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Cumin Lamb Dumplings with Crispy Skirt

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Homemade dumplings are the best and these are next level! They’re perfectly crispy on the outside and juicy in the middle. The homemade chilli oil is technically optional but I highly advise you make it as it takes everything to the next level.

  • Author: zenak
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 40 gyozas 1x

Ingredients

Scale

For the vinegary chilli oil (optional):

  • ½ tbsp red chilli flakes
  • 4 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 4 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 2 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sugar (or more, to taste)

For the gyozas:

  • 250g Chinese leaf, very finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp sichuan peppercorns
  • 250g lamb mince (15 to 20% fat – any less and the texture of the filling will be tough. Tasty, but tough)
  • 4 spring onions, very finely chopped, plus more for serving
  • 30g fresh ginger, minced
  • 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
  • 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 40 gyoza skins
  • vegetable oil, for frying

For the crispy skirt:

  • 30g plain flour
  • 90g vegetable oil
  • 240 ml water

Instructions

  1. To make the chilli oil (optional):
  2. Place the chilli flakes in a small heatproof bowl.
  3. Heat the vegetable oil in a small saucepan over high heat until shimmering, then carefully pour the hot oil over the chilli flakes. Add the rice vinegar, light soy sauce and sugar and mix well to combine, then set aside until ready to use.
  4. To make the gyozas:
  5. Place the Chinese leaf in a large fine mesh sieve. Season with a generous pinch of salt, toss to coat and leave to drain for 15 minutes.
  6. Meanwhile, toast the cumin seeds and sichuan peppercorns in a dry pan over medium heat until nice and fragrant, around 1 min. Transfer to a mortar and pound with a pestle until ground.
  7. Back to the cabbage. Transfer it to the middle of a tea towel. Gather up the edges and twist to wring out as much moisture as possible.
  8. Place the drained cabbage in a large mixing bowl, along with the ground cumin and sichuan peppercorns, lamb mince, spring onions, fresh ginger, Shaoxing wine, toasted sesame oil, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce and a generous pinch of salt. Mix well to combine. The mixture should be well-incorporated, sticky and almost paste-like.
  9. Time to fold the gyozas. In my opinion, it’s easier to follow visual instructions rather than written ones so I’ve linked a helpful gyoza video here.
  10. Whisk the flour, vegetable oil and water in a medium mixing bowl.
  11. Heat 2 tsp vegetable oil in a medium non-stick frying pan set over a medium heat. Arrange ⅓ of the gyozas in a single layer and cook until golden brown on the bottom, 1 to 2 minutes.
  12. Turn the heat up to medium-high, add 100 ml water and cover tightly with a lid. Steam for 3 minutes, then remove the lid and cook until the water has evaporated.
  13. Re-whisk the flour mixture then add ⅓ of it into the pan. Reduce the heat back down to medium and cook until the moisture has evaporated. You should be left with a thin, crispy lace that pulls away from the pan.
  14. Invert a plate over the pan and flip the dumplings onto the plate. Repeat with the remaining gyozas and flour mixture (per batch: 1/3 gyozas, 100ml water, 1/3 flour mixture).
  15. Serve hot, topped with spring onions and chilli oil – enjoy!

Notes

Freezing instructions: arrange in a single layer on a greaseproof paper-lined baking tray and freeze for 45 minutes, then transfer to an airtight container or ziplock bag. They will keep for up to 2 months. They can be cooked straight from frozen, steaming for 5 minutes instead of 3 minutes.

Find it online: https://zenaskitchen.com/cumin-lamb-dumplings-with-crispy-skirt/

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