A traditional Hakka dumpling made with a chewy wrapper of rice flour and tapioca starch, filled with shredded daikon radish, ground pork, sun-dried shrimp, fried tofu, mushrooms, and pork lard dregs. Winter solstice favorite with a savory, umami-rich filling that crunches with each bite.
Thai bird eye chiliesdiced, for dipping sauce1 tbsp
Cooking oilfor dipping sauce, heated until smoking1½ tbsp
Soy saucefor dipping sauce2 tbsp
Banana leavesfor lining steamer basket to prevent sticking
Steps
▶ Tap a timecode to jump to roughly that moment in the video.
1
Peel the daikon radish and shred it using a vegetable grater.
2
Season the shredded radish with 1 tsp salt, toss thoroughly, and let sit for 20 minutes to draw out excess moisture. Then squeeze out as much liquid as possible and discard.
3
Quarter and thinly slice the shallots, and finely dice the garlic. Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in cold water for 2 hours or hot water for 20 minutes, then squeeze dry and dice finely.
4
Note that tofu puffs are porous and absorbent. If unavailable, deep-fry firm tofu over medium heat until golden brown, then dice or chop coarsely.
5
Heat the wok over high heat until smoking. Add pork lard or oil, then the shallots, garlic, and mushrooms. Stir over medium heat for a few minutes until fragrant and edges are slightly golden.
6
Add the sun-dried baby shrimp and pork lard dregs, stir for a couple of minutes, then add ground pork and stir quickly to break it up and change color.
7
Season with 1 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tsp oyster sauce, and 1.5 tsp dark soy sauce.
8
Add tofu puff (which absorbs liquid readily, so add it after seasonings are infused to prevent it from soaking up all the sauce), then add the squeezed radish, stirring to fluff and distribute evenly.
9
Add 1/2 tsp white pepper, taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Set filling aside to cool.
10
In a bowl, combine 283g rice flour and 113g tapioca flour, stirring well together.
11
Add 1/2 tsp salt to 350g water, cover with a heat-proof lid, and microwave at full power for 4 minutes until boiling. Immediately pour the hot water into the flour while stirring to combine—do not delay or the dough will lose elasticity.
12
Cover and let cool to lukewarm (10–15 minutes). Transfer to a work surface and knead for 5–6 minutes. The dough may be sticky initially but will smooth out as it forms. Adjust by adding more rice flour if too sticky or more water if too dry until smooth and elastic.
13
Roll the dough into a long, even log, divide into 12 equal pieces, and cover with plastic wrap to prevent drying.
14
Take a piece of dough, flatten into a round patty, and roll with a rolling pin to about 4.5 inches in diameter, rotating with the left hand while pushing the rolling pin back and forth with the right hand.
15
Place about 50g of filling in the center of the wrapper, carefully pack it down with chopsticks, fold both sides to the middle and pinch the edges, then make pleats along the edge to seal the dumpling.
16
Cut banana leaves into rectangle sheets and line the steamer basket to prevent sticking (alternatively use corn husks or parchment paper). Pre-boil water in the pot, place the steamer basket on top, and steam over medium heat for 20 minutes.
17
Make the dipping sauce by combining 1 tbsp diced cilantro, 1 tbsp diced scallion, 1 tbsp minced garlic, and 1 tbsp diced Thai bird eye chili. Heat 1.5 tbsp cooking oil until smoking and pour it over the aromatics, then add 2 tbsp soy sauce and stir well.
PrimedTableBETA
