Recipe: Steamed Dumplings with Ginger-Soy Dipping Sauce

STEAMED DUMPLINGS

8 oz/227 g ground pork, very cold
2 tsp/6 g minced ginger
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 tsp/10 mL oyster sauce
1 tsp/5 mL light soy sauce
1 tsp/5 mL sesame oil
2 tbsp/18 g cornstarch
1 egg
1 tbsp/15 mL Shaoxing rice wine
1 tsp/3 g salt
Pinch ground black pepper
4 oz/113 g shrimp (16/20 count), peeled, deveined, chopped into 1/4-in-6-mm pieces
1 oz/14 g water chestnut, cut into brunoise
1 oz/28 g carrot, cut into brunoise
1 tbsp/3 g roughly chopped fresh cilantro
20 shao-mai wrappers
10 fl oz/300 mL Ginger-Soy Dipping Sauce (recipe follows)

TO MAKE THE FILLING:
Place the pork, ginger, green onions, oyster sauce, soy sauce, oil, cornstarch, egg, wine, salt, and pepper into a chilled food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse the mixture until well combined. The mixture will begin to pull together into one mass. Transfer to a chilled mixing bowl.

Add the shrimp, water chestnuts, carrots, and cilantro. Mix until incorporated. Chill the mixture until it is very cold.

TO MAKE THE DUMPLINGS:
Using a tablespoon, place a mound of the filling mixture in the center of each wrapper. Gather the outer edges of the wrapper to form a cylinder with the filling exposed at the top. Wrap your pointer finger and thumb around the center "waist." Dip your thumb from the opposite hand in water (to prevent sticking) and use it to compact the filling in the dumpling. Gently tap the entire dumpling on the table to ensure that it will stay upright in the steamer.

TO COOK THE DUMPLINGS:
Bring water to a vigorous boil in an Asian steamer. Oil the steamer rack with sesame oil or line it with cabbage or lettuce leaves or parchment paper to prevent the dumplings from sticking.
5. Arrange the dumplings in the steamer. Cover and steam until cooked through and firm, about 5 minutes.

Turn off the heat and let the dumplings rest for a few minutes before removing. Serve immediately with the sauce.

VARIATION:
For smaller passed hors d'oeuvre, use 1 tsp/5 mL filling per dumpling.

GINGER-SOY DIPPING SAUCE
Makes 34 fl oz/1.02 L

16 fl oz/480 mL rice wine vinegar
8 fl oz/240 mL light soy sauce
8 fl oz/240 mL water
5 oz/142 g minced ginger
4 oz/113 g sugar
2 fl oz/60 mL sesame oil

Whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl until the sugar is dissolved. The sauce is ready to serve now, or may be refrigerated for later use.

Makes 10 servings
Source: The Professional Chef by The Culinary Institute of America, 2011