To make the dough, mix the flour, salt and 40ml/1fl½ oz water together in a bowl.
Knead the mixture until the dough has a firm consistency. Leave to rest for 10 minutes.
Knead again for 2–3 minutes, then leave to rest for another 10 minutes. Repeat this step one more time.
Divide the dough into 30–35 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll out 7-8cm/2.5-3in circles, to create the dumpling wrappers.
To make the filling, mix the chicken, mushroom, shallot and ginger together in a large bowl.
Add the pepper, salt, stock cube and sugar. Mix thoroughly then add the soy sauce, vegetable oil and sesame oil.
To assemble the dumplings, weigh the filling mixture and divide the weight between how many dumpling wrappers you have.
Place this weight of mixture in the centre of each dumpling wrapper. Fold the dough in half around the filling and pinch the edges together, creating pleats around the edge.
Heat a bamboo steamer over a wok or saucepan with hot water in. Steam the dumplings for 9 minutes, or until cooked through.
To finish, heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the dumplings over a medium–high heat on their flattest side until crispy.
To serve, sprinkle the spring onion and chilli oil, red chilli and optional gold leaf over the dumplings, with the chilli sauce on the side.
