Pork and Ginger Dumplings

These dumplings (jiaozi) are delicious and fun to make. Do not be intimidated by the recipe, the steps are quick and they are worth the effort.

Makes about 24 dumplings

1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour, plus a little additional for dusting
4 Tbls. soy sauce, plus 1/2 c. for dipping sauce
3 Tbls. rice vinegar
1 bunch scallions
1 (1 1/2-inch) piece of peeled fresh ginger
3 Tbls. chopped fresh cilantro
5 Tbls. chopped water chestnuts, or more for added crunch
2 cloves garlic
3/4 lb ground pork

For the Dough
Stir together flour and 1/2 c. lukewarm water until dough forms. Knead dough on a floured surface until smooth about 2-3 minutes (NOTE: It will be taut and a bit of an effort to work with). Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for at least 20 minutes.

For the Dipping Sauce
Combine 1/2 c. soy sauce and 3 Tbls. rice vinegar in a bowl. Let stand a room temperature.

For the Filling
Finely chop scallions (save about 2 Tbls. for garnish), ginger, cilantro, water chestnuts, and garlic. Place ingredients in a bowl with 4 Tbls. soy sauce and pork. Mix with your hands to combine. Chill for about 10 minutes until dough is ready.

To Cut the Dough
Line a large baking sheet with paper towels to place the dumplings on after they are cut. Lightly dust a work area with flour. Halve the dough and re-wrap the other half. Roll out dough into about a 13-inch diameter, 1/8 inch thick. It may take several hard-pressure rolls to make the dough thin. Cut out rounds (very close together) using a 3 1/4-inch cookie cutter or the rim of a drinking glass. Place rounds on the baking sheet and cover loosely with another layer of paper towels. Reserve scraps to roll out with remaining dough. Repeat with other half of dough and remaining scraps.

To Fill the Dumplings
Fill each round with about 2 tsp. of the pork mixture. Fold round in half, brush edges with water (using your fingertip), and pinch the edges to seal. Be sure to press tightly to prevent water from leaking into the dumpling while cooking. Place filled dumplings on the lined baking sheet. Note: Cut and fill the dumplings as quickly as possible or the dough will become dry making it difficult to seal. Also, if the pork sticks to your hands and gets on the outside of the dumpling while sealing, gently wipe off any residual pork before cooking.

To Cook the Dumplings
Place dumplings into a 6-8-quart pot of boiling water. The dumplings will float to the top within about 3-4 minutes, but let them cook in gently boiling water for an additional 6-8 minutes to ensure the pork is properly cooked. Remove dumplings with a slotted spoon. Another note: Before placing on a serving platter, you can place a paper towel on top of the cooked dumplings and gently press to remove any excess water that may have entered the dumplings before serving.

To Serve
Place hot dumplings on a platter, sprinkle with scallions and serve with the dipping sauce.