Chinese Prawn Dumplings / Jiaozi / Gyoza
Dough pockets filled with prawns and mushrooms, pan-fried for a crispy bottom and then steamed for a soft top.
Ingredients
FOR THE DOUGH
- 1 cup plain flour Use a flour-to-water ratio of 3:1 (e.g., 3 cups flour to 1 cup water, or 1 cup flour to ⅓ cup water)
- 1/3 cup hot water
- 2-3 tbsp warm water
PRAWN FILLING
- 8 fresh king prawns or 16 smaller ones
- 2 tsp grated ginger
- 6 dried shiitake mushrooms
- 4 leaves Chinese cabbage
- 1/2 spring onion green and white part
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
- 1 tsp sesame oil
FOR THE DIPPING SAUCE
- 50 ml light soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp grated ginger
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp rice wine
FOR GARNISH
- 1 sliced spring onion
OTHER
- peanut or sunflower oil for frying
Instructions
PREPARE THE DOUGH
- Measure 1 cup flour into a medium bowl. Add boiling water and stir with a fork. Gradually add warm water, mixing into a semi-soft dough.
- Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and not sticky. Cover with cling film and let rest for at least 30 minutes. The dough will not rise.
ROLL THE DOUGH
- After resting, shape the dough into a long piece, about 5 cm wide.
- Cut the dough into 1.5-2 cm wide pieces. Position each piece on its side and then flatten it with your hand.
- Roll each piece into a 10 cm diameter circle, makeing it thinner at the edges and thicker in the centre. Cover with cling film to prevent drying.
PREPARE THE PRAWN FILLING
- Chop cabbage and cut large prawns in half. Add all the filling ingredients in a food processor and mix until combined. If too runny, add 1-2 tsps of cornflour (US cornstarch).
FILL AND FOLD THE DUMPLINGS
- Place 1 teaspoon of filling on each dough circle.
- Fold two opposite edges at the top and pinch together. Gather the edges from the sides towards the centre, pleating as you go.
COOK THE DUMPLINGS
- Heat peanut oil in a wok. Fry dumplings for about 1 minute on one side (bottom side).
- Add water until it reaches halfway up the dumplings, and cover with a lid. Steam until water evaporates, it will take a few minutes, then fry for 30 seconds. Transfer to a plate.
DIPPING SAUCE
- Finely chop or grate the ginger or use ginger paste. Mix all sauce ingredients and serve in dipping bowls.
Notes
The total approximate calories for the entire dish is 790 calories. This value can vary based on the specific products and quantities used. With the given ingredients, this recipe yields 16 dumplings, so each dumpling contains approximately 49 calories (790 calories ÷ 16 dumplings).