Ingredients

For the dipping sauce:

• 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
• 2 teaspoons ground Sichuan red pepper
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 1 small fresh chile, chopped, such as banana or Anaheim (optional)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons black vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced

For the filling:

• Piece fresh ginger, 1 1/2 inches, peeled
• 2 garlic cloves
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use
• 8 ounces prawns
• 2 teaspoons white pepper
• 2 heads bok choy
• 1 pound finely ground pork
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 package dumpling wrappers (about 50)

Directions

Step 1

For the dipping sauce, dry toast the sesame seeds until fragrant, about 2 minutes; transfer to a small dish and set aside. In the same pan, dry toast the ground pepper, about 2 minutes. Off the heat, swirl in the olive oil, garlic, ginger, chile (if using), cilantro, and sugar. Whisk in the soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, scallions, and the reserved sesame seeds. Pour into a serving bowl and set aside.

Step 2

For the dumplings, place the ginger, garlic, and
2 tablespoons olive oil into a small food processor and blitz to a rough paste; set aside.

Step 3

Peel the prawns and finely dice them. Marinate in a bowl with the remaining tablespoon olive oil and the white pepper.

Step 4

Separate the bok choy leaves, rinse, and trim the ends, if needed. Bring a pot of water to a boil and blanch the bok choy. Once the leaves are wilted, drain in a colander and rinse with cold water
to stop the cooking. Squeeze as much water as possible from the leaves and chop them finely.

Step 5

Place the pork in a large bowl and add the ginger-garlic paste, soy sauce, salt, sesame oil, and bok choy. Mix thoroughly, then add the marinated prawn pieces and cornstarch and mix again.

Step 6

Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Place a bowl of water next to your work area. Open the package of wrappers and cover with a damp kitchen towel so they won’t dry out.

Step 7

Place a generous teaspoon of filling in the center of a wrapper (don’t overfill or the dumplings won’t stay closed). Dip a fingertip in the water bowl and moisten the outer edges of the wrapper, then fold it and press the edges together to seal them. For round wrappers, crimp the edges together with
7 or 8 folds to make a crescent shape. For square wrappers, use your fingertip to wet the two bottom corners, then overlap them slightly and press together to form a shape like a bishop’s hat. As you finish each dumpling, place it on the sheet pan under the towel. There should be enough filling to make about 50 dumplings.

Step 8

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop in 12 to 16 dumplings at a time and cook for 7 minutes (they will float to the surface). Use a Chinese strainer to transfer them to a large bowl; cover with a pot lid to keep them warm. Repeat until all the dumplings have been cooked. Serve with the dipping sauce.