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Poh Ling Yeow Has Shared Her Fool-Proof Recipe For Dumplings So You Can Impress Your Mates

Poh Ling Yeow Has Shared Her Fool-Proof Recipe For Dumplings So You Can Impress Your Mates

We’ve all become much better at cooking for ourselves this year, but if you’re anything like me those five recipes you know are starting to get pretty damn stale.

The only Masterchef person I know and care about, Poh Ling Yeow, has kicked off Lilydale’s ‘Dedication You Can Taste’ free masterclasses from her own kitchen, and now she’s sharing the five recipes so we can follow along at home.

Excuse me, you ask? The Lilydale what now? It’s a mix of live virtual cooking events and social recipe content from your fave Masterchef all-stars – Poh Ling Yeow, Adam Liaw and Hayden Quinn.

“I’m very excited to be part of the new series alongside Hayden, Adam and Lilydale – getting in the mix with enthusiastic home cooks and sharing a few of my kitchen tricks is what I love doing most,” says Poh.

Go on, impress your mates with something that isn’t banana bread. Maybe even add a cheeky bevvie or two.

Chicken Pot Stickers (Gau Ji) with Black Vinegar Ginger Dipping Sauce

Feeds 2 as a main, 4 as a starter

Skins

  • 1 cup plain flour
  • About 110ml freshly boiled water

Dipping Sauce

  • 1/4 cup light soy sauce
  • 2 Tbsp Chinkiang vinegar (easily found in Asian grocers)
  • 1/8 tsp caster sugar
  • 2-3 tsp Asian brand chilli oil (in the least not olive oil based)
  • 1 Tbsp full finely shredded, peeled, ginger
  • 2 tsp finely chopped garlic

Filling

  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • About 200g Chinese cabbage (wombok), finely shredded
  • 300g chicken mince
  • 1 Tbsp full finely chopped ginger
  • 1/3 cup finely sliced spring onions or Chinese chives
  • 1/8 tsp ground white pepper
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 Tbsp Shaoxin rice wine
  • 1-2 tsp sesame oil
  • 2 tsp vegetable-based oil for pan frying

Method

To make the dumpling skins, place the flour in a medium bowl, make a well in the middle and using chopsticks or a fork, mix in enough hot water to bind the flour into a rough ball. When the dough is cooled a little and safe to touch, switch to using your hands and knead into a pliable ball. It shouldn’t need flour to prevent it from sticking to the benchtop. Rest the dough on your work surface and turn the bowl over to cover it.

To make the dipping sauce, mix all the dipping sauce ingredients together in a bowl and set aside until needed.

To make the filling, first toss the salt through the cabbage and allow to wilt for 10-15 minutes in a colander. Rinse the cabbage and don’t be afraid to squeeze firmly into fists to remove excess moisture. Place in a medium bowl and mix with the remaining filling ingredients.

To make the dumplings, divide the dough into two and roll into cylinders 3cm in diameter. Anytime it feels sticky, dust with more flour. Slice the cylinders into 2cm disks and flatten them with the palm of your hand. Toss them with plenty of flour and cover them with the overturned bowl again for keeping them moist.

With a dumpling rolling pin, roll from the outer edge, towards the centre of the circle only – this will maintain an even circle. Roll the skins until they are about 1mm thick, then place about 1 teaspoon full of the filling in the middle. When crimping, pleat only one side of the wrapper – this will pull the dumpling into a traditional crescent shape. If this sounds too difficult, simply pinch the edges to seal well, but rest it on a well-floured surface with the seam pointing upwards so there’s a nice flat bottom for crisping up.

To cook the dumplings, arrange them in a large non-stick frypan with at least 1cm of space between the dumplings. Fill with about 6mm of water and the 2 tsp of oil. Shake the pan very gently to make sure the dumplings are sliding easily. Cover and simmer over medium heat until the water is nearly all evaporated, shaking the pan occasionally to loosen the bottoms so they don’t stick. Remove the lid and allow the bottoms to crisp up to a golden brown. To serve, turn the dumpling upside down so the crispy bottoms are facing up or you will steam the crunch away! Serve hot with individual bowls of the dipping sauce.

