Curry Pork Dumpling

Serves: 8-10 as part of a spread

By Melissa Thompson

@melissafood

Note: For smaller gatherings, you can halve the recipe or better still, leave as is and freeze any remaining dumplings on a floured tray, spread out. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag and cook from frozen as needed, but steam for 15 minutes or until piping hot inside.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon salt, plus extra to taste
  • 300 g Chinese leaf cabbage, finely chopped or pulsed in a food processor
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 shallots, finely diced
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground pimento (allspice)
  • 300 g pork mince
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 20 g garlic chives (or use chives and 2 extra garlic cloves)
  • 2‐in piece of ginger, grated
  • 4 spring onions, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2-1 teaspoon Ajinomoto MSG (depending on whether your all-purpose seasoning has MSG)
  • 1 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning
  • 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 50 round dumpling wrappers (I like Winner Foods’ Dumpling Pastry as they are a bit thicker)
  • 4 thyme stalks, picked (about 1 tablespoon fresh leaves)

Instructions

  1. In a bowl, add 1 tablespoon salt to the cabbage and mix. Leave for 15 minutes and then squeeze to release the water (this is easiest if done through a muslin or a clean kitchen towel).
  2. Add oil and butter to a frying pan. Fry the shallots over medium heat until soft, for about 10 minutes. Add the curry powder, turmeric, smoked paprika and pimento with 50 ml water. Stir and cook until fragrant and the water has evaporated. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
  3. In a separate bowl, mix the pork mince with the garlic, garlic chives, ginger, spring onion, salt, pepper, MSG, all-purpose seasoning, soy sauces, cabbage, sugar and cooled shallot, scraping as much of the oil residue as possible from the pans. Use your hands to mix together until everything is incorporated but not too much that the fat in the mince starts to melt and cling onto the hands. Chill for 20 minutes.
  4. Set up a station with a small bowl of water, a pastry brush, the dumpling wrappers covered with a kitchen towel, and a baking tray or chopping board lined with paper towels that have been dusted with cornstarch to stop them sticking.
  5. Take a small spoonful of the dumpling mix and place in the center of the dumpling wrapper. Use the pastry brush to wet the inner outside of the dumpling wrapper. Fold in half, and keeping one side straight, pleat the other side (watch the video to see how this is done). Press firmly to seal and brush the pleated side and squeeze to ensure the pleats stay flat and closed. Line the finished dumplings onto the floured kitchen towel, ensuring there is a space between them so they don’t stick together. Repeat until all the wrappers have been used up.
  6. Add a splash of oil to a frying pan and arrange the dumplings flat-side down, pressing firmly to ensure good contact with the pan surface. Fry over medium heat and once the dumplings start to color on the bottom, about 6 minutes, add 100 ml of water and add lid immediately. Cook for 8-10 minutes. Remove the lid and allow any remaining water to evaporate. Continue cooking until crispy on the bottom. Remove to a platter and serve with chilli crisp or chilli oil and if you like, chinkiang black vinegar.