Delicious Dumplings

One thing I miss about living in California is the abundance of amazing Asian cuisine. Texas, you have a lot to learn! That being said, I promised you homemade dumplings in the Pancit recipe post, so here they are! And don’t worry – making your own dumplings is a lot easier than you think.

Dumpling Wrappers

Dumplings – also known as potstickers, shumai, or wontons – start with the wrapper. While you can certainly buy them, they are just as easy to make. Our local Hong Kong Market caries a variety of sizes and shape options, so don’t feel you need to make them if you are a bit pressed for time (and have a market nearby). It just takes flour and water with a bit of extra time. For this recipe, I made round wrappers and wrapped them in two different styles.

Dumpling Flavors

Dumplings can be stuffed with anything you’re craving. When I make vegetarian dumplings, I use cabbage, water chestnuts, carrots, green onions, peas, and carrots. It’s a great blend to mix in with any of your meat mixtures as well. For this batch, I chose a mixture of shrimp and pork for a more filling snack. Experiment with ground turkey, chicken, seafood, and more.

Here’s What You’ll Need:

Ingredients:

Wrapper:

• 2 2/3 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup warm water

Stuffing:

• 1/2 lbs ground port
• 8-10 large shrimp
• green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 Tbsp garlic, minced
• salt, pepper, onion powder to taste

Preparation:

Wrapper:

• Mix water and flour in a large mixing bowl. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon is easiest
• Continue mixing with your hands to make sure all water is absorbed evenly throughout your dough
• Remove dough from bowl and knead for another 3-4 minutes
• Return to bowl, cover, and let rest for 10-15 minutes
• Lightly sprinkle your surface with flour and roll dough into a long baguette shape
• Slice evenly into cookie-sized segments (about a tbsp or less, depending on desired dumpling size)
• Roll each segment into a small ball, then flatten in your hand until it is roughly 1-1.5 inches in diameter
• Place on lightly floured surface and gently roll out your dough to a thin, even circle, using additional flour if too sticky

Stuffing:

• Chop shrimp into fine pieces, seasoning with salt, pepper, and onion powder
• In a separate bowl, season your pork and mix well
• Combine shrimp and meat mixture well and sprinkle in garlic and green onion slices
• Pinch off small amounts of your stuffing mixture and roll into a ball or oval, depending n shape of dumpling (see examples below)
• Dip your finger in a small bowl of water and wet the inside edges of the wrapper. This will help your edges stick before pleating with a fork
• Pleat edges with a fork to help seal in mixture for flat dumplings, or fold up edges and pinch with nails for round dumplings
• Boil in water for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally

Additional Ways to Cook Your Dumplings

You can also pan fry your dumplings in an inch or two of vegetable oil. Be sure to cook on a medium setting to avoid splash back or burning. Flip dumplings after 1-2 minutes, continuing the process until lightly browned to ensure meat and seafood are thoroughly cooked. Alternatively, you can place them in an air fryer for a healthier option. Set your air fryer to 340 degrees and cook for 5 minutes.

We can’t wait to hear what you plan to stuff your dumplings with and how they turn out! They are delicious in soup or as is with dumpling dipping sauce, soy sauce, or Maggie. For a little kick, add a touch of white vinegar to your choice of dipping sauce.

Enjoy!

~ Lisa