in a medium bowl, combine the flour and salt. Gradually pour in the hot water, stirring with a danish dough whisk or wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 30 minutes
Place the chopped napa cabbage in a bowl, sprinkle with ½ tsp salt and massage it together. let sit for 10–15 minutes. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible, then transfer to a clean bowl. Add the ground chicken, cilantro, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, scallions, rice vinegar, cornstarch, white pepper, and chili flakes if using. Mix until cohesive and slightly sticky, then refrigerate while you prepare the rest of our dish
Gently poke a hole in the middle of your dough. Flour your hands and gently stretch out your dough into a long oval bagel shape. Divide the rested dough into 20 g pieces with a bench scraper. Roll or pat each into a 3-inch round (refer to tip section) . Do not stack the wrappers, they will stick. Either work one at a time by rolling, filling, and shaping each wrapper, or roll them all out and give each one its own space on the countertop without overlapping. This will save you a lot of frustration and keep all that hard work intact
Place 1 teaspoon of filling in the center of each wrapper, fold, and pinch to seal. add shaped dumplings to a baking sheet, and place in the fridge for now
Heat a 10 or 12 inch stainless steel saucepan over medium heat. add your butter and neutral oil, add the shallot and cook for 2–3 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and grated ginger, cook for 30–45 seconds until fragrant. Add the red curry paste and cook for about 2 minutes to bloom. Sprinkle in your seasonings, then pour in the 120 grams of coconut cream . Stir continuously for 2–3 minutes until emulsified. Now, add the 400 grams coconut milk, oyster sauce, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, and brown sugar. Simmer for 10 minutes until slightly thickened, then turn off heat
Juice half of a lime, then finish the sauce with 1 teaspoon of lime juice at a time, tasting as you go. adjust the acidity to your preference. Add the basil, then taste and adjust seasoning with salt if needed. You’ll likely find it doesn’t need any additional salt
Heat a thin layer of neutral oil in a skillet over medium heat and pan-fry the dumplings flat-side down for 2–3 minutes until golden. Carefully add ¼ cup water, cover, and steam for 4–5 minutes until cooked through
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Nestle the dumplings into the sauce that we just whipped up inner stainless steel pan. Cover with an oven safe lid or foil and bake for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 8–10 minutes until bubbling and the dumplings have a light crisp on the tops that are peaking through the sauce
Finish with chopped basil, sesame seeds, scallions, chili crisp or sesame oil if desired. Serve fresh with rice or enjoy on its own!