PORK AND MUSHROOM DUMPLINGS

MAKES 40

PREP AND COOK: 50 MINS

270g packet wonton wrappers

Sliced green spring onions, to garnish FILLING

20g dried sliced shiitake mushrooms 300g pork mince

¼ cup canned sliced, water chestnuts,

drained, finely chopped

3 green spring onions, chopped

1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger

1 tblsp soy sauce

2 tsps chilli garlic sauce

2 tsps sesame oil

2 tsps cornflour

DIPPING SAUCE

¼ cup soy sauce

2 tsps chilli garlic sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp caster sugar

1 To make filling, place mushrooms in a small bowl. Cover with boiling water. Stand for 5 minutes. Drain. Squeeze out liquid. Discard. Finely chop mushrooms. Transfer to a bowl. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well. Refrigerate, covered, for 1 hour.

2 Meanwhile, make dipping sauce. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.

3 To assemble dumplings, place 2 level teaspoons of filling in centre of each wrapper. Brush edges with water. Fold up sides of wrapper and pinch at the top to seal. Place on a tray. Cover with plastic wrap.

4 Meanwhile, pour enough water into a wok to come one-third of the way up the side. Bring to a boil. Line base of a large bamboo steamer with baking paper.

5 Place half the dumplings in steamer. Cover with lid. Sit steamer over wok of boiling water, making sure water doesn’t touch base. Steam for about 5 to 6 minutes, or until cooked through. Repeat with remaining dumplings.

6 Serve dumplings with sauce.

Garnish with onions.

Gow gee pastry wrappers can also be used with this filling instead of wontons, available from the refrigerator section of major supermarkets and Asian food stores. Try adding shredded Chinese cabbage (wombok) for flavour and to help bulk up the filling.