Chicken Dan Dan Noodles

Feeds about 4

NOTE: This recipe requires a pasta maker with a 2-3mm noodle cutter

Handmade Wheat Noodles

  • 400g plain flour
  • Warm water
  • 2 tsp kansui (also called lye or alkaline water*)

*Not the health-style alkaline water designed for drinking. This is a particular variety used for cooking only

Szechuan Chilli Oil

  • 2 Tbsp Szechuan peppercorns
  • 1 small cinnamon stick
  • 2 star anise
  • 1/2 cup dried chilli flakes

Dressing

  • 3 Tbsp tahini
  • 3 Tbsp light soy
  • 2 tsp Chingkiang vinegar
  • 2 tsp caster sugar
  • 1/2 tsp Chinese Five Spice powder
  • 1/2 tsp ground Szechuan peppercorns
  • 1/2 cup prepped Szechuan chilli oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled, crushed
  • 1/2 cup noodle cooking water

Stir Fry

  • 2 Tbsp vegetable or olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled, finely chopped
  • 2cm fresh ginger peeled, finely chopped
  • 300g chicken mince
  • Dash of white pepper
  • 1/2 tsp Chinese Five Spice powder
  • 2 tsp dark soy
  • 1 tsp light soy
  • 1 Tbsp Shaoxin rice wine
  • 1/3 cup Sui Mi Ya Cai (optional – available at Asian grocers)

Garnish

  • 1/2 cup salted roasted peanuts
  • 1/2 cup chopped spring onions
  • 1/2 cup roughly chopped coriander, including stalks
  • 1 bunch choy sum, sliced into 10cm lengths, blanched in boiling water, drained in colander

Method

To make the Szechuan chilli oil, combine all the Szechuan chilli oil ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat until it becomes fragrant. Stir occasionally and remove from heat when you see bubbles start to emerge. Set aside until needed.

To make the dressing, combine all the dressing ingredients in a clean glass jar and shake until mixed thoroughly. Set aside until needed.

To make the stir fry, combine the oil, garlic and ginger in a small frypan over medium-high heat and cook the sauce until golden and fragrant. Add the chicken and stir fry until cooked through and browned. Add the remaining stir fry ingredients and stir to combine. Leave the stir fry in the frypan until needed.

To make the noodles, combine the flour and enough warm water to knead the flour into a pliable ball of dough – if you have the right amount of moisture the dough should not stick to your work surface without the help of flour. Knead by hand for about 5 minutes or with a stand mixer with a hook attachment on the lowest speed for 2 minutes. Cover with clingfilm and rest for about 15 minutes.

Divide the dough into 4 equal portions, then using a rolling pin, roll out the dough so each piece is about 5mm thick. Cover 3 pieces with a damp tea towel while you work with one. Dust it generously with flour then pass it through the highest setting on the pasta maker. Pass it through the next highest setting, then the next, dusting well with flour each time. Fold into thirds and repeat the process 3 more times. On the final roll, pass the dough all the way through to the second last setting, dust well, then pass through the noodle cutter and toss gently with generous amounts of flour so the strands don’t stick. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.

To cook the noodles, plunge each serve individually into salted boiling water (1 Tbs salt per 1L water) and scoop out with a spider, into serving bowls. Top each bowl with 1/4 cup of dressing, 1/4 of the stir fry and garnishing. Allow the diners to mix their own noodles.

Malaysian Style Spiced Chicken Wings

Feeds 6-8

Ingredients

  • 2kg jointed chicken wings
  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled, crushed
  • 1 Tbsp light soy sauce
  • 3 Tbsp ground turmeric
  • 1 Tbsp ground coriander
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1-2 tsp chilli powder
  • 2 tsp fine salt
  • 12 sprigs fresh curry leaves
  • 1.5L rice bran OR peanut oil

Method

Place chicken wings in a large bowl. Mix the soy and garlic in a small bowl before adding to chicken. Toss with gloved hands until well coated. Mix the turmeric, coriander, ginger, chilli and salt in a small bowl and sprinkle over the chicken. Mix thoroughly to coat, then transfer into a ziplock bag. Crush the sprigs of curry leaves roughly in your hands before nestling amongst the pieces of chicken. Marinate overnight in the fridge.

