Chiao Tzu (Traditional Chinese Dumplings)

Make the dough: Place the flour in a mixing bowl and stir in salt. Slowly stir in the cold water to form a smooth dough. Knead the dough into a smooth ball. Cover the dough with a dry cloth and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.

Ready-made dumpling wrappers are available in the refrigerated sections of Asian grocery stores. Buy round shapes and use water to seal the edges.

Prepare the filling: Thoroughly mix the filling ingredients. Ingredients should stick together easily.

Shape the dough: Dust the work surface, rolling pin and hands with flour. Cut dough in half. Tightly cover half in plastic wrap. Roll the other half to a rope 1-inch thick. Cut into 1-inch lengths.

Roll out dumpling skins: Place a piece of dough, flat side down, and flatten firmly with hand. Hold disc at its center, between thumb and forefinger, with one side of dough resting on table. Roll that edge of dough outward, turning a slight edge at a time, until the entire disc has a thinner edge than its center. Each dumpling skin should be about 3-inches wide.

Form crescent-moon dumplings: Place a rounded teaspoon of filling in center of each skin, smoothing it to within 1/2-inch of edge. Fold in half to completely enclose filling, then pinch one end and pleat dough edges from one side all the way across the top. (Press about 1/4-inch of dough at a time for each pleat.)

Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Prepare dipping sauce: Combine equal parts of soy sauce and Chinese red vinegar, or to taste. Set aside.

Boiling method: Bring large pot of water to a boil. Gently place one dumpling at a time in boiling water using a slotted spoon. Stir gently to prevent any dumplings from sticking to the pot. (Place no more than 20 dumplings in boiling water at a time).

Cover; when water returns to the boil, add one cup cold water and cover again. Do this two more times, or until dumplings float to the top.

Steaming method: Place lettuce or cabbage leaf (nappa) over bottom of steamer basket placed over an inch of boiling water in a pan. Put in dumplings, keeping lid ajar and cooking about 15 minutes until dumpling dough is transparent.

Pan-frying method: Grease bottom of frying pan generously with peanut oil. Place dumplings in pan, bottoms down, and place pan over high heat.

When lightly browned, carefully add 1/4-inch of water and 1 tablespoon of white vinegar. Keep lid ajar and cook on medium heat until water is gone. Dumpling dough should be transparent. If not, add more water and vinegar and cook until done.

Presentation: Serve hot, with dipping sauce.