Steamed Dumplings (with Dipping Sauce)

Prepare a steamer. (I used a traditional bamboo steamer set over a pot of boiling water, but you could also use a colander with a tight-fitting lid.) Line your steamer with banana leaf if you have them. Banana leaf is perfect for this since it won't stick to the dumplings , OR place the dumplings on a small greased plate inside the colander. Or you can try lightly greasing the colander.

Place the first 8 ingredients in a food processor and blitz to create the filling. OR simply stir all 8 ingredients together in a mixing bowl until well blended.

Wrapping 6-8 dumplings at a time, lay out 6-8 wonton wrappers on a clean working surface. You will also need a small dish of water. Spoon a little of the filling in the middle of each wrapper, then dip your fingers in the water and run them around the outside of the wrapper to moisten it.

Bring the sides of the wrapper up over the filling and press together to seal. If it doesn't seal, moisten the edges with a little more water. Pinch along the seal to create a decorative edge (see picture). Gently push down on the top of the dumpling to make it "sit". Set the finished dumplings on a plate dusted with a little corn starch or flour.

Steam the dumplings, or cover and refrigerate up to 3 hours (for more make-ahead instructions, see below). Place dumplings in steamer and steam on high heat for 15 to 20 minutes.

While dumplings are steaming, stir the dipping sauce ingredients together. Do a taste test, adding more lime juice if too salty for your taste, or more sugar if you'd prefer it sweeter.

When dumplings are cooked, remove from the steamer and serve immediately with the dipping sauce on the side.

Optional Last Step : For chewier dumplings (goyza / potsticker style), set a frying pan over medium heat with 1 Tbsp. oil. Briefly fry the steamed dumplings to brown the bottom and sides. Note that they will brown very quickly (and also burn quickly). This step only takes a few extra seconds and makes the dumplings extra delicious.

Make-Ahead Instructions: If serving company, I recommend steaming the dumplings ahead of time (up to 1 day). Then cool, cover, and place in the refrigerator. When your company arrives, re-steam on high heat for 5 minutes and serve. Leftover cooked dumplings can also be frozen. ENJOY!