ASIAN DUMPLINGS
The great thing about these is that you can make them in large quantities and freeze them for quick and healthy snacks!
WRAPPERS:
7 to 9 tablespoons cold water
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Mix 7 tablespoons water into the flour until it forms a soft dough. Add more water as needed to bring the dough together. Shape into a ball and let sit for 15 minutes. Form the dough into a long, 1-inch-thick roll. Cut the roll into 1-inch lengths, roll each into a ball, then use a rolling pin to roll out thin, round wrappers about 4 inches in diameter. Dust with flour to prevent wrappers from sticking to each other. A pasta machine on the thinnest setting works wonderfully! Makes about 25 wrappers. (Or you can buy premade wrappers and miss all the fun.) Always place formed potstickers on a corn floured plate.
Cooking the finished dumplings:
Steam on a layer of large cabbage leaves in a bamboo steamer and lay potstickers on top, done when they are translucent (5-10 minutes). You can steam them in a pasta pot with a steamer insert
Boil for 3-8 minutes, done when they crinkle up and turn translucent. Bring about 3 qts of water to a boil. Traditional method-add half the dumplings, stirring immediately to prevent them from sticking together, and heat until the water begins to boil. Add ½ cup cold water and continue to cook over high heat until the water boils. Add another ½ cup cold water and cook until the water boils again. Remove and drain. Simple method, boil for about 8 minutes, uncovered, on high heat.
Fry (potstickers), in a non-stick skillet (with cover) in a little peanut oil to just brown (this takes about 3 minutes per side on fresh dumplings). Alternately, add a little soy to the pan and swirl to loosen dumplings a bit from bottom of pan, then cover and steam for 7-10 minutes (this works best with frozen dumplings). Keep in mind that fying is what turns a dumpling into a potsticker, so all fillings are interchangeable.
Filling the dumplings:
Place a heaping tablespoon of filling in the center of each dumpling skin, and fold the skin over to make a half-moon shape. Spread a little water along the edge of the skin and use your thumb and index finger of one hand to form small pleats along the outside edge of the skin. With the other hand, put the two opposite edges of the skin together to seal. The inside edge of the dumpling should curve in a semi-circular fashion to conform to the shape of the pleated edge. Place the sealed edge dumplings on a baking sheet that has been lightly dusted with cornstarch or flour. Dumplings can be formed 4 hours ahead, put on a cornstarch dusted plate, and chilled, covered with plastic wrap. They can be frozen for later use easily. Just set the baking sheet in the freezer for about 40-60 minutes until the dumplings are firm, then put them in freezer bags, they keep for about 2 months.
Sauces for Dipping: Sauce can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered, but should be served at room temperature.
Mix together all ingredients. Taste and, if needed, adjust to balance the flavors. Serve in small bowls along with the dumplings.
- 1/2 cup soy + 3 Tbs Chinese Black vinegar or Worcestershire sauce
- same, but add 1 Tbs chili oil or chili paste with garlic
- same, but add 1 Tbs shredded ginger root or minced garlic to either
sauce
- spicy-1/4 cup soy sauce, 1Tbs rice wine, 1Tbs rice wine vinegar, 2
tsp
sugar, 1Tbs minced scallion, 1.5 Tbs minced garlic, 2 Tbs sesame oil,
and a few drops pepper oil (or more)
- Classic for potstickers-1/2 c soy sauce, 1/4 c rice vinegar, 2 tsp
sugar, 1 crushed clove garlic, 2 tsp finely minced fresh ginger, 1
finely chopped green onion, a few drops hot pepper oil
- 2 tbsp white vinegar, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp sesame oil, 2 tbsp
rice wine, pinch of chopped green onion, 1-2 tsp red chili paste
Fillings: Please note that these are all designed to be played with and varied according to your personal taste and seasonal ingredients. All recipes are for 25 wrappers and can be doubled or more.
SHRIMP AND SPINACH DUMPLINGS
1 cup baby spinach
6 oz shrimp, shelled, deveined, and chopped to a coarse paste
3 tbsp finely chopped water chestnuts
2 scallions (green parts only), finely chopped
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tsp finely grated peeled fresh ginger
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp rice wine
1 tsp oyster sauce
1/2 tsp salt
Cook spinach in 1 inch simmering water in a small saucepan, stirring, until wilted, about 5 seconds. Drain in a sieve and rinse under cold water until cool. Squeeze to remove as much moisture as possible. Finely chop spinach and stir with remaining filling ingredients until blended.
Fill wrappers and steam about 8-10 minutes.
SHRIMP DUMPLINGS:
3 shitake mushrooms (soak in warm water)
7 oz shrimp
7 oz chicken, ground
1/2 ts salt and pepper
1 pinch white pepper
4 tbsp sake
4 tbsp soy
4 tbsp sesame oil
Chop the shrimp and drained mushrooms finely, and mix with chicken, salt, sugar, pepper and sake. Fill wrappers and steam for 15 minutes.
