Recipe: Millie Chan's Steamed Pork Dumplings (using ground pork and shrimp)

MILLIE CHAN'S STEAMED PORK DUMPLINGS
Source: The New York Cookbook by Molly O'Neill
Makes: 60 dumplings

Millie Chan's grandfather came to the United States in the late 1800s to work on the Southern Pacific Railroad in Arizona. Chan's parents settled in San Antonio, Texas, perhaps an unlikely locale in which to learn the art of Chinese cooking, but Chan, who teaches cooking at the China Institute in Manhattan, was nourished by the strong traditions built around the Chinese home kitchen. "Chinese people carry their food heritage with them wherever they may be," she explains. Understandably, it would be impossible to leave these tender dumplings behind.

60 wonton wrappers; covered with slightly damp cloth
FOR THE FILLING:
1 lb ground pork
1/2 lb fresh shrimp; shelled, deveined, and finely chopped
4 dried shiitake mushrooms; soaked in water to cover for 20 minutes, stems removed and caps finely chopped
1/2 cup bamboo shoots; finely chopped
2 tbsp scallions; white part only, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh ginger; minced
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp cornstarch
TO SERVE:
Hunan chili sauce; for dipping

Combine all of the filling ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Stir until well mixed.

Place 1 wonton wrapper on a flat surface and use a pastry brush to lightly moisten the edges with cold water. Place 1 tbsp of the filling in the center of the wrapper. Gather the edges of the wrapper up and around the filling, so it looks somewhat like a Hershey's Kiss. Gently squeeze the middle of the dumpling to be sure the wrapper adheres firmly to the filling. Press the bottom of the dumpling on a flat surface so it will stand upright. Lightly sprinkle the top edge of the wrapper with cold water as they tend to dry out during steaming. Set aside and continue making the dumplings.

Pour water to a depth of 2-inches into the bottom of a steamer or large saucepan. Oil the steaming rack and place it in the steamer. Place the dumplings about 1/2-inch apart on the rack.

Bring the water to a boil, then cover and steam for 15 minutes.

Serve the dumplings with Hunan chili sauce.