Rat Dumplings
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Makes 24 dumplings
For Filling
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25g/1ozs dried shiitake mushrooms (soaked in hot water for 2 hours) to become 200g
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1 stalk green onion
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1/4 cup coriander leaves
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125g/4ozs pork mince
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30ml/1floz soy sauce
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2 garlic cloves, finely minced
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1.5 teaspoons sugar
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2 teaspoons sesame oil
For Pastry
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300g/10.6ozs plain all purpose flour
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80ml/2.8flozs hot water
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10ml/0.3flozs oil
Step 1 - First make the mince filling as it needs to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes. Drain and place the rehydrated shiitake mushrooms and the green onions and coriander in a food processor and blitz until fine. Add the pork mince, soy sauce, garlic, sugar and sesame oil and blitz until you get a paste. Place in a bowl for at least 30 minutes and refrigerate until needed.
Step 2 -Mix the flour, hot water and oil together until it forms a cohesive dough. It shouldn't be dry so the exact amount of water depends on how thirsty your flour is. Cover with cling film and rest for 10 minutes. Portion out a quarter of the dough into 20g/0.7oz balls and cover up the rest of the dough so that it doesn't dry out.
Step 3 - Grease a large tray with oil and lightly grease a surface. Roll each ball into an oval around 12cm/4.7inches but don't roll it too thinly. Pinch the last quarter of the dough to mark the tail. Place 15g/0.5oz of the filling in the cup area of the dough and brush the edges with water. Seal the edges together. Then roll the tail out using the bench and your palm to roll it out long and thin.
Step 4 -Using a pair of small scissors make tiny cuts near the head and pinch with your thumb and forefinger to make triangular ears. Make two tiny cuts down the side of the body for legs on each side and pull together to make tiny legs. Place on the tray and repeat until the rest are completed. Place on parchment paper and steam for 15-20 minutes.