Ham Sui Kok/Fried Crescent Dumplings

This is one particular item that I will order each time we have dim sum. These golden beauties are not admired for their filling but their pastry, it is deep-fried enough to give it a crispy light outside, soft-chewy inside with a delicious meat filling. I always wanted to learn to make this and finally get to do so with a friend of mine not too long ago. I never knew they were so easy to make. If you like this type of pastry I hope you try this out.

Ingredients for the fillings:

1 cup ground chicken or pork
3 dried shiitake mushroom – soaked until soft and diced small
1 small carrot – diced small
1 small onion – diced small
2 cloves garlic - chopped
2 green onions – diced small
A small bunch of chives – cut small
1/2 cup water
1 tsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water

Seasonings:

1 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp pepper
salt to taste

1. Heat up some oil in a wok, stir fry garlic and onion until fragrant and lightly brown. Add in ground meat. Break up the meat and continue to cook until the meat changes color. Add in the mushrooms and carrot. Stir fry for a few minutes and add in all the seasoning and water.
2. Continue to simmer until the meat is cooked and add in the cornstarch mixture. Stir until sauce thickens. Add in the spring onions,chives and sesame oil. Stir until combined. Remove from heat and set it aside to cool down before using.

Ingredients for the Pastry:
Adapted from CH3RRI

2 cups glutinous rice flour
2/3 cup wheat starch
2/3 cup hot boiling water
3/4 - 1 cup water
5 tbsp sugar

1. Place wheat starch in a large bowl and add in hot boiling water. Stir with chopsticks until dough comes together.
2. Stir in sugar and mix well. Mix in glutinous rice flour. Stir and add in water slowly (you might not need the whole cup) to form dough. If the dough is too wet then add in just a little more glutinous rice flour.
3. Divide into 18 - 20 pieces. Fatten out the dough with your fingers, add in 1 ½ tsp fillings. Close up the dough and form into dumpling like shape (don't put too much filling as it will be difficult to wrap them up)
6. Heat oil on medium heat and fry dumplings until golden.

Note: Do not fry it over high heat or your dumplings won’t get crispy and it might explode while frying.