Napa Cabbage Chicken Blanket Dumplings

 

Ingredients:

For the filling

500 g. minced chicken (mixture of thigh and breast)

2 tablespoons oyster sauce

1/2 tablespoon dark soy sauce (add a bit more if your soy sauce is less dark)

1/2 tablespoon sesame oil

1 large egg

1 tablespoon corn flour/corn starch

2 sprigs spring onion (washed and sliced)

For the blanket dumplings

8 pieces Napa cabbage leaves (leafy part only)

1 tablespoon cooking oil

3/4 cup water

For the finishing sauce

1 sprig spring onion (sliced)

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1 tablespoon PEKIN Spicy Secret Sauce or chili oil

Methods:

1. To blanch the Napa cabbage: Bring a pot of water to a boil.  Add the leaves and blanch until softened.  Remove, drain well and set aside.
2. To make the filling:  In a large mixing bowl, combine the minced chicken, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, egg and corn flour/corn starch.  Mix until well combined.  Add the spring onion and mix again until evenly distributed.
3. To assemble the blanket dumplings: With a non-stick pan off the heat, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil.  Divide the chicken filling into 8 portions directly in the pan, leaving a little space between each one.  Place a blanched cabbage leaf over each portion like a blanket, then gently shape the cabbage around the top and sides.  There is no need to fold or seal it; the bottom of the chicken remains directly against the pan.
4. To pan-fry the blanket dumplings:  Place the pan over medium heat and cook for about 1 minute until the bottoms of the chicken begin to set.
5. To steam the blanket dumplings:  Carefully pour the water into the pan, cover with lid and cook for about 6 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked through.
6. To crisp the bottoms:  Remove the lid and continue cooking for about 1 minute, until the excess water has evaporated and the bottoms are golden.
7. To serve:  Finish with the sliced spring onion, light soy sauce and the PEKIN spicy secret sauce or chili oil.
8. Serve immediately.

Assembled, Step 3

This recipe is adapted from 'cicili.tv' with slight adjustments to suit my cooking preference.