Chinese Chive Dumplings - Gui Chai ขนมกุยช่าย

Method

Add rice flour, sticky rice flour and water to a pot over medium heat. Stir constantly to prevent sticking. If the mixture starts to be too sticky to handle, lower the heat. Stir until the mixture turns gluey. Remove from heat and add 1/4 cup of tapioca flour. Set it aside to let it cool.

While waiting for the dough to cool down, slice the Chinese chives into 1/2 inch pieces. Heat up 2 teaspoons of oil in a wok or pan over high heat. Add chives and soy sauce. Stir quickly and remove from the heat. You want the chives to wilt a little but not cooked. Cooking too long will produce too much water and make it difficult to stuff the dumpling.

Knead the dough. Test the dough to see if it is too sticky. If it is too sticky, it will stick to your hand and will be difficult to work with. Add more tapioca flour.

Pinch off a small portion and roll it between your palms into a ball (an inch in diameter). Use your thumb and index finger to thin the dough into a flat piece. Put one tablespoon of cooked Chinese chives in the middle, gather the edges and squeeze them together to close the dumpling.

Steam the dumpling for 5-7 minutes or until the dough is cooked. It is ready to be served now with hot chili soy sauce but many people like them pan-fried. That includes me. I pan fry the dumplings until they are somewhat brown. I like them crispy on the outside but soft on the inside.

Method

Add all ingredients together. Chili garlic sauce can be substituted with fresh sliced green chilies (not the real small ones that are very hot). Serve in a sauce bowl.