Soup Dumplings

Ingredients

• 1 pound pork skin, cut into chunks
• 2 pounds pork or chicken bones
• 6 cups water
• 3 slices fresh ginger, smashed
• 2 scallions, cut into large pieces
• 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
• 1 pound ground pork, not too lean
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
• 1 scallion, finely minced
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch, for dusting
• 1/4 cup black vinegar, for serving
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, julienned, for serving

Method

1. 1

   Place pork skin and bones in a 6-quart saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Boil 2 minutes to purge impurities, then drain and rinse.

   2:00 · Blanch bones and skin
2. 2

   Return skin and bones to the pan with 6 cups water, ginger slices, scallion pieces, and Shaoxing wine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered 3 hours, skimming occasionally, until reduced to about 2 1/2 cups.

3. 3

   Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding solids. Season lightly with salt if needed, then pour into a shallow dish and refrigerate until fully set into a firm gelatin, at least 4 hours.

4. 4

   Once set, chop the gelatin into small 1/4-inch cubes. Keep refrigerated until ready to mix into the filling.

5. 5

   In a large bowl, combine ground pork, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, salt, white pepper, minced ginger, and minced scallion. Mix vigorously with a spoon or chopsticks in one direction for 2 minutes until the mixture becomes sticky and cohesive.

6. 6

   Fold the chilled gelatin cubes into the pork mixture until evenly distributed. Cover and refrigerate the filling for 30 minutes to keep the gelatin firm.

7. 7

   Make the dough: combine flour and boiling water in a bowl, stirring with a chopstick until a shaggy dough forms. Once cool enough to handle, knead on a lightly floured surface 5 minutes until smooth.

   5:00 · Knead dough
8. 8

   Cover the dough with a damp towel and let rest 20 minutes at room temperature.

   20:00 · Rest dough
9. 9

   Divide the dough into two logs and roll each into a rope about 1 inch thick. Cut each rope into 12 equal pieces, for 24 total, keeping pieces covered to prevent drying.

10. 10

    Roll each piece into a 3 1/2-inch round, thinner at the edges than the center, dusting with cornstarch as needed to prevent sticking.

11. 11

    Place about 1 tablespoon of chilled filling in the center of each wrapper. Pleat the edges around the filling, gathering 16 to 18 small folds, then twist and pinch the top to seal completely.

12. 12

    Line a bamboo steamer basket with parchment paper or cabbage leaves and arrange dumplings 1 inch apart. Steam over boiling water 8 minutes, until the wrappers are translucent and the filling is cooked through.

    8:00 · Steam dumplings
13. 13

    Let dumplings rest 1 minute before transferring, as the broth inside is very hot. Serve immediately with black vinegar and julienned ginger for dipping.

    1:00 · Rest before serving