Happy Dumpling

Ingredients
  • makes approximately 40 pieces
  • require at least 45 mins ahead in preparation before cooking
  • uncooked dumpling can be prepared a couple of hours in advance

  • 400g minced chicken breasts (can be replaced with pork and mix with prawns)

  • 3 garlic stalk, chopped (can include or replace with chopped/diced french bean, water chestnut, parsnip or carrot)
  • 1 carrot, shredded
  • 10 dried shitake mushroom, soaked & sliced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped

  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon of chinese rice wine
  • 2 tablespoon of soy sauce
  • 1/2 tablespoon of oyster sauce
  • a dash of sesame oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon of plain flour or corn flour

  • rice vermicelli [see notes & tips in blog]

  • 1 litre of beef stock
  • 1 packet of gow gee pastry/won ton/dumpling pastry <em>[please see notes & tips in blog]</em>

  • a few stalks of spring onions, chopped (optional, to garnish)

Instructions
  1. Soak shitake mushroom in warm water for at least 30 minutes before using. Longer if using cold water. When soft, squeeze the water out, remove stalks and slice into thin pieces. Blanch the chopped garlic stalk (or french bean, water chestnut, parsnip, carrot) in boiling water for one minutes, drain and set aside.

  2. In a ceramic or glass bowl, mix the minced chicken with salt, pepper, chinese rice wine, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil and flour. Mix well, cling wrap and set aside in fridge for at least an hour to marinade.

  3. Mix the marinated chicken with the sliced mushrooms, chopped garlic stalk, shredded carrot and garlic.

  4. Put one teaspoon of the chicken filling onto one piece of dumpling sheet. Dot the edge of the dumpling skin with cold water to bind before folding/wrapping. Press to edge where the filing ends to ensure that the dumpling is tightly sealed. Make fancy shapes if it tickles you. Repeat 40 times (phwoarh!) with the remaining sheet.

  5. Cook the rice vermicelli according to the packet's instruction. When cooked, drain the water and soak in cold water to avoid the noodles becoming starchy and clump.

  6. Pour the beef stock into a pot and boil. When boiling, add one batch of dumplings to cook for at approximately 6 minutes. Dish out and set aside the first batch in a bowl. Repeat with the remaining dumplings until they are all cooked.

  7. Drain the cooked rice vermicelli and add into the pot of beef stock along with the cooked dumplings. Increase the heat to boiling point. Turn off the heat and serve the dumplings, noodles and soup in bowls. Garnish with spring onions.