Umami broth with pork and chive dumplings

This umami broth with pork and chive dumplings is a Vietnamese classic. It’s made with pork, five-spice powder and other aromatics, served in a deliciously flavoured broth, and in some recipes it can take 24 hours to make. Thankfully, this one takes a lot less time, but packs a powerful punch.

Ingredients (serves 4)

For the broth:

15g sun-dried tomatoes

15g porcini mushrooms

2 garlic cloves, peeled

Approx. 20g Parmesan rind

4 black olives

1 bay leaf

½tbsp balsamic vinegar

1½tbsp fish sauce

For the dumplings:

175g lean pork mince

3 asparagus spears, finely chopped

10g chives, finely chopped

1¼tsp five-spice powder

1tbsp tamari or dark soy sauce

¾tbsp fish sauce

1tsp hoisin sauce (or a pinch of sugar)

Generous pinch of black pepper

½tsp cornflour

16 gyoza wrappers (available from Asian supermarkets, often in the freezer section)

Method

Place all of the broth ingredients apart from the balsamic vinegar and fish sauce in a large saucepan and cover with 1.5 litres of water. Slowly bring to the boil, then simmer for about 35–40 minutes. Strain through a sieve lined with muslin or a clean J-cloth. Return to a clean saucepan and add the balsamic vinegar and fish sauce.

While the stock is cooking, make the dumplings. Mix the pork mince, asparagus, chives, five-spice powder, tamari or soy sauce, fish sauce, hoisin, black pepper and cornflour until thoroughly combined.

Lay out the gyoza wrappers, covering with a damp tea-towel to stop them from drying out while you work. Have a small bowl of cold water on standby. Holding a wrapper in one hand, place a teaspoon of mixture in the centre.

Dip your fingers into the water and dampen the edges, then fold in half to create a semi-circle, pinching together at the top. Fold pleats along the edge of the dumpling, pinching them together as you go to make sure the wrapper is sealed (or simply seal them when folded into half-moon shapes if you wish). Place the dumpling on a baking tray lined with parchment, cover with a damp tea-towel and continue until all the wrappers have been filled.

Bring the stock to a very gentle simmer. Bring a separate, very large saucepan, or wide frying pan full of water, to the boil. Poach the gyoza dumplings for no longer than five minutes, flipping over after two minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to four bowls and cover with the hot umami broth. Serve immediately.

Taken from: Skinny Soups by Kathryn Bruton (Kyle Books, £14.99)

Photography by Laura Edwards