These pan-fried dumplings are a traditional Chinese New Year dish, often enjoyed with family as part of the holiday celebrations. Their shape is commonly associated with ancient Chinese gold ingots, symbolizing wealth and prosperity for the year ahead.

Ingredients

• 1½ teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry
• 2 teaspoons thin soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 cups chopped scallion greens
• 4 tablespoons chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon ginger
• round wonton wrappers
• canola or peanut oil for frying

Instructions

Mix all ingredients except the wrappers in a large bowl. Take a tablespoon of filling and put it in center of wrapper. Brush the rest of the wrapper with a wet pastry brush. Fold it over the filling and with your fingers pleat and overlap the two edges to seal. Keep covered with plastic wrap or a towel until all the dumplings are assembled. Poach in a pot of boiling water for a couple of minutes. Remove and sprinkle with a little oil to prevent them from sticking. To fry them, pour a little oil into a frying pan; when the oil is very hot, put the dumplings in the pan and fry until golden brown on one side. Turn and fry until the other side is golden. (They cook quickly, about 1 minute per side.)

For a dipping sauce, mix a tablespoon of chopped, fresh ginger with ½ cup light soy sauce and 1 tablespoon sesame oil.