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To cook the chicken, heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. The oil is ready when a steady stream of bubbles emerge from wooden chopsticks touching the bottom of the saucepan. First add a few sprigs of curry leaves but stand back as the oil will spit and bubble. Fry the chicken in a few batches until they’re a deep brown and crispy. Serve immediately.

Chicken & Asian Mushroom Stir Fry with Chilli Bean Paste

Feeds 4

Ingredients

  • 60ml olive or any vegetable-based oil
  • 400g chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup dried black fungus, covered in cool water to rehydrate, any woody bits torn off and discarded (easily found in Asian grocers)
  • Handful dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in freshly boiled water for 30 minutes*, sliced 3-4mm
  • 150g enoki, shimeji or oyster mushrooms (a mix is great)
  • 7 stalks spring onions, cut into 3cm batons

Seasonings

  • 2 Tbsp tobanjiang OR chilli bean paste
  • 1/2 tsp caster sugar
  • 2 Tbsp Shaoxin rice wine
  • 1/4 tsp sesame oil
  • 1/2 tsp cornflour mixed with 1 Tbsp water
  • Few sprigs fresh coriander for garnish
  • Steamed rice for serving

*If you want to go the extra mile, instead of soaking in just plain boiling water, also add 1 Tbsp light soy and 2 tsp sugar to the mushrooms and water, then simmer in a small saucepan for about 5 minutes with the pot lid ajar. Keep covered for another 20 minutes or until completely rehydrated.

Method

Combine 2 Tbsp of the oil and garlic in a medium frypan or wok over high heat. Flick a literal drop of water into the pan to check that it’s hot enough – it will sizzle. Add the chicken and stir fry until cooked through and a little browned. Transfer the chicken to plate.

Mix the seasonings together in a small bowl. Combine the remaining oil with the garlic and sauté until the garlic starts to turn golden. Add the mushrooms and stir fry until just wilted. Return the chicken to the pan then add the mushrooms, spring onions and seasoning mixture. Toss to coat everything in the sauce well. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot with steamed rice.

Thai Style Chicken Pineapple Salad with Somtam Dressing

Feeds 4

Somtam Dressing

  • 110ml freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 2 tsp tamarind paste (easily found at supermarkets or Asian grocers)
  • 2 Tbsp caster sugar
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled, bashed
  • 1 bird’s eye chilli, bashed
  • 1/4 avocado, peeled, mashed

Salad

  • 2-3 chicken breasts
  • 1/2 large pineapple, peeled, quartered lengthways, core sliced away, cut into 5mm batons
  • 1 punnet ripe cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 continental cucumber, quartered lengthways, seeds cut away, sliced into 3mm pieces on a steep diagonal
  • 1/2 packed cup picked mint leaves, torn
  • 1/2 packed cup roughly chopped coriander, including stalks
  • 1/2 cup chopped spring onions

Garnish

  • 1/4 cup rice, dry toasted in a frypan on high heat until evenly browned
  • 1/2 cup salted roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup fried shallots (easily found in Asian grocers and most supermarkets)
  • 2 long red chillies, finely sliced on a diagonal

Method

To make the dressing, combine all dressing ingredients in a clean glass jar and shake until well combined. Rest for 5 minutes, then shake again to make sure the sugar is dissolved. Set aside until needed.

To make the salad, cover the chicken in water, in a medium saucepan and simmer covered for 10 minutes, then allow to rest for 20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate or chopping board to cool before shredding with clean hands. Cover and chill until needed. Reserve the stock to freeze for a rainy day.

Combine the chicken with the remaining salad ingredients and toss gently with clean hands. Divide into 4 portions.

Crush rice in mortar and pestle until the texture of coarse sand, then sprinkle 2 teaspoonsful over the salad, together with the peanuts, shallots and chillies. Serve immediately.

(All Images: Provided)

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