Steamed Crystal Dumplings

Method21 steps · about 4 hr

1. 1

   Step 1: Start the mushrooms first: cover the 4 dried shiitake mushrooms with hot water and soak for about 2 hours, until rehydrated. Make the wrapper dough during the soak.

   Rehydrate the mushrooms · 120 minUses 4 medium dried Shiitake mushrooms · Hot water to cover the dried shiitake mushrooms

2. 2

   Step 2: Whisk the 14 tbsp wheat starch, ¾ cup tapioca starch and 3 tbsp dough cornstarch together thoroughly in one bowl.

   Uses 14 tbsp wheat starch (¾ cup plus 2 tbsp) · ¾ cup tapioca starch · 3 tbsp cornstarch, for the dough

   
3. 3

   Step 3: Put exactly 1¼ cups dough water and the 2 tsp dough vegetable oil in a medium pot. Cover and bring to a full boil. Immediately remove the pot from the heat when it boils, so the measured water does not keep evaporating.

   Uses Exactly 1¼ cups water, for the dough · 2 tsp vegetable oil, for the dough

4. 4

   Step 4: Off the heat, immediately add about one third of the mixed starches to the just-boiled water and oil. Stir vigorously with a stiff spatula or wooden spoon until opaque and translucent lumps form.

   Uses Just-boiled dough water and oil · About one third of the mixed starches

   
5. 5

   Step 5: Keep the pot off the heat. Add another third of the mixed starches and stir for 1 minute, until the mixture has a paste-like consistency.

   Uses Partially mixed starch dough · Another third of the mixed starches

   
6. 6

   Step 6: Add all the remaining mixed starches and stir for 2 minutes. The dough should look shaggy and fairly dry, with some starch still not incorporated.

   Uses Starch paste after the second addition · All remaining mixed starches

   
7. 7

   Step 7: Cover the pot tightly and rest the shaggy dough for 5 minutes.

   Rest the starch dough · 5 minUses Shaggy dough after all starch additions

8. 8

   Step 8: Lightly dust a clean, dry work surface with extra cornstarch. Uncover the rested dough and fold it repeatedly with the spatula for 3 minutes. Dust your hands, then knead on the work surface for another 1–2 minutes, until smooth, pliable and relatively stretchy.

   Uses Rested starch dough · Extra cornstarch for dusting the work surface, hands and rolling pin

   
9. 9

   Step 9: Roll the smooth dough into a log about 1½ inches thick and 15 inches long. Add a light dusting of cornstarch only as needed to prevent sticking.

   Uses Smooth kneaded wrapper dough · Extra cornstarch for dusting the work surface, hands and rolling pin

10. 10

    Step 10: Divide the log into about 36 pieces. The source size guide is about 12–14 g each; adjust the portions to use the complete dough batch. Dust lightly as needed and keep the pieces covered with a large overturned bowl while making the filling.

    Uses Wrapper-dough log · Extra cornstarch for dusting the work surface, hands and rolling pin

11. 11

    Step 11: Once the mushrooms are rehydrated, lift them out, drain and finely dice them. Fill a wok or medium pot about halfway with blanching water and bring it to a boil. Prepare a separate bowl of cold water and ice.

    Uses All 4 rehydrated mushrooms, lifted and drained · Water to fill the blanching pot about halfway · Cold water for the vegetable ice bath · Ice for the vegetable ice bath

12. 12

    Step 12: Add the 3 cups spinach or other stemless greens to the boiling blanching water. Stir for 15–30 seconds, until just wilted, checking at 15 seconds. Lift into the ice bath, cool, then lift out and squeeze dry. Keep the pot of hot blanching water for the carrots and mushrooms.

    Blanch the greens · 1 minUses 3 cups baby spinach or other stemless leafy greens · The prepared boiling blanching water · The separate prepared ice bath

    
13. 13

    Step 13: Return the blanching water to a boil. Add the finely diced small carrot (1) and all the diced rehydrated mushrooms. Stir for 1 minute, then lift into the ice bath. Once cool, lift out and drain well.

