Chicken, Fennel, and Apple Guo-Tie

Preparation

1. Make the dumpling wrappers

   Step 1

   Place the flour in a medium mixing bowl. Gently pour in the water, incorporating it with the flour with a silicone spatula until loosely combined.

   Step 2

   Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth, about 10 minutes.

   Step 3

   Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

   Step 4

   Dust the work surface with flour, then cut the dough into 4 pieces.

   Step 5

   Roll each piece into a small log.

   Step 6

   Cut each log into 6 approximately 1-inch pieces, then sprinkle with a generous amount of flour.

   Step 7

   Place each piece on your work surface, cut side up. With the palm of your hand, press down to make a roughly flattened circle.

   Step 8

   Dust both sides of the circle with flour. Using a rolling pin, roll around the edges to create a circular wrapper of your desired thinness.

   Step 9

   Cover with plastic wrap so they don’t dry out. If you’re not folding dumplings right away, dust with flour or cornstarch on both sides of the wrappers. Lay the wrappers flat on a large tray or plate (their edges can slightly overlap to save space) and cover with plastic wrap. Store in the fridge for up to a day.

2. Make the filling

   Step 10

   In a medium mixing bowl, combine the fennel with the ¼ teaspoon salt and mix with your hands until incorporated. Let the fennel sit for 5 to 10 minutes to sweat out water. Transfer the fennel to a thin dish cloth or some paper towels and squeeze out all the excess water. Set aside.

   Step 11

   In a food processor, blend the chicken thighs until thoroughly ground.

   Step 12

   In a large mixing bowl, combine the fennel, chicken, apple, garlic, ginger, remaining 1 tablespoon salt, brown sugar, sesame oil, and soy sauce. With your hands, using a circular motion, mix together until the filling looks homogenous and feels sticky, about 3 minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in the fridge until ready to form the dumplings, up to a day in advance.

3. Make the dumplings

   Step 13

   When ready to fold, place a spoonful of filling about a third the size of the wrapper into the center of the wrapper. Seal the dumpling using the fold of your choice. Repeat until you’ve run out of filling or wrappers. Tip: If you have extra filling, stir-fry and eat with a bowl of rice or form into meatballs and roast on a parchment paper–lined sheet pan in a 400°F oven for 20 minutes until cooked through.

   Step 14

   In a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon neutral oil and place the dumplings in the pan, bottoms down. Fry for 1 to 2 minutes, until the bottoms have browned. Add ½ cup of water to the pan and place a lid on top (the water will splatter when it hits the oil, so be careful!). Reduce the heat to medium and steam for 6 to 8 minutes, adding more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if the water evaporates. Fetch the dumplings from the pan, and serve.