Pork and Napa Cabbage Dumplings

To make the filling, put the cabbage in a bowl and toss in ½ teaspoon salt. Set aside for about 15 minutes to draw excess moisture from the cabbage. Drain in a fine mesh strainer, flush with water, and drain again. To remove more moisture, squeeze the mixture in your hands over the sink, or put on a cotton kitchen towel (not terry cloth). Transfer the cabbage to a bowl and add the ginger, Chinese chives, and pork. Use a fork or spatula to stir and lightly mash the ingredients so that they start coming together. In a small bowl, stir together the salt, white pepper, chicken stock, soy sauce, rice wine, canola oil and sesame oil. Pour these seasonings over the pork and cabbage mixture, then stir and fold the ingredients together. Once the pork has broken up, briskly stir to blend the ingredients into a cohesive, thick mixture. There should not be any visible large chunks of pork. To develop the flavors, cover and set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes. You should have about 2 cups of filling. Is the meantime, make 16 wrappers from half of the dough. Aim for ¾ inch diameter wrappers. Before assembling the dumplings, line a parchment paper. For each of dumpling, hold a wrapper in a slightly cup hand. Scoop about 1 tablespoon of filling with a dumpling spatula, dinner knife, or fork in possession is slightly off center toward the upper half of the wrapper, pressing and shaping it into a flat mound and keeping about one half or three quarters inch of wrapper clear on all sides. Place the finished dumpling on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the other wrappers. Keep the finished dumplings covered with a dry kitchen towel, form and fill the wrappers from the remaining dough. To cook the dumplings, half fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add half of the dumplings, gently dropping each one into the water. Nudge the dumplings apart with a wooden spoon to keep them from sticking together. Return the water to a simmer and gently cook. Cook of the dumplings for about eight minutes, or until they float to the surface, look glossy, in or puffed up and and tad translucent. Remove the dumplings with a slotted spoon on to a serving plate and keep them warm with a cover or inverted bow. Return the water to a boil and cook the remaining dumplings. You can substitute lamb, beef, fish, chopped shrimp, for vegetables for half of the pork.