This recipe was created by Ching-He Huang as part of a traditional Chinese New Year menu. She’s filled wonton wrappers with a fabulously tasty pork and water chestnut filling and drizzled them in a homemade ma la chilli oil. Divine.
If you’re making a Chinese feast, try Ching’s wok-fried scallops, garlic spinach longevity noodles, red-cooked cod and maple pineapple recipes.
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Ingredients
For the dumpling filling
- 1 medium free-range egg, beaten (plus another, beaten, to seal)
- 300g minced British free-range pork belly (if you’re buying pre-packed, look for mince with a higher fat content)
- 50g celery, finely chopped
- 50g tinned water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped
- 2 spring onions, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp freshly grated ginger
- 2 tbsp premium reduced-sodium light soy sauce
- 2 tsp shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
- 2 tsp cornflour
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- Pinch ground white pepper
- 36 wonton egg wrappers (7.5cm squares; available from Asian supermarkets or online at theasiancookshop.co.uk)
For the ma la chilli oil
- 5 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 1 tbsp chilli flakes
- 1 tsp sichuan peppercorns, toasted in a dry pan and ground
- 1 tbsp chinkiang black rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp premium reduced-sodium light soy sauce
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
To garnish
- 1 spring onion, finely sliced
- 1 small handful of coriander, roughly chopped
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Method
- For the chilli oil, heat the rapeseed oil in a wok or small pan over a medium heat. Add the chilli flakes and the sichuan pepper and stir to combine. Cook over a medium heat for 1-2 minutes, being careful not to let the chilli flakes burn. Pour into a heatproof bowl. Stir in the black rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil and a pinch of fine salt, then set aside to cool (see Make Ahead).
- In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the dumpling filling except the wrappers and the beaten egg to seal (see food team’s tips).
- To make the wontons, lay out the wrappers in batches on a clean work surface. Put roughly 1½ tsp filling in the middle of each. Brush the edges of the wrapper with a little beaten egg, then gather them up and mould around the filling into a ball shape, twisting at the top to secure the dumpling. Repeat with the remaining wrappers. Set aside 4 wontons per person and freeze any unused dumplings (see Make Ahead).
- Bring a large, wide pan of water to the boil, then turn the heat down to a simmer. Using a slotted spoon, gently lower in the dumplings in batches and simmer gently for 4-5 minutes or until they float to the surface and turn a translucent yellow (see Ching’s tip). Cut a dumpling open to check the filling
is cooked. Using the slotted spoon, transfer the dumplings to a serving platter or 4 individual bowls. Spoon over a little dumpling cooking water to stop them drying out, then drizzle over a little chilli oil (see food team’s tips). Garnish with the spring onions and coriander and serve.
Nutrition
- 284kcals Calories
- 15.2g (3.2g saturated) Fat
- 15.2g Protein
- 21.2g (0.8g sugars) Carbs
- 1g Fibre
- 1g Salt
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