Method

• 1.
  Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced.
• 2.
  Lay the whole mushrooms, stems up, in a baking tray. Cut the onion into 6 wedges, leaving the skin on, and add to the tray. Add the garlic cloves in their skins to the tray and sprinkle with 1 tsp salt flakes and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle with oil and then roast in the oven for 40 minutes, or until lightly caramelised.
• 3.
  Remove tray from the oven and place all the ingredients in a medium saucepan with 1.6L water over high heat. Add in ginger, bay leaves, chilli flakes and star anise (if using). Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes, or until rich and dark and delicious. Taste and add more salt flakes or freshly ground black pepper if needed. Strain and set vegetables and broth aside separately.
• 4.
  Using tongs, squeeze excess liquid from the mushrooms. Place cooked mushrooms in a food processor with the onion and garlic (making sure to remove their skins first). Add in the ginger but discard the bay and star anise. Add a pinch of salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper and blitz to form a rough paste. Taste and adjust seasoning.
• 5.
  Working with one dumpling wrapper at a time, take 1 generous tsp mushroom paste and place in the centre of the wrapper. Brush the edges with water and fold over diagonally to form a dumpling, making sure it is well sealed.
• 6.
  Pinch the two bottom corners together to form a bishop-hat shape. Lay dumplings (you should make 24) flat on a plate.
• 7.
  Bring a big pot of salted water to the boil. Add the dumplings and cook in batches of 8 for 2-3 minutes, until they float to the surface. Using a slotted spoon, remove dumplings from the water and divide among 4 bowls.
• 8.
  Bring mushroom broth back up to the boil and add the Chinese broccoli. Simmer for 1 minute, or until softened. Ladle soup and broccoli over the dumplings.
• 9.
  Top with kimchi and sesame oil to serve.