Soup dumplings

Put the pork skin and bones in a big pot, cover with water, partially lid it and bring to a boil; foamy scum rises to the top.

Discard that water, wash the scum off the skin and bones, scrape any attached fat off the pork skin with a chef's knife and cut the skin into bite-sized pieces with scissors so the gelatin dissolves faster.

Put the skin and bones into a new clean pot with the ginger slices, scallions and 5 cups of water, lid it and bring to a boil.

Add the jinhua ham; it is salty already, so the broth needs no seasoning.

Turn the heat to the lowest and simmer three hours, until the pork skin breaks apart with chopsticks and the broth is milky and creamy.

Pour everything through a sieve into a measuring cup; you want about 300 g of broth, about a cup and a quarter. Reduce it if there is more, add water if less.

Cover and chill overnight until completely set; it keeps three days in the fridge.

Ten minute alternative: boil 4.5 tbsp gelatin powder, a quarter teaspoon of salt and 1.5 to 2 cups of good unsalted stock, simmer 10 minutes until about 1.25 cups remain, then chill and set the same way.

Cut the set jello into slabs, then strips, then mince it finely and quickly so it does not warm up; return it to the fridge.

Dissolve half a teaspoon of salt into 150 g of water and pour it into 300 g of bread flour in batches, stirring to incorporate.

Knead by hand, or run a stand mixer with the hook on low 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic; adjust flour or water for your brand of flour.

Shape into a short log, cover and rest 1 hour so the starch and gluten fully absorb the water and the dough becomes stretchy.

Combine the minced scallions, garlic and ginger with white pepper, Sichuan peppercorn powder and roasted sesame seeds.

Heat the vegetable oil to smoking hot and pour it over the aromatics to activate the flavour; mix and set aside.

Cut the pork shoulder into pieces and blend in a food processor in two batches.

Mix the pork with salt, sugar, soy sauce and the aromatics, then pour in a quarter cup of water in batches, stirring in one direction to develop the texture until all the liquid is absorbed.

Combine the meat with the minced broth jello and mix a few minutes until everything sticks together; cover and refrigerate.

Roll the rested dough into a long even strip and divide it into 32 pieces of about 14 grams, flipping the strip between cuts so the cut faces do not stick; flour and cover with plastic film.

Flatten a piece cut side up, roll the edge back and forth with a rolling pin while rotating with the left hand, to a round wrapper about 3 inches across, thick in the middle and thinner at the edge.

Pack filling into the middle, pinch and fold pleats about one fifth of an inch wide all the way round, pulling the wrapper slightly between pinches, then twist and pinch closed. He uses 25 grams of filling to a 14 gram wrapper; 18 grams is easier for beginners.

Fold parchment paper in half twice, then along the angular bisector twice, trim it to the steamer and cut holes for the steam.

Place the dumplings in with space between them, since they flatten as they cook.

Freezing is not recommended: about 30% break and leak after two weeks and about 50% after a month.

Bring a pot of water to a boil, set the steamer on and steam over high heat 15 minutes.

Mix the dipping sauce of apple cider vinegar, light soy sauce and julienned ginger.

Lift each dumpling by its top knot, make a small opening to let the soup flow out, blow to cool and sip, then add the dipping sauce and ginger and eat it in one bite.