CRAB "SOUP DUMPLINGS" (DIM SUM)

Steps:

• Hours or a day before making the dumplings, cook the agar-agar in the chicken broth until completely dissolved. Pour into a shallow dish. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours until it gels.
• Mix all the filling ingredients.
• Dice the gelled agar-agar/broth into small pieces and mix with the filling ingredients.
• Refrigerate this mixture.
• To make the wrappers:.
• Mix flour and egg.
• Add water a little at a time until a soft but not sticky dough is formed.
• Knead until dough is smooth and elastic.
• Roll the dough into a long sausage, 1 inch in diameter.
• Cut the dough into walnut-sized pices, then roll them into round balls; cover the balls with a damp towel.
• You are now going to make crescent-shaped dumplings.
• Dust your work surface with a little flour.
• Roll a piece of dough into a paper-thin circle.
• Put about a tablespoon of filling (now including the gelled broth) in the center of the circle.
• Fold the circle in half to look like a half-moon.
• Pleat the top curved edge.
• Pinch the pleated edge and the unpleated edge together to seal.
• Gently tap the crescent's round bottom so that it can stand up.
• Place the crescent-shaped dumpling between towels.
• Make the remaining crescents in the same way.
• Place a layer of cheesecloth in the bottom of a steamer.
• Arrange the crescent dumplings on the cloth.
• Cover and steam over high heat for 10 minutes.
• Serve hot with ginger-vinegar-soy dip.
• To make the dip:.
• Mix all dip ingredients in a serving bowl, cover, and allow to stand at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before serving; it should keep for hours at room temperature.