Ingredients:

Filling:

1. 500 grams shelled  & deveined prawns

2. 2 tablespoons finely chopped bamboo shoots

3. 1 tablespoon finely chopped spring onions (white part only)

4. 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

5. 3 teaspoons light soy sauce

6. 2 tablespoons dry sherry

7. 2 teaspoons white sugar

8. 1/2 teaspoon salt

9. 2 teaspoons sesame oil

10. 4 teaspoons tapioca starch

Other:

1. vegetable oil as required
   for oiling

Wrapper:

1. 1 1/2 cups wheat starch, plus extra for kneading

2. 2 tablespoons tapioca starch

3. 1 cup boiling water

4. 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

5. 1/4 teaspoon salt 

Method:

1. In a bowl, combine the wheat starch, tapioca starch and the salt. Stir slowly into 1 cup of boiling water. Add the oil and use your hands to knead the dough, until it is smooth and shiny. Cover bowl with cling wrap and allow to rest for 30 minutes.

2. Finely mince the prawns and add in all the other ingredients for the filling. Mix until all is incorporated and the mixture almost feel elastic. Mix in one direction only. Cover with cling wrap, set aside and place in refrigerator for 2 hours. This will allow the flavours to blend in.

3. To make the dumplings, coat a paper towel with some vegetable oil and use to oil your working board and the broad side of a Chinese cleaver.

4. Make sure to keep the dough covered so that it does not dry up. Use a moist kitchen towel to cover the dough and keep it moist. Break off 1 teaspoon of the dough, roll into a ball. Flatten it with the palm of the hand. Place flattened dough on oiled board. Then, use the oiled broad side of the cleaver to press it down to form a circle that is about 7 cms in diameter.

5. Add a heaped teaspoon of filling in the middle of the wrapper, spreading it evenly but not touching the edges.

6. Carefully pleat the front side of the dumpling dough. Use your thumb and forefinger to form the pleats in the dough. Bring the back side forward, pleat and seal with the front pleat. Pinch the edges closed. Pleat the sides in a similar way and bring together at the top. Traditionally, there are about 7 pleats per dumpling. Use an even number to make it easier, like 4 pleats.

7. Cover the dumplings with a moist kitchen towel to keep them from drying, whilst preparing the remainder of the dumplings.

8. Prepare a steamer for steaming. Steam the dumplings in batches on an oiled plate until well steamed and looking very translucent, but not falling apart. About 10 - 15 minutes. Do not over steam and monitor at regular intervals, making sure that there is always water in the steamer. Carefully remove and place on a non stick surface to serve. I use baking paper both in the steamer and on the serving dish.

9. Serve when still hot with a chilli sauce or any other sauce of your preference. Enjoy.