⅜poundshrimp (prawn) - peeled, deveined, and coarsely chopped
3mediumgreen onions (scallions or green shallots) - thinly sliced
3clovesgarlic - minced
2teaspoonsChinese rice wine
2teaspoonsginger - grated, fresh
2teaspoonssesame oil
2tablespoonssoy sauce
½teaspoonsugar
1teaspoonground black pepper
Instructions
In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients (except the dumpling skins) and let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Place 1 to 2 teaspoons of the filling onto one dumpling skin. Wet with a bit of water all around the skin and press together to form a half-circle. Fold the edges of the skin together, creating a scallop effect to seal in the filling. Set them on a tray and cover them with a cloth to keep them from getting dry.
Repeat with the rest of the skins and filling.
To Cook:
You can steam them, as it is the most traditional way, but I also have a few other options below.
To steam, fill the bottom of a steamer with about 2 inches of water and bring it to a boil. Lay some parchment paper or lettuce on the upper levels of the steamer to prevent the dumplings from sticking. Once the water's boiling, put the dumplings in the steamer with some space between them, cover and let them cook over high heat for about 10 minutes.
You can also try boiling the dumplings by bringing a large pot of salted water to boil, adding the dumplings, and gently stirring them until they float and cook for about 5 minutes.
Finally, you can fry them, and I'm sure a lot of you will like this one. Frying the dumplings will give them that delicious crispy exterior. On medium-high heat, pour some oil into a pan and add 6-8 dumplings at a time. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the bottoms are lightly golden. Gently add 1/3 cup water to the pan, then cover it with a lid. Let them cook until the liquid is evaporated and the bottoms of the dumplings are crisp and golden, 8 to 10 minutes.
Two Dipping Sauces:
Mix some Chinese black vinegar with chile sauce and sesame oil.
Mix Soy sauce with sesame oil.
Notes
How the dumplings look won't affect the taste, so if you can't get them looking just right, that's ok! You can do whatever works for you as long as they're well-sealed.