Chinese Meat Pies with Scallion Ginger Cilantro Butter
These Forbidden City Chinese Meat Pies with Scallion Ginger Cilantro Butter are not your traditional pie per se, but more like Chinese potstickers on steroids. Adapted from Mandy’s Jaded Door Nail Meat Pies over at Lady and Pups.
Dough: In a stand-mixer with dough-hook knead bread flour, 1 cup (240 grams) of warm water and salt on low speed for 3 minutes, scraping down the bottom and sides if needed, until incorporated. Switch to high speed and knead for another 8 minutes until smooth and very elastic. Now add 1 extra tbsp of water and continue to knead on high for another 5 minutes, until the dough is shiny elastic. Adding the water in 2 stages increases the water-absorbency of the flour. Cover the bowl with plastic-wrap and allow to rest for 2 hours.
Filling: In a bowl, mix ground pork, diced scallions, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, ground white pepper and brown sugar with your hand. Keep stirring until you feel the mixture getting thick and resistant, then mix in the water, 1 tbsp at a time, until it's fully absorbed into the mixture, about 30 seconds for each addition. Cover with plastic-wrap and set aside in the fridge.
Scallion Ginger Cilantro Butter: In a food-processor, pulse butter with diced ginger until evenly pureed, scraping the sides a few times. Add the scallions, cilantro and purée until finely minced into the butter. This took a minute or two, set aside.
Assemble Meat Pies: This dough is extremely sticky, so dust it with more flour as you go. Pull about 2 tbsp of the dough and set it on a flour-dusted surface. Flatten into a thin disk with your hands, but making the edges gradually thinner than the center. Place about 3 tbsp of filling in the center, then pull the sides of the dough up and pinch it tightly to seal on the top. Then with your palms, gently pat and squeeze all around the pie to evenly distribute the filling, then set aside on a floured tray. Repeat with the rest. This made 12 small meat pies. Flash freeze the pies for about 1 hour until slightly hardened, then shape them into round cylinders about 1 1/2" tall with flat tops and bottoms.
Cooking the Meat Pies: Coat the bottom of a flat non-stick skillet with 2 tbsp canola oil and heat over medium-high heat, then arrange the peat pies with about 1" space in between. Once they start to sizzle, add 3 tablespoons of water and put the lid on immediately (the pies are thick so they need steam to help cooked through). Turn the heat down to medium and cook for 6 minutes until the steam has fully evaporated, and the bottom of the pies are a crispy, golden brown. Flip the pies and cover with lid only halfway. Cook for an additional 5 minutes until the second side is golden brown as well. Transfer to a serving plate, and rub the tops with the scallion butter and dust with chili flakes. Serve immediately with rice wine vinegar (optional).