For the wrappers:

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2 aubergine (Serves 4 people)

200 ml vegetable oil

4 tbsp cornflour

4 tbsp water

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For the filling:

¼ cup dried shiitake mushrooms ((7 to 8 small mushrooms) (*Footnote 1))

2 tablespoons dried wood ear mushrooms ((or ½ cup minced bamboo shoots) (*Footnote 2))

½ pack dried rice vermicelli ((*Footnote 3))

2 cups cabbage (, shredded)

½ block (225-g / 8-oz) firm tofu (, crumbled by hand)

1 cup carrot (, shredded (about 4 carrots))

4 cloves garlic (, minced)

1 tablespoon ginger (, minced)

4 tablespoons peanut oil ((or vegetable oil, separated, and more to fry the dumplings))

3 tablespoons soy sauce (, separated)

1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine ((or dry sherry))

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 teaspoon maple syrup

½ cup green onions (, finely chopped)

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For the sauce:

2 crushed garlic

2 spring onions, finely chopped

3 parts balsamic vinegar

3 parts rice wine vinegar

1 part all purpose Kikkoman gf soy sauce (or light soy sauce)

1 part water

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp white sugar

1 chilli finely chopped (optional for extra kick)

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1. Add the shiitake mushrooms to a medium sized bowl and add at least 1 cup of hot water to cover. Rehydrate until the mushrooms turn completely soft, 30 minutes or so. Gently rinse with tap water and drain. Remove the tough stems and mince the mushrooms. It yields about ¼ cup of loosely packed minced mushrooms.

2. Add the dried wood ear mushrooms to a medium sized bowl and add at least 1 cup of hot water to cover. Rehydrate until the mushrooms turn completely soft, 30 minutes or so. Gently rinse with tap water and drain. Remove the tough ends, if any, and mince the mushrooms if they are big, or thinly shred them if small. It should yield about ½ cup of loosely packed minced mushrooms.

3. Cook the dried rice vermicelli until tender according to the package instructions. Drain and and measure 1 cup of cooked vermicelli. Coarsely chop them to about ½-inch (1 cm) length pieces.

4. Add 2 tablespoons peanut oil into a large nonstick pan and heat over medium heat until hot. Add the garlic and ginger. Stir a few times to release the fragrance.

5. Add the rehydrated and chopped shiitake mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, and carrots. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add the cabbage, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and curry powder. Cook and stir for another 2 minutes, until the cabbage turns tender and all the liquid has evaporated. Transfer everything to a big plate to cool.

6. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil into the same pan. Add the tofu. Stir and cook the tofu for 1 minute. Further break up the tofu into smaller chunks with your spatula while cooking. Add the cooked vermicelli, the remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce and the maple syrup. Cook and stir until all the liquid has evaporated, 2 minutes or so. Transfer everything into a big mixing bowl and let cool for a few minutes.

7. Once the tofu and the cabbage mixtures have cooled to a warm temperature, add the cabbage mixture into the same mixing bowl with the tofu. Add the green onion. Stir to mix well.

8. Prepare your working station by placing the dumpling filling, wrappers, and a large tray on your table. Fill a small bowl with water and set it aside.

9. Chop both ends of the aubergine, then cut 5 mm from the end vertically down but don’t cut through. Leave about 5mm at the end. Then move 5 mm horizontally back and down again this time all the way. This creates a pocket to hold the filling.

10. Fill the aubergine pocket with filling, then press together making sure the filling doesn’t spill out.

11. Heat the pan on high heat with a thin, 5 mm deep, layer of vegetable oil.

12. Dunk the aubergine dumpling in the cornflour mix.

13. Place batches into the pan and fry each side for 3 minutes or until browned and thoroughly cooked.

14. Move the cooked aubergine dumplings onto a plate with kitchen towel to drain the excess oil.

15. Make the sauce, by finely slicing the chilli, spring onion and garlic mix together with the sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, water and sesame oil.

16. Plate the aubergine dumplings and pour the sauce on top.