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Ingredients  

Spicemix

  • 1 tbsp Szechuan peppercorns
  • 1 x 3 inch piece of cinnamon
  • 1/2 star anise
  • 1 tbsp fennel seeds
  • 2 tbsp coriander seeds
  • 1 tbsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tbsp black peppercorns
  • 1 tsp hot chilli flakes (optional)

Fermented dough

  • 500 g strong bread flour
  • 7 g fast acting dried yeast
  • 10 g salt
  • 325 g water

For the dumplings

  • 400 g slow cooked venison shoulder
  • 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 2 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 finely chopped spring onion
  • 1 inch finely chopped ginger
  • a little water
  • 1 red chilli, finely chopped
  • 1/2 tsp shrimp paste, if you have it
  • 1/2 bunch, fresh coriander

For the dip

  • 1 tbsp ketchup
  • 1 tbsp dark soy
  • 2 tbsp light soy
  • 1 tbsp soft dark brown sugar
  • 2 tsp rice wine vinegar / lime juice
  • 1 tsp finely chopped ginger root
  • 1 tsp sesame oil

Instructions

  • For the spice mix
  • Toast all these together in a dry pan over a moderate heatuntil you can smell the spices starting to come alive. Blend all the spices ina spice grinder to a coarse powder – a jug blender or a pestle and mortar willdo the job if you don’t have a spice grinder or one big enough.
  • You can keep this spice mix in a jar for up to 6 months

Fermented dough

  • Place the flour, salt, and yeast in a large mixing bowl, add the water and work into a dough, Kneed until the dough becomes smooth and elastic – cover the bowl and allow the dough to prove somewhere warm until doubled in size, knock the dough back, lightly drizzle it with olive oil and either use straight away or store in the fridge until required – remove it from the fridge half an hour or so before you need it, if you get the chance.

For the dip

  • Mixeverything together – add chilli of you like a bit of a kick.

To make the dumplings

  • First, dress the meat; chop the cold venison up a little, season it with some of the seven spice, garlic, ginger, spring onion, chilli and light soy sauce.
  • Now, make 4 balls of dough slightly larger than a golf ball and using a rolling pin and a lightly floured work surface roll them out into rounds roughly 4 to 5 inches across – don’t worry if they are not perfect!Things seldom are.
  • Spoon an even quantity of the meat mixture into the middle of each round and then lightly moisten the rim of each round with a little water. Now, fold the west and east sides of the dough back over the meat so that they just meet in the middle, pinch the middle to hold them there whilst you repeat the process with the north and south dough flaps, now carefully pinch along the seams so you have a sort of X shaped seal with the meaty treats trapped inside.
  • Cut 4 pieces of non-stick parchment large enough for each bun to sit on plus a little extra to make them easier to handle, then sit each bun on top of a pierce of parchment. Allow them to prove for around 10 minutes before lifting them up using a fish slice under the paper and pop them (still on the parchment!) into the steamer – set a timer for 6 minutes whilst you whizz up the above dip recipe.
  • After 6 minutes check the progress of the cookery by gently prodding one of the buns to check the dish is fully set – take care not to steam your fingers! – if they are nicely set then feel free to remove them to a serving dish, remove the paper, scatter over some coriander leaf, some shredded ginger, toasted sesame seeds, or whatever else you fancy garnish wise and drizzle with a little of the dip.