Method

• 1.
  Soak the Sichuan peppercorns in the hot water to infuse the water with flavour. Wait until the water is almost cold before starting the dumpling filling. Strain out the peppercorns to use at another time, and reserve the infused water.
• 2.
  Mix the pork and chicken mince together in a large bowl to combine. Add the ginger and mix through, then slowly add the infused water little by little, mixing well after each addition. The mixture should start to resemble a paste. Season the dumpling filling according to your own taste. We suggest starting with a generous pinch of salt, 1/2 tsp white pepper, 1 tbs soy sauce and 2 tsp oyster sauce, and mixing thoroughly. If in doubt, place a small amount on a plate and microwave for 10-15 seconds to cook the mince, then taste.
• 3.
  Combine the prawns with the remaining 1/2 tbs soy sauce, 1/2 tsp white pepper and 1 tsp oyster sauce, then incorporate them into the meat mixture. You can repeat the process of microwaving and tasting a small amount if you’re uncertain about the seasoning. The dumpling filling should be adequately salty because once wrapped and cooked, it will taste less salty.
• 4.
  Add the garlic chives and vegetable oil. Let the oil roughly coat the garlic chives before fully incorporating them into the filling. Add the egg and sesame oil and mix to combine. To assemble your dumplings, spoon some of the dumpling filling onto a wrapper - the amount will vary depending on the size of the wrapper.
• 5.
  Ideally, you want about 1.5cm between the filling and the wrapper edge. If in doubt, start small and work your way up. Fold the wrapper over the filling and seal the edge (keep a bowl of water on the side to dip your finger in to seal the edges). You want to make sure the whole edge is sealed well to avoid the dumplings breaking apart in the water. Repeat with the remaining filling and wrappers.
• 6.
  To cook dumplings, bring a half-filled large saucepan of water up to a gentle boil and carefully lower a batch of dumplings into the pan. Have a strainer or sieve on hand to give the dumplings a gentle stir immediately after they’re submerged to ensure they don’t stick to each other or the bottom. Try not to overload the pan. When the water returns to the boil, add a cup of cold water. Once the water is boiling again, add one more cup of cold water.
• 7.
  When it returns to the boil, your dumplings will be ready to be fished out with a sieve and eaten.