Pork Dumplings

By EdieK

Ingredients

• 8 dried shiitake mushrooms
• 8 oz scallops
• 10 oz ground pork
• 1 tsp each cornstarch, sesame oil, coarse salt
• 1/2 tsp each sugar, ground pepper
• 24 round wonton wraps
• 1/4 cup minced carrot
• 4 large flat lettuce leaves or cheesecloth

Details

Servings 24

Preparation

Step 1

1. Soak mushrooms in 1/2 cup cold water for 30 minutes. Drain and squeeze dry, reserving soaking liquid. Cut off and discard the stems and mince the caps. Divide scallops in half, putting the thickest on a plate; cover and refrigerate. Mince the remaining thinner scallops. 2. 3. In a bowl, combine the pork, mushrooms, minced scallops, cornstarch, sesame oil, salt, sugar, pepper, and 1 1/2 tablespoon of the mushroom liquid. 4. 5. Touch the tip of your left index finger to the tip of your thumb to form a small hole. Put one wrapper over the hole and 1 tablespoon pork filling in the center of the wrapper. Gently squeeze it closed. Pleat the excess wrapper. Fill all wrappers. 6. 7. Cut the reserved scallops horizontally into 24 thin rounds. Put a slice on each dumpling, with a pinch of carrot in the center. 8. 9. Line a 12-inch bamboo steamer with the lettuce leaves or cheesecloth to prevent sticking. Put half the dumplings on the leaves or cloth, 1/2 inch apart. Cover the steamer with its lid. Add water to a flat-bottomed wok to a depth of 3/4 inches and bring to a boil over high heat. Put the steamer in the wok, and steam on high heat for 5 to 7 minutes. Repeat with remaining dumplings. 10. Makes 24 dumplings Recipe Notes
"Most restaurant dumplings contain only fattier pork," says Grace Young, author of The Breath of a Wok. "That makes for a much heavier, less satisfying product." This recipe includes scallops for a shot of lean protein and a slight hit of sweetness.