Egg and chive jiaozi

Step 1: Mix 10 ½ oz plain flour and ¼ tsp salt, add ¾ cup cold water a little at a time and knead for 8 minutes into a smooth, firm dough. Cover and rest 30 minutes.

Step 2: Beat 4 eggs. Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok over a medium heat and scramble the eggs into small, soft curds, breaking them up with chopsticks; take them off while still just moist. Cool.

Step 3: Toss 9 oz Chinese garlic chives with 1 tbsp vegetable oil first, then mix in the cooled egg, 1 oz mung bean glass noodles, ¾ tsp salt, 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil and ¼ tsp ground white pepper. Common mistake: salting the filling long before wrapping; mix it only when you're ready to fold.

Step 4: Roll the dough into two long ropes and cut each into 20 pieces. Press each flat and roll into an 8 cm circle, thinner at the edge than the centre.

Step 5: Put a heaped teaspoon of filling in the middle, fold into a half-moon, pinch the middle shut, then pleat each side towards the centre. Set on a floured tray, not touching.

Step 6: Bring a large pan of water to a boil and add 15–20 dumplings, stirring once. When it returns to the boil, add a cup of cold water; repeat twice more. They are done when they float and look puffed, about 6–7 minutes.

Step 7: Mix 4 tbsp Chinkiang black vinegar, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 2 cloves garlic and 1 tbsp chilli oil for dipping and serve the jiaozi hot. To freeze, open-freeze the uncooked dumplings on the tray, then bag; boil from frozen for 8–9 minutes.