Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in room temperature water for 1 hr, or in hot water for 15–20 minutes, until completely softened. Drain, finely chop, and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, chopped shiitake mushrooms, ginger, soy sauce, white pepper, salt, egg white, and scallions. Pour in the heated oil and stir in one direction until the filling becomes sticky and well combined.
Place about 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of each dumpling wrapper. Lightly wet the edges with water, pinch the center together, then pleat and seal the edges.
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Arrange the dumplings in a single layer and cook for about 1 minute, until the bottoms are lightly golden.
Carefully add 1/3 to 1/2 cup water, or enough to come about halfway up the sides of the dumplings. Immediately cover and steam for about 5 minutes, or until most of the water has evaporated and the pork is cooked through.
Remove the lid and continue cooking until the remaining water has completely evaporated and the bottoms of the dumplings are golden and crisp.
Mix the dipping sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Serve the dumplings with the dipping sauce, or drizzle with chili oil and garnish with chopped scallions.
Freezing & Storage:
- Uncooked dumplings freeze best.
- Place on a tray, freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag.
- Cook straight from frozen. Do not thaw!
- Add 1–2 extra minutes to cooking time.
Calories: 58kcal, Carbohydrates: 3g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 8mg, Sodium: 138mg, Potassium: 95mg, Fiber: 0.5g, Sugar: 0.1g, Vitamin A: 13IU, Vitamin C: 0.4mg, Calcium: 3mg, Iron: 0.2mg