Dan Dan Dumplings

Basically Dan Dan noodles, but in dumpling form!

45 minutes cook

Serves 4

Spencer Lengsfield

Twisted: Unserious food tastes seriously good.

Ingredients

for the dumplings

500gpork mince

2 headspak choi

100g shiitake mushrooms, finely chopped

4garlic cloves, finely chopped

2spring onions, finely chopped

1 tbspginger paste

1 tbspsesame oil

1 tbspsoy sauce

1 tspbrown sugar

Frozen dumpling wrappers, defrosted

for the sauce

3 tbspChinese sesame paste or peanut butter

2 tbspSzechuan chilli oil

1 tbspsoy sauce

2 tbspblack vinegar

100mlwater

to serve

Chilli oil

Chives or spring onions, finely chopped

Dan Dan noodles are a Chinese noodle dish from the Szechuan province. We've taken the flavours of the noodles and turned them into dumplings - creamy sesame paste, Szechuan chilli oil, pork, spring onions, and soy sauce.

Method

Finely chop the pak choi, toss with salt, and leave to sit for 15 minutes. Squeeze out any water, then add to a bowl along with all the other dumpling filling ingredients

Sprinkle some cornflour over a tray. Take your dumpling wrapper, lightly wet the edge of the wrapper, then add a small spoonful of the filling in the middle. Pinch the edge of the wrapper, pleat one edge and pinch 6 or 7 times into a moon shape. Place on the tray and repeat

For the sauce, whisk together all your ingredients. Taste, and adjust as necessary. If the vinegar is a little too strong, add a little bit of sugar or honey

Add a small splash of vegetable oil or sesame oil to a non-stick pan on medium high heat. Add the dumplings in, avoiding overcrowding the pan, and leave to cook or around 5 minutes or until the bottoms are golden.

Add in a big splash of water, cover with a lid, and turn down the heat. Leave to steam for around 5 minutes or until the wrappers look soft.

Plate up your dumplings on top of the sauce, garnish with chilli oil and chives, and enjoy!