Shanghai Soup Dumplings

Ingredients

• 1 cup vinegar black
• 2.8 pounds chicken wings 
• 75 square round dumpling wrappers () (from two 14-ounce packages)
• 0.5 teaspoon ginger fresh finely grated peeled
• 2 inch ginger fresh peeled
• 1 large garlic clove minced
• 1 tablespoon gelatin powder unflavored (from 2 envelopes)
• 2 tablespoons matchstick-size strips ginger fresh peeled very thin
• 0.3 cup green onions finely chopped (white parts only)
• 0.5 teaspoon ground pepper black
• 1 pound ground pork 
• 2.5 ounces smithfield ham smoked chinese-style cut into 4 slices
• 1 large head napa cabbage separated
• 0.8 teaspoon salt 
• 0.3 teaspoon asian sesame oil 
• 0.5 teaspoon rice wine chinese ( rice wine)
• 1  shiitake mushroom dried whole
• 0.3 pound shrimp deveined uncooked peeled finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons soya sauce 
• 3 tablespoons sugar 
• 10 cups water ()

Equipment

• bowl
• baking sheet
• baking paper
• pot
• wooden spoon
• wok
• steamer basket

Directions

1. Stock your pantry
2. Look for the ingredients and supplies featured here at an Asian market or online at adrianascaravan.com: Chinese-style cured smoked ham (or use Smithfield ham), dried shiitake mushrooms, Shaoxing (also spelled Shao Hsing) wine, black vinegar, dumpling wrappers (don't use wonton wrappers; they are too thin), and bamboo steamer sets.
3. Make the soup
4. Combine 10 cups water and all remaining soup ingredients except gelatin in large pot. Bring to boil, spooning off any foam that rises to surface. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until chicken pieces are very soft and beginning to fall apart, adding more water by cupfuls if necessary to keep chicken submerged, about 2 hours 30 minutes.
5. Strain and chill
6. Strain soup; discard solids. Return broth to same pot. Boil until reduced to 2 cups, about 35 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Pour 3 tablespoons water into small bowl; sprinkle gelatin over.
8. Let stand until gelatin softens.
9. Add to hot broth; stir until gelatin is dissolved.
10. Transfer to 13x9x2-inch glass dish. Cover; refrigerate aspic overnight.
11. Make the sauce
12. Mix 1 cup black vinegar, 6 tablespoons soy sauce, and 2 tablespoons fresh ginger strips in small bowl. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.
13. Make the filling
14. Combine all filling ingredients in large bowl and mix with fork just until blended.
15. Cut aspic into 1/3-inch cubes.
16. Add aspic to pork mixture; stir gently with wooden spoon just until incorporated. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
17. Assemble the dumplings
18. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
19. Place 1 dumpling wrapper on work surface. Spoon 1 very generous teaspoon filling onto center of wrapper, including at least 2 or 3 aspic cubes.
20. Pleat the wrapper
21. Lightly brush edges of dumpling wrapper with water. Bring 1 corner of wrapper up around filling, then pleat remaining edges of wrapper at regular intervals all around filling until filling is enclosed and wrapper forms bundle-like shape with small opening at top.
22. Twist the top
23. Gather top edges of wrapper together and twist at top to enclose filling.
24. Place on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling. DO AHEAD Can be refrigerated, covered, for 1 day, or frozen in single layer in covered containers for 2 weeks.
25. Prepare the steamer
26. Line each layer of bamboo steamer basket with cabbage leaves; place over wok filled with enough water to reach just below bottom of bamboo steamer basket. (Or line metal steamer rack with cabbage leaves and set over water in large pot.)
27. Place dumplings atop cabbage, spacing apart.
28. Steam the dumplings
29. Bring water to boil. Cover; steam until cooked through, adding more water to wok if evaporating too quickly, about 12 minutes for fresh dumplings and 15 minutes for frozen.
30. Serve dumplings immediately, passing sauce alongside for dipping.