Dumplings two ways

It’s more common in northern China for dumplings to be boiled. They can also be pan-fried and are known as ‘potstickers’. They develop a crusty, golden base before being steamed in the pan.

SERVES 4 PREP AND COOK TIME 30 MINUTES (+ RESTING TIME)

150g finely chopped Chinese cabbage

2 teaspoons fine sea salt

300g minced pork

1 tablespoon finely grated ginger 1 teaspoon light soy sauce 24 ready-made dumpling wrappers 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Szechuan Dipping Sauce, to serve (see recipe above)

1 Combine the cabbage and salt in a colander and massage in the salt.

Set the colander over a bowl. Leave for 30 minutes, so excess liquid drains from the cabbage. Squeeze the cabbage firmly to remove as much excess liquid as possible. Discard the liquid.

2 Put the cabbage in a bowl with the pork, ginger and soy sauce. Stir until well combined. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes.

3 To make the dumplings, put 2 teaspoons of the pork mixture in the centre of 1 circle of dumpling wrapper. Wet the edges with water and fold over the edges to seal together. Crimp or pleat the edges and gently tap them on a work surface to flatten the base. Repeat to make 24 dumplings.

4 To boil the dumplings, cook in boiling water for 8-10 minutes until they rise to the top. Drain well and transfer to a serving plate.

5 To pan-fry the dumplings, heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, swirling the pan around to coat in the oil. Add the dumplings to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, so the bases of the dough develop a golden crust. Add 240ml boiling water to the pan and shake the pan to remove any stuck bits. Cover the pan and cook for 5-6 minutes, until the dumplings are cooked through and the water has evaporated.

6 Serve with Szechuan Dipping Sauce.