all the water has evaporated. Remove the lid and let the dumplings cook for a further minute until they lift off from the bottom of the pan. You might need a spatula to help them along if they are a little sticky, but be careful not to break the wrappers. Repeat with the second batch.
Serve the hot dumplings with the cabbage salad and dipping sauce.
ほうれん草が入った 餃子の皮
SPINACH GYOZA WRAPPERS
Makes 34
A big handful of spinach will transform the simple gyoza dough into a cool-looking green wrapper. Instead of water, spinach purée is kneaded into the flour and the dough is used to make the wrappers for the Tofu and Spinach Gyoza (see page 106; also tip below).
60g (2¼oz/2 cups) spinach
½ tsp salt
160g (5½oz/1½ cups) plain flour, plus a little extra to knead
cornflour, to dust
Put the spinach into a small blender with the salt and 2 tablespoons water. Blend, scraping the mixture down every now and then, to make a smooth purée.
Sift the flour into a bowl and make a well in the middle. Add the spinach purée and 2 tablespoons water and stir together.
Keep stirring until the mixture looks crumbly, then bring it together with your hands and roughly knead in the bowl to mop up all the excess bits.
Put the dough onto a clean work surface or board and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and no cracks appear in the dough. If the dough feels sticky, continue to add a little more flour, 1 teaspoon at a time, until it has the right consistency.
Divide the dough into two even pieces and roll out until each measures around 17cm (6½in). Wrap in clingfilm or put in a sealable bag and leave to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
When you’re ready to roll, fill a small pot with cornflour so you can dip into it as you need to while rolling out.
Dust a clean work surface or board and a rolling pin with cornflour.
Slice the first roll into 17 even-sized pieces. Each will weigh around 8g (¼oz). Take one piece and, keeping the other pieces covered, roll the piece out into a circle until it measures around 8cm (3¼in) in diameter. Put on a plate.
Continue with all the pieces, then repeat with the other log to make 34 wrappers in total.
Keep the wrappers covered as they’re quite delicate and can dry out quickly.
豆腐とほうれん草の 餃子
TOFU AND SPINACH GYOZA
Makes 34
These eye-catching green dumplings are actually pretty easy to put together. They can also be made up to two days before if you want to get ahead. Just store in an airtight container in the fridge.
1–2 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil, plus extra for frying
125g (4½oz/4 cups) spinach, chopped
25g (1oz/½ cup) coriander, finely chopped
2 tsp cornflour
1 nori half sheet, cut into very thin strips, to garnish
TO SERVE
Soy sauce
Put the tofu into a food processor and whizz to finely chop it. It should look very crumbly.
Tip into a large bowl. Add the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine, salt and pepper. Mix everything together well.
Heat a large frying pan and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the tofu mixture and cook for 10 minutes, stirring every now and then until the mixture starts to turn golden. Add the spinach and coriander and cook for 1–2 minutes more.
Take the pan off the heat, tip the mixture into a heatproof bowl and cool. Once cool, check the seasoning, then stir in the cornflour.
Fill a small bowl with cold water. Rest a wrapper between the thumb and forefinger of one hand. Use a teaspoon to place around 1½–2 teaspoons of the mixture into the middle, leaving a border of around 1cm (½in). Dip a finger into the water, then run it around the edge of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper in half to make a crescent shape.
Pinch the edge on one side of the wrapper to start to seal it. With your forefinger supporting the back of the wrapper, use your two thumbs to pleat the front of the wrapper. As you move along and start to shape the gyoza from one side to the other, keep pressing the front and back together with the forefinger and thumb of your hand. You’ll end up with a curve of seven or eight pleats on the front of the gyoza and a smooth edge on the back. Fill all the wrappers in this way.
Cook the dumplings in two batches. Heat a little extra sunflower or vegetable oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the dumplings, flat-side down, for about 2 minutes until a golden crust forms on the bottom. Add 75ml (2½ fl oz/¹/³ cup) water, immediately cover with a lid, and let the steam cook the dumplings for 8 minutes or until all the water has evaporated.
Remove the lid and let the dumplings cook for a further minute until they lift off from the bottom of the pan easily. You might need a spatula to help them along if they are a little sticky, being careful not to break the wrapper. Remove to a plate and keep hot. Repeat with the second batch.
Sprinkle the nori strips over the gyoza and serve hot with a little pot of soy sauce to dip into.