Chinese Shrimp Dumplings

Prep time : 25 minutes        Cooking time 7 minutes      Makes  32 dumplings

Chinese dumplings or "Peking ravioli" are paper-thin squares  of dough  wrapped around spicy  filling . Steamed and dipped in sauce , they're fat free  and guaranteed to please .

6                dried Chinese  black mushrooms  or dried European mushrooms
8                ounces  shrimp , shelled , deveined  and minced
2                scallions  with tops  , thinly sliced
1                garlic clove , minced
1                tablespoon minced ginger 
1/2             teaspoon salt
1/4             cup finely  chopped  , canned  water  chestnuts
3                tablespoons  soy sauce
1                tablespoon dry sherry
1                teaspoon dark Oriental  sesame oil  (optional)
2                teaspoons cornstarch
32              wonton skins
4                teaspoons molasses
2                teaspoons  dark brown sugar
1                tablespoon lime  juice

1.        In a small bowl , cover mushrooms  with boiling water  and let stand  until soft  --- about 20 minutes . Drain , stem , and finely  chopped the mushrooms  and transfer to  a medium-size  bowl .
2 .        Mix in shrimp  , scallions , garlic , ginger , salt , water chestnuts  , 1 tablespoon  soy sauce  , sherry , sesame oil (optional)  and cornstarch .
3 .         Spoon a teaspoon  of the mixture  onto each  wonton skin . Fold and pleat .
4 .         Working in batches  if necessary  , arrange  the dumplings  on a lightly  oiled  steamer rack  and lower into a pan  of simmering water  , making sure  bottom rack  does not touch the water . Cover and steam  just until  filling is  firm  and shrimp are cooked through --- 5 to 8 minutes .
5 .         In a small bowl . whisk  together  the remaining  2 tablespoons  soy sauce  , molasses , brown sugar  and lime juice  and serve ad dipping sauce for the dumplings .