Chicken and lemongrass dumplings

These parcels deliver - and they're fun and easy to make!

Makes
30

Ingredients

250g chicken mince 1 stalk lemongrass (white part only), bruised, finely chopped 2cm piece fresh ginger, finely grated 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh coriander leaves 1 tablespoon Ayam's fish sauce 2 teaspoons sweet chilli sauce 30 (275g packet) gow gee wrappers

Method
Place mince, lemongrass, ginger, coriander, fish sauce and sweet chilli sauce in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Place wrappers on flat surface. Spoon 2 teaspoons mince mixture on 1 half of each wrapper. Brush edges with cold water. Fold over to enclose filling. Pleat edges together to seal. Place on a tray lined with baking paper. Place a steamer lined with baking paper over simmering water. Cook dumplings, in batches, for 15 minutes or until tender and cooked through. Serve.

Notes

Tip: Buy extra packets of gow gee and wonton wrappers and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight. Serve dumplings with a dipping sauce such as Chinese black vinegar, soy sauce, hot chilli sauce, plum sauce, sweet and sour sauce or sweet chilli sauce.

Garlic scallop dumplings

These parcels deliver - and they're fun and easy to make!

Ingredients (serves 40)

40 (450g) scallops 4 garlic cloves, crushed 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives 1 tablespoon soy sauce 2 tablespoons oyster sauce 40 (270g packet) wonton wrappers

Method
Place scallops, garlic, chives, soy and oyster sauce in a bowl. Toss to combine. Place wrappers on a flat surface. Place 1 scallop in the centre of each wrapper. Brush edges with cold water. Fold up sides to form a square pouch. Pinch edges together to enclose filling. Place on a tray lined with baking paper. Place a steamer lined with baking paper over simmering water. Cook dumplings, in batches, for 15 minutes or until tender and cooked through. Serve.

Beef gyoza with black vinegar dipping sauce

Serve up these tasty dumplings with black vinegar dipping sauce as part of your Asian-inspired feast. Makes 18 Ingredients 200g beef mince 1 tbs tamari* or soy sauce 2 tsp sesame oil 2 tsp peanut oil, plus extra to fry 2 tsp grated ginger, plus 2 tbs shredded ginger to serve 1/2 cup finely chopped chives or spring onions 1 1/2 cups finely shredded Chinese cabbage, blanched, refreshed, squeezed of moisture 18 gyoza* or gow gee* wrappers 4 spring onions, sliced thinly to serve Black vinegar dipping sauce 2 tbs Chinese black vinegar* 2 tbs tamari* or soy sauce 2 tsp sesame oil

Method
1. Mix sauce ingredients with 2 tablespoons hot water and set aside. 2. Mix mince, tamari, oils, ginger, chives and cabbage. Place 1 heaped taspoon of mixture on each wrapper, brush edges with water, then fold over. Use fingers to crimp edges. Stand, crimped-edge up, on a lined tray. 3. Heat a thin layer of oil in a frypan over high heat until almost smoking. Remove from heat and arrange dumplings, touching, in a circular pattern in pan. Cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until base is browned. Drizzle with 1/2 cup (125ml) hot water. Cover and cook for a further 3-4 minutes, adding more water if evaporated. Remove from heat, uncover and stand for 1-2 minutes or until dumplings come away from pan easily. Invert dumplings onto a plate. Serve topped with onion and ginger, with sauce for dipping.

Dumplings in chilli oil

Boiled dumplings, wontons or pot stickers are a wonderful Chinese delicacy - best enjoyed when shared by the plateful with others.

Makes
16

Ingredients
250g pork mince 2cm piece ginger, grated 1 small egg, beaten 1 tbs oyster sauce 16 square wonton wrappers (see Notes) 1 tbs chilli oil (see Notes) 1 tbs soy sauce 1 tsp caster sugar

Method
Combine the pork, grated ginger, egg and oyster sauce in a bowl and mix well with your hands. Lay a wonton wrapper on a clean cloth. Place a teaspoon of filling in the centre of the wonton wrapper. Brush the edges of the wrapper with a finger dipped in water and fold over to form a triangle. Press to seal the edges together, then bring the 2 corners of the long side together and press to make a snug parcel. Repeat with the remaining wonton wrappers and filling until you have 16 dumplings. Cook the dumplings, in 2 batches, in a large saucepan of boiling water for 2 minutes or until they float to the top and are cooked (test one to make sure). Drain the dumplings and divide among serving plates. Combine chilli oil, soy and sugar, and drizzle over dumplings. Serve with hot and sour soup.

Notes

Wonton wrappers and chilli oil are available from Asian food shops (I prefer the oil with ground chilli pieces in it, rather than the clear oil).

Prawn and chive dumplings

These little prawn and chives dumplings really deliver - and they're fun and easy to make!

Makes
30

Ingredients
600g green medium king prawns, peeled, deveined, finely chopped 3 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives 1 long red chilli, finely chopped 2 tablespoons oyster sauce 1 teaspoon Yeos sesame oil 30 (275g packet) gow gee wrappers

Method

Combine prawns, garlic, chives, chilli, oyster sauce and sesame oil in a bowl. Place wrappers on a flat surface. Spoon 2 teaspoons mince mixture onto the centre of each wrapper. Brush edges with cold water. Fold up sides to form a round pouch. Pinch to enclose filling. Place on a tray lined with baking paper. Place a steamer lined with baking paper over simmering water. Cook dumplings, in batches, for 15 minutes or until tender and cooked through. Serve.

Notes
Serve dumplings with a dipping sauce such as Chinese black vinegar, soy sauce, hot chilli sauce, plum sauce, sweet and sour sauce or sweet chilli sauce. Look for gow gee and wonton wrappers in the chilled noodle section of the supermarket and Asian grocery stores.

Chilli crab dumplings

Makes
30

Ingredients
2 x 170g cans crab meat, drained 227g can water chestnuts, drained, finely chopped 3cm piece fresh ginger, finely grated 1 long red chilli, finely chopped 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh coriander leaves 2 teaspoons fish sauce 1 tablespoon soy sauce 30 (275g packet) gow gee wrappers

Method

Combine crab, chestnuts, ginger, chilli, coriander, fish sauce and soy sauce in a bowl. Place wrappers on a flat surface. Spoon 2 teaspoons crab mixture on 1 half of each wrapper. Brush edges with cold water. Fold wrappers over to enclose filling. Pleat edges together to seal. Place on a tray lined with baking paper. Place a steamer lined with baking paper over simmering water. Cook dumplings, in batches, for 15 minutes or until tender and cooked through. Serve.