NEW YEAR DUMPLINGS:
1/2 pound chinese (napa) cabbage, very finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced (1/2 cup)
3 tablespoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1 egg white
1 tablespoon rice wine
1/2 pound ground meat (pork, beef or lamb)
25 wrappers
Toss the cabbage with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and let sit for 20 minutes. (This removes the water from the cabbage, so the filling will not soak through the dumpling skin.) Drain off any excess water, then stir in the green onions. Mix the sesame oil, sugar, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, the white pepper, egg white and wine with the meat. Add the cabbage mixture and stir until evenly combined. Fill wrappers and bring a pot of water to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, add the dumplings and cook for 7 minutes. Drain.
BASIC MEAT DUMPLINGS:
3/4 c finely minced Chinese (napa) cabbage
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 lb ground pork or other meat
1/2 c finely minced garlic chives, leeks, or scallion greens
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1/2 Tbsp rice wine
1 Tbsp sesame oil
3/4 tsp minced ginger
3/4 tsp minced garlic
Place the minced cabbage in a large mixing bowl, add the salt, toss lightly to mix evenly, and let sit for 30 min, and then squeeze out as much water as possible. Place the cabbage in a mixing bowl. Add the meat and remaining ingredients and combine evenly. (If the mixture seems loose, add 2 Tbs cornstarch to bind it)
VEGETABLE POT STICKERS:
1/3 c rice wine
1/2 c minced onion
1/2 c thinly sliced green cabbage
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger root
1/2 c minced celery
3 Tbsp minced green onion
3 Tbsp minced cilantro
5 large mushrooms, coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1-1/2 tsp salt
Heat wine in wok over medium heat. Stir-fry the onion and cabbage until they are limp. Add remaining ingredients and cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Remove mixture from heat and place in colander to drain excess moisture. Use a large non-stick skillets with light peanut oil set over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add pot stickers, seam side up, flattening slightly on the bottom. When the bottoms of pot stickers are golden brown, add 1/2 c water per pan. Cover and steam for 20 minutes.
Note: About 2 cups of shredded vegetables that you like best can be used - carrots, broccoli, bok choy, chickory, whatever is in season. Instead of all soy sauce, try hunan chili, hoisin, black bean...
MINCED BEEF POTSTICKERS:
2 tsp Soy sauce
1/2 tsp Sugar
1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp rice wine
1 tsp Corn flour
12 oz Minced beef
5 water chestnuts finely chopped
1 oz Pickled mustard cabbage, minced or finely chopped
Mix the soy sauce, sugar, bicarbonate of soda, sherry, corn flour, pepper, water and 2 tablespoons oil into the minced beef, then set aside to marinate for 30 minutes. Add the minced water chestnuts and pickled mustard and mix well. Place 2 teaspoons filling on top of skin and fold over to seal in the filling in a crescent shape. Heat a little oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Add the crescents and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in a little water, bring to a boil and reduce the heat. Cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Uncover, add a little oil and cook for 3 minutes, until the liquid has dried up and the pan stickers are golden.
SPICY TURKEY DUMPLINGS:
1 to 2 teaspoons peanut oil
1 red chile pepper, fresh or dried
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 pound lean ground turkey (or chicken, or beef)
1 tablespoon fish sauce, or to taste
1 bunch green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced (about 6)
1 teaspoon sugar, or to taste
Zest and juice of 1 lime
4 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Heat the oil in a wok, then add the chile and garlic; stir-fry for a moment or two. Add the meat, stirring and browning it, breaking it up into small bits. Season with fish sauce, then remove from the heat.
Toss in the onions, sugar, lime zest and juice, stirring to combine. Stir in the cilantro. Fill dumplings and steam.
This one works well as a filling for fresh crisp lettuce leaves, garnished with wedges of lime, fresh Asian basil sprigs (to be torn off as desired), and served with sriracha or tabasco and hoisin for dipping.
Another note about fillings: Over the years, I have tried many filling combinations, the ones that stand out are: Beef dumplings with a little zest of tangerine or orange; Crab (imitation is great because of a stronger flavor) with carrot and ginger; and Lamb with shredded shitake mushrooms and black soy or bean sauce. Play with the flavors you like!
BEEF SHUI MAI: Using the dumpling rounds, shui mai is formed into open top cups and steamed. Makes about 35 shiu mai or 25 dumplings.
Small piece dried tangerine peel
8 oz Minced beef
Salt and pepper
2 oz water chestnuts, finely diced
1 Spring onion, finely chopped
2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp Cornflour
2 tbsp Water
1 tbsp Oil
Soak the tangerine peel in hot water until soft, then mince or finely chop it. Mix the minced beef with salt to taste. Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes. Add all the ingredients to the beef. Put a generous teaspoonful of the meat mixture in the middle and fold the dough around the filling pleating it neatly. The filling should not be completely enclosed but the dough should form a small `basket' for the meat. Continue until all the dough and filling is used. Flatten the top of the meat with a knife, then garnish each with a tiny sprig of parsley and place the shiu my in a greased steamer. Cook over boiling water for 15-20 minutes, and serve at once. |
