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Mushroom and seaweed broth with shiitake dumplings

You can save time by buying wonton wrappers instead of making your own dumpling dough, but the five-spice adds a great flavour.
From Fusion: A Culinary Journey by Peter Gordon (Jacqui Small)
Photo from http://www.nzhouseandgarden.co.nz/
Serves 4

½ tsp five-spice powder
90g strong flour (bread flour)
1 medium egg
1 tsp sesame oil, plus extra for cooking
12 shiitake mushrooms, stems removed (reserve stems for broth)
100ml soy sauce 
1 spring onion, thinly sliced
1 x 10cm length kombu seaweed 
1 stalk celery, thickly sliced
2 thumbs ginger, peeled and finely sliced or diced (reserve peel for broth)
5g dried wakame or arame seaweed 
3 tbsp mirin (or 1 tbsp sugar) 
a generous handful of raw Asian mushrooms (shimeji, enoki and oyster) 
cress or snipped chives to garnish

Make your dumpling dough first. Sieve the five-spice with the flour on a work surface, making a well in the centre. In a small bowl whisk the egg and oil together with a few pinches of salt and pour into the well. Using your fingers, mix the egg mixture into the flour and bring it together to form a dough, then gently knead for 30 seconds. It should be moist but not sticky – add more flour if it's too wet. Wrap in cling film and put to one side in a cool place (not the fridge) to rest for an hour.

Thinly slice the shiitake caps, then fry two-thirds of them in a little sesame oil (preferably in a non-stick pan as it'll need less oil), stirring all the time, until they collapse and soften. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the soy then take off the heat and mix in the spring onion.

Take 8 small marble-sized lumps of the dough and flatten between your fingers to form a disc, then either roll out on a lightly floured work surface or use a pasta roller to get the disc quite thin. Place a spoonful of the shiitake mixture in the centre, lightly brush the outer rim of dough with a little cold water, then fold one side over to the other. Press down gently but firmly to expel any air. Use a fork dipped in a little flour to secure the seams. Lay on a tray lined with cling film while you make the rest. You'll have plenty of dough left over – it'll keep in the freezer for one month.

Soak the kombu in tepid water for 20 seconds, then wipe it gently all over with a cloth to remove the white powdery coat. Place in a pan with 1 litre cold water, the celery and the shiitake stems and the ginger peelings. Bring almost to the boil, then simmer with a lid on for 8 minutes, turn the heat off and leave to infuse for 20 minutes.

Strain the stock into a wide pan, add the seaweed, ginger julienne, mirin and the remaining soy and bring to a rolling simmer. Add the dumplings and cook with a lid on, turning them over after 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook another 4 minutes with the lid ajar, gently stirring from time to time. Taste for seasoning then ladle into warmed soup bowls, garnishing with the cress or chives.