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A meat-free filling for dumpling lovers
Asian dumplings, especially potstickers, are high on my list of favorite foods. I interviewed cookbook author Andrea Nguyen for a story this week about dumplings and her new book “Asian Dumplings,” which is a fantastic guide for people curious about making potstickers, pork buns, pearl dumplings and even samosas at home.
The recipe we featured in the paper was for pork and shrimp potstickers, but if you’re looking for a meat-free filling, here’s a recipe from the book for steamed vegetable dumplings, which can easily be fried like potstickers instead of steamed.
Steamed Vegetable Dumplings
Makes 32 dumplings, serving 4 as a main course, 6 to 8 as a snack or starter
4 cups lightly packed, coarsely chopped spinach (7 to 8 oz.)
4 large dried shiitake mushrooms, reconstituted and liquid reserved, stemmed, and chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground white pepper
3/4 tsp. sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. light (regular) soy sauce
2 Tbsp. sesame oil
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 Tbsp. finely minced fresh ginger
1/3 cup finely chopped carrot
3 oz. brown pressed tofu, finely chopped (2/3 cup total)
2 tsp. cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
1/2 cup chopped Chinese chives or scallions (white and green parts)
1 pound Basic Dumpling Dough (see recipe at the end of dumpling story)
5 Tbsp. Japanese soy sauce or light soy sauce
2 1/2 Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar
1/2 to 1 tsp. chile oil
To make the filling, put spinach in a large bowl. Bring a kettle of water to a boil and pour a generous amount over the spinach. Let the spinach wilt for about 30 seconds, drain, rinse with cold water and drain again. To remove excess moisture, squeeze the spinach in your hands over the sink. When you are done, there should be about 1/2 cup firmly packed spinach.
In a bowl, combine 1/4 cup of the reserved mushroom soaking liquid, salt, white pepper, sugar, soy sauce and sesame oil. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Set this flavoring sauce aside.
In a wok or large skillet, heat the canola oil over medium heat. Add the ginger and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, until aromatic. Add the spinach, carrot, mushrooms, and pressed tofu. Stir to combine and then pour in the flavoring sauce. At first all the liquid will seem to have been absorbed, but after 2 minutes, there will be a little bubbling liquid in the skillet. At that point, give the cornstarch mixture a final stir and stir it into the filling. When the mixture thickens, turn off the heat and add the Chinese chives. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool completely before assembling the dumplings. You should have about 2 cups of filling. (The filling can be prepared 1 day in advance and refrigerated. Bring it to room temperature before assembling the dumplings.)
Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and form 16 wrappers from half the dough. To make wrappers, roll dough into a 1-inch thick log and cut into 16 pieces. Flatten each piece to 1/8-inch thick with a heavy-bottom measuring cup or tortilla press. Using a chopstick or small wooden rod, thin the edges of each circle, leaving a 1/8-inch thick “belly” in the center. Aim for wrappers that are about 3 1/4 inches in diameter.
For each dumpling, hold a wrapper in a slightly cupped hand. Scoop up about 1 Tbsp. of filling and position it slightly off-center toward the upper half of the wrapper, pressing and shaping it into a flat mound and keeping about 1/2 to 3/4 inch of wrapper clear on all sides. Fold, pleat and press to enclose the filling and create a half-moon or peapod shape. Place the finished dumpling on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining wrappers, spacing them 1/2 inch apart. Keep the finished dumplings covered with a dry kitchen towel.
If you are steaming right away, place the finished dumpling in a steamer tray, sealed side up and 1 inch away from the edge if you are using a metal steamer. Repeat with the other wrappers before forming and filling wrappers from the remaining dough, keeping the finished dumplings covered with a dry kitchen towel as you make the rest. If you don’t have enough space on your steamer trays to steam all the dumplings at once, or if you are not steaming them right away, place the waiting ones on the prepared baking sheet spaced a good 1/2 inch apart.
Once all the dumplings are assembled, they can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for several hours; they can be cooked straight from the refrigerator. For longer storage, freeze them on the baking sheet until hard (about 1 hour), transfer them to a zip-top freezer bag, pressing out excess air before sealing, and keep them frozen for up to 1 month; thaw completely on lined steamer trays, using your finger to smooth over any cracks that may have formed during freezing, before steaming.
To cook, steam the dumplings in a bamboo steamer over boiling water for about 8 minutes, or until slightly puffed and somewhat translucent. While steaming, combine soy sauce, rice vinegar and chile oil to make dipping sauce. Remove the trays and place each atop a serving plate.
— Recipe from ‘Asian Dumplings’ by Andrea Nguyen (Ten Speed Press, $30)
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By Zebbie
January 22, 2010 8:37 AM | Link to this
This looks way yummy…but what the heck is brown pressed tofu?? And where do you get it??
By LazySmurf
January 22, 2010 9:25 AM | Link to this
Thanks for the recipe! And all vegan dumpling trailer is my dream!
By Addie Broyles
January 22, 2010 12:22 PM | Link to this
Here is info about brown pressed tofu from Andrea:
One of my favorite meat substitutes is pressed tofu. Pressed tofu is sold at Chinese markets, health food markets, and specialty grocers (e.g., Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s). Look for pressed tofu, sometimes called “baked tofu” in cryovac packages or in bulk (at Chinese markets only). Slice it thinly and eat it raw, put it into sandwiches, or do a simple stir-fry.