Xiao Long Bao (Little Buns)

These will keep you warm on a cold winter night.

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• For the wrapper

• 3  cups white flour
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons  yeast
• 2  tablespoons sugar
•  salt
•  warm water

• Filling

• 1⁄2 lb ground pork (tastes better if fattier)
• 1⁄4 lb  raw ground up shrimp (optional)
• 2 1⁄2 inches  fresh gingerroot, peeled and cut into tiny bits
• 1  egg
• 6  garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
• 1  green onions or 1⁄2 leek, sliced into tiny bits
• 1  star anise
• 3  dried japanese chilies
• 7  szechuan peppercorns (optional)
•  cooking oil
• 1 -2  tablespoon soy sauce
•  salt

Directions

1. Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Slowly add warm water; use as little as possible. Cover the dough with a hot, moist towel, and put it somewhere warm to rise.
2. Flavor the cooking oil in a wok by adding the chilies, anise, and peppercorns. Add the garlic slices and saute until cooked. Throw away the chilies, star anise and peppercorns.
3. Put the ground meat in a bowl. Pour the flavored oil and garlic onto the meat and mix the ginger, onions and egg together. Add soy sauce and salt to taste.
4. Knead your dough. Roll into 1" balls and flatten with your palms. Flour the surface and rolling pin and roll out the edges of the dough bits, making sure the center is thicker than the outsides.
5. Scoop the meat mixture into the center of the dough disc. Pinch the dough together in a circular motion around the dumplings using a watch-winding motion.
6. Steam the filled dumplings in a bamboo basket for 7-10 minutes. To prevent sticking, place the dumplings on cucumber slices.
7. Let people mix their own dipping sauce from these ingredients: dark vinegar, soy sauce, chili oil, raw garlic, sesame oil, salt.