Jiaozi (Chinese pork dumplings)

• 300 g Wheat flour (plus extra for dusting)
  Swaps (2)
• 5 tablespoons Soy sauce (2 for the filling, 3 for the dipping sauce)
  Swaps (1)
• 2 cloves Garlic (very finely chopped, for the sauce)
• Salt (to taste)
• 1 piece Ginger (fresh, about 3 cm, grated)
• 300 g Ground Pork (not too lean)
  Swaps (1)
• 3 u Spring Onions (finely chopped)
• 1 tablespoon Sesame Seed Oil
• 1 tablespoon Shaoxing Wine (or dry sherry)
• 300 g Chinese Cabbage (napa cabbage)
• 160 ml Water (at room temperature, plus 3 tbsp for the filling)
• 1 pinch Pimienta (white, ground)
• 4 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar (Chinkiang (Zhenjiang))
• 1 tablespoon Chilli oil (to taste)

Instructions

1. 1

   Put the flour in a large bowl with a pinch of salt and pour in the water in a thin stream, stirring with chopsticks, until it forms shaggy clumps. Knead by hand into a smooth, firm ball that is not at all sticky; add a spoonful of water or flour if needed.

   10 min

2. 2

   Cover the dough with an upturned bowl or a damp cloth and leave to rest for 30 minutes so the gluten relaxes and it is easy to roll.

   30 min

3. 3

   Meanwhile, chop the cabbage very finely, mix with half a teaspoon of salt and leave for 15 minutes. Then squeeze it by the handful in a clean tea towel to remove as much liquid as you can.

   15 min

4. 4

   In another bowl, mix the pork with 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, the wine, ginger, pepper and half a teaspoon of salt. Stir in one direction only while adding the 3 tablespoons of water a little at a time, until the meat turns sticky and springy. Fold in the cabbage, spring onion and sesame oil.

   5 min

5. 5

   Divide the dough into four. Roll each piece into a log about 2.5 cm thick, cut it into pieces of about 12 g and flatten them with your palm. Roll them into 8 cm rounds with a small rolling pin, turning them after each stroke so they are thinner at the edge than in the middle. Keep the rest of the dough covered.

   25 min

6. 6

   Put a heaped teaspoon of filling in the centre of each round and fold it in half, pinching only the middle of the edge together. Make three or four pleats on one side, pressing each against the flat side, until you have a well-sealed half-moon. Set them on a floured tray, not touching.

   30 min

7. 7

   Make the dipping sauce: mix the black vinegar, 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, the garlic and the chilli oil.

   2 min

8. 8

   Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Add a batch of jiaozi and stir gently so they do not stick to the bottom. When the water returns to the boil, add a glass of cold water; repeat twice more. They are ready when they float, look plump and the wrappers have turned slightly translucent.

   8 min

9. 9

   Lift them out with a slotted spoon, drain well and serve straight away with the dipping sauce. Cook the rest in the same way.