Boiled Chicken Dumplings with Pickled Ginger Dressing

By carvalhohm2

Ingredients

• FILLING AND WRAPPERS:
• 1/2 pound Napa cabbage, diced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon finely minced fresh ginger
• 1 small green serrano chili, finely minced
• 1 small red Fresno chili, finely minced
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green and white scallion rings
• 1 1/2 tablespoons finely slivered coriander leaves and stems
• 1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon China Moon Hot Chili Oil
• 2 tablespoons Five-Flavor Oil
• 3/4 pound coarsely ground fresh chicken breast
• 35 About 35 “sue-gow skins” (boiled dumpling wrappers), each about 3 1/2 inches in diameter and 1/16 inch thin
• SAUCE:
• 1 cup juice from China Moon Pickled Ginger
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unseasoned Japanese rice vinegar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• Sprigs of tender watercress or mizuna
• Cherry tomatoes or diced red bell pepper, for garnish
• Green and white scallion rings, for garnish

Details

Servings 30
Adapted from workman.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. To make the filling, spread the cabbage in a shallow container. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the salt; toss well to mix. Set aside for 30 minutes at room temperature, then drain. Firmly squeeze in small handfuls to extract all the excess liquid.

2. In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and all the remaining filling ingredients through the oil. Stir to mix, add the chicken, then stir in one direction until thoroughly blended. The filling can be made a night ahead; press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the meat and refrigerate.

3. To make the dumplings, put 2 teaspoons of the filling in the center of the first wrapper. Keep the remaining wrappers covered to prevent them from drying out. Brush a thin film of cold water around the edge of the wrapper and pleat shut as shown here. Put the finished dumpling, pleated side up, on a baking sheet lined with parchment or waxed paper. Cover with a light cloth to prevent drying. Repeat with the remaining dumplings, leaving a bit of room between them, so they do not stick.

Once pleated, the dumplings can be sealed airtight and refrigerated for up to several hours before cooking. Poach directly from the refrigerator, to prevent the wrappers from becoming soggy.

4. Shortly before serving, make the sauce: Whisk together all of the ingredients for the sauce; leave the whisk in the bowl.

5. To cook the dumplings, bring 4 quarts of water to a near-boil in a large wok or wide, heavy casserole. Adjust the heat so the water barely simmers. Add the dumplings one by one in quick succession; stir gently with chopsticks to separate. Poach the dumplings for a full 2 minutes after they come to the surface of the water, adjusting the heat so the water never boils. The wrappers should be nearly translucent and the filling should be cooked through; cut one dumpling open to be sure. Using a large Chinese mesh spoon, scoop the dumplings from the water and hold them aloft for a minute to drain.

If you are working in advance, let the dumplings cool, in a single layer, without touching one another, on baking sheets lined with parchment or waxed paper. Seal and refrigerate the cooled dumplings on the baking sheets; bring to room temperature before reheating. To reheat, poach in barely simmering water until thoroughly heated through, about 3 minutes.

6. To serve, portion the hot dumplings among heated serving bowls. Whisk the sauce to recombine, then spoon a tablespoon or two over each portion. To garnish, dress the greens lightly in the sauce and tuck them jauntily amidst the dumplings along with the little tomatoes or a sprinkling of bell pepper dice or scallion rings.