Chinese Guotie Dumplings with Chicken and Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:

Dough

• 2 cups premium flour + more as needed
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 0.5 cups of boiling water

Filling

• 450 g of minced chicken
• 1/3 cup chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons of sugar
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 2 tsp. rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 green onions, finely chopped
• Vegetable oil, odorless, for frying

Dip sauce

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. l. rice vinegar
• 2 tsp. sesame oil
• 1 green onion, finely chopped
• A pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

Preparation:

1. Dough:
   
   In a large heatproof bowl, combine the flour and salt. Slowly pour in the boiling water, stirring until a coarse mixture forms. Then stir in 0.5 cups of cold water and knead into a dough.
   
   Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 10 minutes, adding more flour as needed, until the dough is smooth and slightly sticky. Cover the dough with a damp towel and let it rest for 20 minutes.
2. Filling:
   
   In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, chicken broth, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, salt, green onions and some freshly ground black pepper.
   
   To assemble the vareniki, divide the dough into 24 balls. Roll them into 10 cm (4 in) circles, dusting the surface with flour as needed. Spoon 1 tablespoon of filling into the center of each circle and fold in half to form a crescent shape, pinching the edges to seal.
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Heat a little vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the vareniki, a few at a time, for 4 minutes each. Remove them from the pot with a slotted spoon, allowing any excess water to drain, and transfer them to the hot oil (be careful, as the oil will splatter). Fry until golden brown, 2-3 minutes.
4. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and let cool slightly. Alternatively, you can steam the dumplings. Line a bamboo steamer with blanched cabbage leaves and steam the dumplings over boiling water until the filling is cooked through, 10-15 minutes.
   
   Dip sauce:
   
   In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, green onions and red pepper.
   
   Serve the dumplings with dipping sauce.