Step 1

Soak the wood ear mushroom with warm water for about 15 minutes. Cut it into thin strips.

Step 2

Make the filling by combining the wood ear mushroom and all the Fillings and Seasonings ingredients together. Chill the filling in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Step 3

To assemble the water dumplings, place a piece of the wrapper on your palm and spoon about 1 tablespoon filling onto the wrapper. Do not overfill. Dip your index finger into a small bowl of water and circle around the outer edges of the dumpling wrapper. Fold the dumpling over and finish by pressing the edges with your thumb and index finger to ensure that the dumpling is sealed tightly and there is no leakage. Repeat for the remaining wrappers and filling. Place the dumplings on a floured surface or baking sheet. Cover them with a damp kitchen towel to prevent drying.

Step 4

Bring the water to a boil in a pot. Gently transfer the wrapped water dumplings into the boiling water and boil until they float to the top, about 2-3 minutes. You may have to boil the dumplings in more than 1 batch, according to the size of your pot.

Step 5

Remove the water dumplings with a slotted spoon, drain the excess water, and cover them to prevent drying.

Step 6

Bring to boil the chicken broth and water in another pot. Add the white pepper and salt to taste.

Step 7

Transfer 3-4 water dumplings into a soup bowl, add some of the soup into the bowl, garnish with some chopped green onion and serve immediately.