Oyaki (vegetable dumplings)

Makes 8 Starters and mains

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Method

To make the dough, combine the flour and starch in a bowl. Pour in 140ml boiling water and mix with a spatula. Once the dough has cooled slightly, knead by hand, first in the bowl and then on a work surface sprinkled with a little potato starch if the dough is too sticky. Once the dough is smooth, form a ball, wrap in a damp tea towel and leave to rest for 1 hour at room temperature.

Meanwhile, to prepare the squash filling, steam the squash until tender, then drain and mash, together with the potato starch if using red kuri, with a masher. Add the soy sauce, sugar and a pinch of salt and mix, then stir in the walnuts. Form 4 balls of filling and set aside in the fridge.

To prepare the aubergine and miso filling, make the seasoning by mixing the miso, sake, soy sauce, mirin and sugar in a bowl.

Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the aubergine and mushroom cubes and sauté over a medium heat until the aubergine is tender, then add the seasoning and sauté for 4–5 minutes until the liquid has evaporated. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.

To make the oyaki, lightly flour the work surface with starch. Form the dough into a log and cut it into 8 equal portions. Roll out each ball to form 10cm diameter rounds, making sure the edges are thinner than the centre. Put 1tbsp aubergine or pumpkin filling in the centre of each round and close by pinching the dough at the top to form a ball. Position each oyaki with its closed side underneath and flatten slightly.

Heat some oil in a frying pan that has a lid over a medium heat. Add the oyaki and brown on both sides, then pour in 100ml water, cover and cook for 8 minutes over a medium-low heat. If the water evaporates before the end of cooking, add a little more.

Serve hot or leave to cool and freeze. To serve from frozen, reheat for 5 to 6 minutes in a steamer basket or 5 to 6 minutes covered with 50ml water in a lightly oiled frying pan.