Steamed Crabmeat Dumplings
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INGREDIENTS Dumpling dough, see recipe
2 dried Chinese mushrooms, 1 to 1-½ inches in diameter
½ pound fresh crabmeat
3 tablespoons peanut oil, or flavorless vegetable oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped, peeled fresh ginger root
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
¼ teaspoon sugarPREPARE AHEAD
TO MAKE THE FILLING
In a small bowl, cover the mushrooms with ½ cup of warm water and let them soak for 30 minutes. Then remove the mushrooms with a slotted spoon and discard the water. With a cleaver or sharp knife, cut away and discard the tough stems of the mushrooms and chop the caps as fine as possible; set aside.
Pick through the crabmeat, discarding any bits or slivers of cartilage. Shred the meat fine and set aside.
Place the oil, chopped ginger root, salt, white pepper and sugar within easy reach.
Set a 12-inch wok or 10-inch skillet over high heat for about 30 seconds. Pour in 3 tablespoons of oil, swirl it about in the pan and heat for another 30 seconds, reducing the heat to moderate if the oil begins to smoke. Immediately add the ginger and then the mushrooms and crabmeat, and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Then stir in the salt, pepper and sugar, stir-fry 30 seconds longer, and transfer the entire contents of the pan to a bowl. Cool to room temperature.
TO ASSEMBLE
Place a teaspoonful of the cooled crabmeat filling in the middle of each round of dough. Then fold the edges together to make half-moon-shaped pastries, pressing and pinching the edges to seal them securely. Stand the dumplings upright, pinched edges on top, and push them down gently with your fingers to form bases wide enough for the dumplings to stand upright, unsupported. If they are not to be steamed immediately, cover them with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
TO COOK
Pour enough boiling water into the lower part of a steamer to come to within an inch of the cooking rack. If you have steamer trays, arrange the dumplings on two trays and steam them all at one time. Or, for single steamers, choose a heatproof plate ½-inch smaller than the diameter of the pot, brush the plate with oil and place half of the dumplings on it. Over high heat, bring the water in the steamer to a boil. Put the plate on the rack, or the trays in place, cover the pan tightly and, over high heat, steam for 5 minutes. If you are doing 2 batches, return the first batch of dumplings to the steamer after the second batch is done and reheat them together in the steamer for a minute or so before serving. In any case, during the steaming process, it is wise to keep a kettle of boiling water at hand if the water in the steamer boils away and needs replenishing.
Serve the dumplings on the steamer plate set directly on a platter, or, with chopsticks, tongs or slotted spoon, transfer them to a heated platter.