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Makes 8 dumplings
Preparation time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
FILLING
• 250 g mushrooms, finely chopped
• 30 ml sesame oil
• 1 red chilli, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 3 spring onions, finely chopped
• about 15 ml chopped fresh coriander
• about 45 ml sweet-and-sour sauce
DOUGH
• 280 g (500 ml) cake flour
• 70 g (85 ml) sugar
• 15 ml baking powder
• 90 ml milk
• 60 ml lukewarm water
• 30 ml oil
1 Prepare the dough Sift the flour, sugar and baking powder together, then whisk the milk, water and oil together. Gradually stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until the dough is too stiff to stir further. Turn out onto a floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic. This should only take a few minutes. Cover with cling film and rest at room temperature for about 1 hour.
2 Make the filling Fry the mushrooms in the sesame oil until nicely browned. Add the chilli and garlic and stir-fry for a few minutes. Season with the spring onions, coriander, salt and pepper to taste and add a little sti cky sweet-and-sour sauce. Leave to cool.
3 Roll the dough into a long sausage and cut into eight equal portions. Roll each portion out thinly until it is about 12 cm in diameter; then cut out a neat 12 cm circle with a cookie cutter. Working with one piece of dough at a time, place it in the palm of your hand, add a spoonful of filling and pinch the top closed to seal in the filling and to form a dumpling. Place each one on a square of baking paper or in a cupcake case and repeat with all eight.
4 Fill a wok or heavy-based pan with boiling water about 2cm deep and bring to the boil over high heat. Arrange the dumplings four per layer in a bamboo steamer and stack the two baskets on top of each other with the lid on. Place the steamer over boiling water and steam for 15 minutes – don’t be tempted to peek! Serve the hot dumplings as soon as possible with a sprinkling of sesame seeds, spring onions and extra sweet-and-sour dipping sauce.
Alternative fillings Substitute the mushrooms with saucy pulled pork, chicken or beef.
