Pork and Chive Dumplings

I cannot believe it has taken me this long to publish this recipe. This was always my dad's dinner request (when he wasn't asking for san choy bow for the 100th week in a row), and is always on my sister's list of dinner requests when she visits. These dumplings are crispy on the outside, juicy and flavourful on the inside, and the best part - it takes 4 ingredients to make these bad boys.

I can vividly remember the day Dad and I decided to make our own dumplings. We were visiting the Glebe Markets to scope out the market scene for my bikini business (insert shameless plug here: www.makoswim.com.au) , and we stopped by an Asian food truck for lunch. We both ordered the pork and chive dumplings and holy cow they were amazing. We ate every single dumpling from what was already a massive serving, and ended up dissecting them to see what was inside so we could replicate at home. A week later we purchased a pack of wonton wrappers from the supermarket and the rest is history.

These dumplings are painlessly easy, but of course if you'd like to ramp up your flavours you could definitely change the meat, play around with the veg, and add some extra herbs or spices. We have made these with chicken mince and mushrooms before, and they were spectacular, however nothing beats the memories these dumplings hold from sitting on the grass at the Glebe Markets around 4 years ago.

I use bamboo steamers for the first cooking stage. You can pick up a set of 3 for around $10 at your local Asian grocer or dollar store. If you don't want to use bamboo steamers, you can add some water to a wok, place a bowl in the centre and add dumplings, then put on the lid to create steam. Sounds like a lot of work right? Just buy the damn steamers, you'll thank me later.

Disclaimer: I'm fully aware of how unfunny I am but I love this meme format

How to Wrap Your Dumplings:

There aren't many things in the kitchen I'll openly admit to being inferior at, though sadly wrapping dumplings in a pretty, neat little package is one of those things. My mum, on the other hand, is superb at it, so follow her instructions here for the best looking dumplings.

Place 1 tsp of filling in the centre of the wonton wrapper. We use square, but you can also buy round ones. Wet your finger with cold water and run it along two sides of the wrapper. Fold the wrapped diagonally, so the corners meet. Make sure to press out any air bubbles during this stage. Use your fingers to pinch together the edges of the dumpling to seal any gaps.

Be sure not to compact the meat mixture before putting in the wrappers. This will make the dumplings tough and take longer to cook.

Ingredients:

• 1 Packet Wonton Wrappers, usually found in the fresh pasta aisle at Coles or Woolies

• 500g Pork Mince

• 3 Tbs Fresh Chives, Chopped

• 1/2 Cup Rice Bran Oil, for frying

Let's Make These Dumplings:

1. In a mixing bowl, add the pork and chives and mix until thoroughly combined. I usually find it easier to use my hands rather than a spoon.

2. Lay out your wonton wrappers, and have a small bowl of water close by to dunk your fingers in.

3. Add 1 tsp of mixture to the centres of each wrapper, and fold up using the method above.

4. Using bamboo steamers, steam the dumplings for around 8 minutes, or until the meat feels firm when poked.

5. Heat the oil in a deep saucepan on a medium heat, and fry off dumplings in batches for roughly 3 minutes each side, or until golden brown.

6. Serve immediately with sweet chilli sauce.