Sometimes the simple things are the best… like these prawn dumplings, which are classic, elegant and oh-so epic! Speaking of epic, the spicy red oil I’ve paired them with is unbelievably good. If you haven’t already tried this dish, I reckon it’ll be a new favourite.
about 30 gyoza wrappers
finely sliced spring onion (scallions), to serve
Filling:
300g (10.5 oz) peeled and deveined prawns
5 water chestnuts, finely chopped
3 tbsp finely chopped spring onion (scallions)
1 tbsp finely chopped coriander (cilantro)
2 tbsp finely grated ginger
1 garlic clove, finely grated
1 egg white
1 tsp sea salt
Red oil sauce:
3 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp Chinese Chiankiang black vinegar*
2 tbsp chilli oil (try my homemade Sichuan Chilli Oil here)
½ tsp sugar
1 small garlic clove, finely grated
For the filling, finely chop the prawns until they’re uniformly minced (you could also do this in a food processor).
In a bowl, combine the prawns with the remaining filling ingredients. Use chopsticks or a fork to mix vigorously until the mixture becomes ‘sticky’.
Place about a scant tablespoon of the filling into the centre of a gyoza wrapper. Moisten the edges of the wrapper with water. Fold the wrapper over the filling (you can add some pleats here if you like but the shape doesn’t matter too much in the end here) and seal tightly, being sure to expel any air pockets. Repeat with the remaining filling and wrappers.
For the red oil sauce, combine the ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
Cook the dumplings in a large pot of simmering water for 5-6 minutes or until the filling is cooked. Serve the dumplings in bowls with generous spoonfuls of the red oil sauce and topped with spring onion.
Notes:
– Use red wine vinegar if you can’t find Chinese black vinegar
