Sesame chicken potsticker dumplings with ginger chilli sauce

Makes 20, to serve four or five

For the dumplings

• 450g chicken thighs
• 4 spring onions
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• 2 tsp unsalted butter
• 80g water

For the ginger chilli sauce

• 2 fresh red chillies
• 3 cloves garlic
• 10g peeled ginger
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp distilled vinegar
• 1 tbsp oil

Step 1
Make the ginger chilli sauce by putting all the ingredients in a food processor and blending until fine.

Step 2
Tip into a small nonstick pan, cook on a medium heat for three minutes, until fragrant, then pour into a small serving bowl and set aside.

Step 3
For the filling, put the chicken, onions, soy, salt, pepper, sesame oil and egg in a food processor and blend to a smooth paste.

Step 4
Working with one wrapper at a time (keep the other wrappers covered to stop them drying out), spoon a tablespoon of the filling into the centre of each wrapper.

Step 5
Moisten the edges of the wrapper with water, and bring two opposite points to the centre, pinching along the edges to seal.

Step 6
You should end up with a semi-circle of a dumpling with a flattish base.

Step 7
Put the filled dumpling on a large baking tray sprinkled with corn flour, and cover loosely with a clean damp tea towel, to keep it from drying out.

Step 8
Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.

Step 9
Heat the vegetable oil and butter in a large, nonstick frying pan on a medium heat.

Step 10
Lay in the dumplings seam side up and cook, uncovered, for three minutes, until the bases are lightly browned.

Step 11
Add 80ml water to the pan, cover with a lid and cook for four minutes, until the liquid has been absorbed and the dumplings have taken on a crisp, lacy crust – this is what gives them their name.

Step 12
Serve at once with the dipping sauce.