Pork and Garlic Chive Jiaozi by Dumpling King Brendan Pang

Garlic chives are exactly what they sound like – the more “garlicky” relative of the standard chives – and can be used as a tastier substitute to standard chives (and even garlic if you can’t be bothered peeling some garlic cloves). Garlic chives find their place in Chinese cooking in many egg-based favourites, doughs, and broths, but feature prevalently in many dumplings - this recipe is no exception!

Garlic chives should be easily accessible from your run of the mill Asian grocer, but don’t fret too much if you can’t find them – garlic and chives or green onions can be swapped out.

Brendan Pang's Pork and Garlic Chive Jiaozi Recipe:

Mum's fried garlic and soy

Ingredients:

60ml vegetable oil
4 medium cloves of garlic, minced finely
125ml soy sauce
1 long red chilli, finely sliced
5ml sesame oil

Method:

To make Mum’s fried garlic and soy, heat vegetable oil in a small pan over medium-low heat. Add in minced garlic and cook until fragrant and golden, about 5 minutes. Stir if required to avoid edges from browning too much. Remove from heat and transfer to a small bowl. Mix in the remaining ingredients.
 
Pork and garlic chive filling

Ingredients:

500g fatty pork mince
20g ginger, finely grated
¼ cup finely chopped garlic chives
¼ cup finely chopped spring onion
Pinch of salt
Pinch of ground white pepper
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp Shaoxing cooking wine
1 tbsp sesame oil
36 dumpling wrappers 

Method:

To make the filling, place all ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix vigorously in one direction until the mixture binds. Cover and leave to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes. 

Working with one dumpling wrapper at a time, place 1 heaped tablespoon of filling in the centre of a wrapper. Shape into a taco shape. Using your thumb, index and middle fingers to make a “W” shape at one end of the folded dumpling and press together to seal. Pinch the folded dumpling skin together until you reach the halfway point of the seam. Repeat the “W” formation on the open side and pinch to seal it.
 
Cover loosely with a damp tea towel and repeat process to form remaining dumplings.
 
Cook dumplings in boiling water until cooked through, about 4 – 6 minutes. Remove from water using a slotted spoon. Serve with mum’s fried garlic and soy.

And there you have it, the most delicious dumplings in the comfort of your own home.