Step 1

Put all the ingredients for the sweet soy sauce into a saucepan. Bring to a boil then turn the heat down to low. Leave to simmer uncovered for 25 minutes or so until the volume has reduced by about ⅓.

Step 2

Use a sieve to separate the liquid and the solid bits. Discard the latter and leave the spiced sweet soy sauce to cool (see note 2).

Step 3

Put ginger, scallion, and Sichuan pepper into a small bowl. Pour in hot water. Set aside to infuse for 10 minutes, then pass through a sieve and keep the liquid for later use.

Step 4

Add ground pork, Shaoxing rice wine, sesame oil, egg, salt, sugar, and white pepper to a mixing bowl. Pour in the aromatic water from the last step gradually while stirring in one direction with chopsticks/spatula until the liquid is fully absorbed. You’ll end up with a smooth, sticky, paste-like mixture.

Step 5

Place some filling in the middle of a dumpling wrapper. Fold it into a half circle. Press the rim to seal it all around.

Step 6

If using shop-bought wrappers, you’d need to wet the rim with a little water before pinching them together.

Step 7

Put assembled dumplings onto a lightly floured surface without them touching one another. This is particularly important if using freshly made wrappers.

Step 8

In a large pot/wok, bring plenty of water to a full boil. Slide in the dumplings (you may need to cook them in two batches depending on the size of your cookware). Gently move them around to prevent sticking. Cover with a lid and leave to cook over high heat.

Step 9

Once the water comes back to a full boil, add about ½ cup (120ml) of cold water then cover. Repeat the procedure another two times. The dumplings will be fully cooked when the water boils again after the third water addition (They should be all floating on the surface).

Step 10

Fish out the dumplings with a slotted spoon (shake to drain off as much water as possible). Divide them into serving bowls (3-5 dumplings each as a snack or 10-12 dumplings as a meal).

Step 11

Add sweet soy sauce, chili oil, and minced garlic to each bowl. Stir to coat evenly. Adjust the sauce quantity based on the number of dumplings in each bowl.

Step 12

The spiced sweet soy sauce: Once completely cool, transfer to a clean jar and store in the fridge for up to 3 months.

Step 13

The dumplings: Right after assembly, place them over a lightly floured tray in a single layer. Once completely frozen, transfer to an airtight bag and keep in the freezer for 3 months. Boil them the usual way without defrosting.