Flower bloom dumplings

Ingredients:
Chinese cabbage 150 g (51/3 oz), finely minced
Salt 1/2 Tbsp
Firm bean curd 55 g (2 oz), cut into small cubes
Dried Chinese mushrooms 3, soaked to soften, stems discarded and finely minced
Finely minced water chestnut 1 Tbsp
Finely minced ginger 1 Tbsp
Wonton skin 12 sheets
Corn flour (cornstarch) 1 Tbsp, mixed with 2 Tbsp water


Seasoning:
Sesame oil 1 tsp
Salt 1/4 tsp
Ground white pepper 1/4 tsp


Topping:
Carrot 55 g (2 oz), peeled and finely minced
Canned bamboo shoot 55 g (2 oz), finely minced
Chinese celery 55 g (2 oz), finely minced
Dried Chinese mushrooms 3, soaked to soften, stems discarded and finely minced


Method:
1. Sprinkle Chinese cabbage with salt. Let stand for 5 minutes. Wash salt off minced cabbage, then wrap in a piece of muslin cloth and squeeze out all excess moisture. Mix with bean curd, mushrooms, water chestnut, ginger and seasoning to make filling. Divide into 12 equal portions.

2. Spoon 1 portion of filling onto the centre of a wonton skin. Dab thumb and forefinger of both hands with corn flour mixture and pinch all 4 corners of wonton skin togther to meet in the centre of each square wrapper to form 4 ‘pockets’. Open ‘pockets’ up and top each one with a different topping ingredient.

3. Place dumplings on a steaming plate. Cover and steam over boiling water for 10 minutes. Serve hot.