Ingredients
Dough
1 cup (250 mL) water
½ tsp (2 mL) salt
2½ cups (625 mL) all-purpose flour
Peanut or canola oil
Additional all-purpose flour
Filling
¾ lb (375 g) Lean Ground Beef
1½ tsp (7 mL) cornstarch
½ tsp (2 mL) salt
¼ tsp (1 mL) ground white pepper
1 tbsp (15 mL) EACH light soy sauce and oyster sauce
1 cup (250 mL) thinly sliced green onions, about 3½ oz (100 g)
1 tbsp (15 mL) minced gingerroot
1 tbsp (15 mL) peanut or canola oil
Instructions
- Dough: Combine water and salt in a measuring cup, stirring until the salt dissolves. Place 2½ cups (625 mL) flour in a large bowl. Add 2 tbsp (30 mL) oil to flour and rub it in with your hands until evenly mixed. Add the water mixture, while stirring constantly, and stir until a shaggy dough forms. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes.
- Filling: Combine beef, cornstarch, salt, pepper, soy sauce and oyster sauce in a bowl. Stir until well mixed, then continue stirring in one direction until the mixture becomes homogeneous and pasty. Stir in green onions, gingerroot and oil. Cover and refrigerate.
- Knead dough for about 5 minutes, until smooth and elastic, dusting hands with just enough flour to prevent sticking. Roll the dough into a log and cut into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 4-inch (10 cm) log. Pour about 2 tbsp (30 mL) oil into a shallow dish, roll each log in the oil to coat well and place in another dish that can hold all the logs in a single layer. Cover dish with food storage wrap and let rest at room temperature for 1 hour.
- Divide the meat mixture into 8 equal portions and roll each into a ball; place on a plate. Cover and refrigerate until assembling pies.
- Lightly oil work surface and a rolling pin; pour a small amount of oil into a small bowl. Working with one piece of dough at a time, flatten out the log with one narrow end closest to you on the oiled surface, pressing it down with the heel of your hand. Using the rolling pin, roll the dough into a 4- x 12-inch (10 x 30 cm) rectangle. Working on the section of the rectangle closest to you at the narrow end, roll about one-third of the rectangle to be as thin as possible by rolling over the section back and forth crosswise and vertically. Rub the thicker part of dough on the counter lightly with oil. Place a portion of meat on the thin end and pull the two lower corners and the edges over and around the meat to enclose it completely. Roll up the enclosed meat (the package) along the rectangle; when you get to the thicker part of the dough, start gently stretching out the dough by pulling the package toward you (stretch it as much as you can without breaking it). Continue rolling up the package to end of rectangle as you stretch the dough to make a rough cylinder. Tuck the end underneath. Stand the cylinder on one end and press down to flatten it to a thick disk, about 4 inches (10 cm) in diameter; place on a plate. Repeat with remaining meat and dough, oiling the work surface, rolling pin and dough each time.
- Heat ¼-inch (0.5 cm) of oil over medium-low heat in large, heavy skillet. Just before cooking, if the dough has shrunk, press down on the disks again to flatten to 4 inches (10 cm) in diameter. Add to skillet, in batches as necessary, spacing them 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart. Cover and cook for 1 minute or until bottoms are firm. Turn over and cover. Cook, for 5 minutes, turning occasionally, until pies have a crisp golden crust. Remove the lid and cook for 5 minutes, turning occasionally and adjusting heat as necessary to prevent burning, until crust is crispy and golden brown and a digital instant-read thermometer inserted sideways into centre of each pie reads 160ºF (71ºC) at the least. Transfer to a rack to cool slightly. Repeat with remaining pies, adding oil to skillet between batches as necessary. Serve hot.