Enjoy cooking with these kids' friendly recipes- sweet potato dumplings, pan-fried meat buns or glutinous rice balls
Sweet potato dumplings
Makes about 30 pieces
Ingredients
• 110g purple sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced
• 100g wheat starch
• 100ml boiling water
• 20g sugar
• 50g butter
• 200g green tea paste
Method
1 Steam sweet potato slices until soft. Mash and set aside.
2 Pour wheat starch into a mixing bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour boiling water into the well and stir to mix. Add mashed sweet potato and knead to mix evenly.
3 Add sugar and butter. Knead until well incorporated. Cover with cling film and leave to chill in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes.
4 Divide chilled dough into small dough rounds. Flatten each round and place green tea paste in the centre. Wrap dough around the green tea filling and mould it into the shape of an eggplant.
5 Roll small strips of green tea paste. Gently adhere two strips in a cross over the top of each eggplant to complete the shape.
6 Steam for 3 minutes over high heat and serve immediately.
TIP Shape these dumplings as desired to create fancy snacks that will appeal to the young and old. Feel free to replace the green tea paste with other types of filling.
Blossom dumplings
Makes about 40 pieces
Ingredients
• 300g prawns
• 3g salt
• 3g chicken powder
• 8g sugar
• 5g potato starch
• 20ml oil
• A dash of ground white pepper
• A dash of sesame oil
Dumpling skin
• 200g wheat starch
• 80g potato starch
• 200ml boiling water
• ¼ tsp shortening or vegetable oil
Garnish
• Frozen mixed vegetables (peas, corn kernels and carrots)
Method
1 Using a blender, blend prawns into a paste.
2 Mix well with seasoning ingredients in a large bowl.
3 Use immediately. For more flavour, cover with cling film and leave to marinate overnight in the refrigerator before using. The paste can be stored refrigerated for up to 3 days.
4 Prepare the dumpling skin. Pour wheat starch into a mixing bowl. Add boiling water and stir with a spatula.
5 Add potato starch and apply shortening or vegetable oil over the surface. Mix well until a smooth dough forms. Cover with cling film until ready to use to prevent the dough from drying out.
6 Roll dough into a long cylinder about 1.5 to 2cm in diameter. Cut out smaller pieces, each of about 1.5 to 2cm long.
7 Using the back of a knife, flatten each dough piece into a thin round sheet.
8 Scoop 1 tsp seafood paste onto the centre of a dough round. Fold the dough round over the seafood paste until the top resembles a three-pointed star. The top should be sealed, with three flaps extending at the sides (pictured).
9 Take the tip of one flap and curve it towards the next flap, lightly pinching to join the tip to the centre of the star. Repeat until three round pleats are formed.
10 Place mixed vegetables into the pleats and steam for 4 minutes over high heat. Serve immediately.
TIP The method for making blossom dumplings is similar to preparing har kow (shrimp dumpling). Made to mimic flower blossoms, these savoury seafood dumplings look as good as they taste.
Pan-fried meat buns
Makes about 25 pieces
Ingredients
• 100g cabbage, finely chopped
• 300g minced pork
• 5g potato starch
• A pinch of salt
• 3g chicken powder
• 10g sugar
• A dash of oil
• A dash of sesame oil
• A dash of ground white pepper
• A dash of ginger juice
• 30g chopped spring onion
• Cooking oil for pan-frying
Bun pastry dough
• 150g Hong Kong flour
• 10g potato starch
• 30g sugar
• 2g yeast
• 2g baking powder
• 90 to 110ml water
Method
1 Blanch cabbage in boiling water. Drain and set aside.
2 Add seasoning ingredients to minced pork, except spring onion and cooking oil, and mix well. Mix in blanched cabbage. Cover with cling film and chill in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes.
3 To make dough, combine all ingredients, except water, in a mixing bowl.
4 Make a well in the centre. Pour water into the well and mix until a smooth dough forms. Add more water if too dry. Dough is now ready for use.
5 On a floured surface, roll dough into a long cylinder. Divide dough into 25 equal pieces.
6 Lightly flatten each piece into a flat round disc. Spoon filling into dough round and form pleats at the top to seal it.
7 Dampen the tops of the buns and coat with spring onions.
8 Leave buns to proof for 45 minutes.
9 Steam buns for 4 minutes over high heat.
10 Heat oil in a wok. Pan-fry buns until golden brown.
11 Serve immediately.
TIP This Shanghainese treat is a popular favourite. These meat buns are first steamed before pan-frying, giving them a soft pillowy texture and a slightly crisp crust.
Glutinous rice balls with grated coconut
Makes about 25 rice balls
Ingredients
• 60g wheat starch
• 60ml boiling water
• 150g glutinous rice flour
• 60g sugar
• 130ml water
• 60g shortening
Method
1 To make dough, pour wheat starch into a mixing bowl. Add boiling water and mix well. Set aside.
2 Pour glutinous rice flour and sugar into another mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre. Pour water into the well and stir to mix evenly. Combine with wheat starch batter and knead to mix evenly. 3 Add shortening and knead until dough is no longer sticky.
4 Cover with cling film and chill in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes before using. This will prevent the pastry from being too sticky during wrapping.
5 On a floured surface, roll dough into a long cylinder. Cut dough into equal pieces, each about 20g. Lightly flatten each piece into a 0.5cm thick round disc.
6 Scoop a small dollop of red bean paste onto the centre of each dough round. Seal the red bean filling and mould into a round ball. Repeat until all ingredients are used up.
7 Steam for about 5 minutes over medium heat.
8 Coat evenly with grated coconut and serve immediately.
These photos and recipes are reproduced with permission from Dim Sum Basics by Ng Lip Kah. Published by Marshall Cavendish, the book is available for sale at all leading bookstores and online retailers.