    Blanch the carrot and mushrooms · 1 minUses 1 small carrot (finely diced) · All diced rehydrated mushrooms · The retained blanching water · The prepared ice bath

    
14. 14

    Step 14: Finely chop the cooled, squeezed greens. Mix them with the drained carrot and mushrooms, 8 oz raw ground pork, 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine, 2 tsp filling cornstarch, 1 tsp salt, ¼ tsp sugar, ⅛ tsp white pepper, ½ tsp sesame oil, 2 tsp oyster sauce and 2 tsp filling vegetable oil until well combined. Keep the raw filling covered and refrigerated while rolling the wrappers.

    Uses All blanched, cooled and squeezed greens · All cooled and drained carrot and shiitake mushrooms · 8 oz raw ground pork, or finely hand-chopped raw pork · 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine · 2 tsp cornstarch, for the filling · 1 teaspoon salt · 1/4 teaspoon sugar · ⅛ teaspoon white pepper

15. 15

    Step 15: Dust the rolling pin and work surface lightly with extra cornstarch. Roll each covered dough portion into a round wrapper about 3–3½ inches across, keeping the remaining pieces covered.

    Uses The approximately 36 covered dough portions · Extra cornstarch for dusting the work surface, hands and rolling pin

16. 16

    Step 16: Put about 1 tbsp filling (about 14 g) in the centre of each wrapper and pinch it securely closed. Use a traditional pleated, triangular or four-sided shape. Continue with the wrappers, reducing the filling slightly if needed to seal; refrigerate any excess filling promptly. Keep the assembled dumplings covered and cook promptly, or use the make-ahead branch below.

    Uses Rolled crystal-dumpling wrappers · About 1 tbsp (about 14 g) filling per wrapper, adjusted only as needed to seal

    
17. 17

    Step 17: For make-ahead dumplings only, refrigerate the assembled raw dumplings for up to 24 hours, or place them spaced apart on a sheet pan, cover and freeze until solid. Transfer the frozen dumplings to an airtight container or freezer bags. Cook the refrigerated or frozen batch using its matching branch below.

    Uses Only dumplings selected for the refrigerated or frozen make-ahead route

18. 18

    Step 18: For fresh or refrigerated dumplings, line the steamer with perforated parchment and leave space between the dumplings. Bring the external steamer water to a full boil below the rack. Once steady steam is rising, cover and steam over medium-high heat for about 6 minutes per batch. Check that the wrappers are translucent and cooked through and the ground-pork centres reach 71°C (160°F); continue steaming if needed. Top up the external water as necessary and restore the boil before each batch.

    Steam a fresh dumpling batch · 6 minUses Fresh dumplings, if cooking immediately · Refrigerated dumplings, only if using the chilled make-ahead route · Water below the steamer rack, topped up as needed

    
19. 19

    Step 19: For frozen dumplings instead, do not thaw. Arrange in the lined steamer with space between them and steam over boiling water at medium-high heat for about 7–8 minutes per batch, checking at 7 minutes. Continue until the wrappers are cooked through and translucent and the ground-pork centres reach 71°C (160°F). Maintain the external steamer water below the rack and restore steady steam before timing each batch.

    Steam a frozen dumpling batch · 7 minUses Frozen dumplings only, instead of the fresh or refrigerated cooking branch · Water below the steamer rack, topped up as needed

20. 20

    Step 20: Lift out the cooked dumplings and serve immediately, with optional ready hot chili oil on the side. The batch makes about 36 dumplings, or six servings of about six.

    Uses Cooked dumplings from the fresh or refrigerated branch · Cooked dumplings from the frozen branch instead · Ready hot chili oil, to serve on the side if desired

    
21. 21

    Step 21: Refrigerate cooked leftovers promptly in a covered shallow container. To reheat, steam over boiling water until piping hot throughout, reaching 74°C (165°F) in the centre.

    Uses Only cooked dumplings retained as leftovers · Water below the steamer rack, topped up as needed