Handmade Dimsum 13 Recipe

Make dough

In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Pour the boiling water over the flour and quickly stir with a wooden spoon until crumbs form. Add the cold water a tablespoon at a time, mixing until a shaggy dough comes together. Add 1 tsp vegetable oil and knead in the bowl or on a lightly floured surface for 5–7 minutes until smooth and elastic.

Shape the dough into a ball, coat lightly with oil, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Resting relaxes the gluten and makes rolling easier.

After resting, divide the dough into 24 equal pieces (about 20–22 g each). Roll each piece into a small ball. Lightly dust a work surface with cornstarch and use a rolling pin to roll each ball into a thin round about 3–4 inches (7–10 cm) across, with edges slightly thinner than the center. Keep rolled wrappers covered with a damp towel while assembling.

Prepare proteins

Place the ground pork in a medium bowl. Add the chopped shrimp and mix briefly with a spatula so they start to bind but remain slightly textured.

Season filling

Add the scallions, grated ginger, minced garlic, soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, sugar, white pepper, cornstarch, and 1 tsp vegetable oil to the meat and shrimp. Mix thoroughly in one direction with a spatula or wooden spoon for 1–2 minutes until the mixture becomes slightly sticky. Taste a small bit by briefly frying 1 teaspoon of mixture to check seasoning, adjusting soy or sugar if needed.

Cover the filling and chill in the refrigerator for 10–15 minutes to firm up, which makes filling the wrappers easier.

Fill and shape

Place one wrapper on your palm or work surface. Put about 1 tablespoon (roughly 15 g) of filling in the center. Moisten the wrapper edge lightly with water. Fold and pleat the wrapper to form a half-moon or purse shape, pressing to seal tightly so no filling escapes. Repeat until all wrappers are filled, keeping finished dumplings covered with a damp towel to avoid drying.

Prepare steamer

Line a bamboo or metal steamer with parchment paper with holes or lightly brush with neutral oil. Scatter a few cilantro leaves or sesame seeds if you want garnish under each dumpling (optional). Fill a wok or large pot with about 1 cup water (or enough so it will not touch the steamer bottom), bring to a simmer.

Steam dumplings

Arrange dumplings in the prepared steamer with a little space between them. Place the steamer over the simmering water and cover. Steam for 8–10 minutes for small dumplings or 10–12 minutes for larger ones, until wrappers become translucent and filling reaches 74°C (165°F). Keep the lid covered with a towel to prevent drips from forming on the dumplings (towel should not hang into the steam).

Finish

Carefully remove the steamer from heat. Brush each dumpling lightly with a few drops of sesame oil if desired and sprinkle sesame seeds. Serve hot with dipping sauce.

Quick dipping sauce

Mix 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1/2 tsp sugar, and optional sliced chili or chili oil. Serve alongside dumplings.