Shiitake Tofu Dumplings
| 4-6 People | |
| 60 Dumplings | |
| ~50 ml | water, for frying |
| 280 g | dumpling dough, bought frozen |
| 270 g | tofu |
| 60 g | dried shiitake |
| ½ | fennel |
| ½ medium | leek, or 2 spring onions |
| 250 ml | cabbage, in pieces |
| 1½ tbsp | soy sauce |
| 3 | garlic cloves |
| 1 tbsp | fresh ginger, grated |
| 2 tbsp | sesame oil |
| 1 tbsp | rice vinegar |
| 2 tsp | vegetable stock powder |
| 4 tsp | sambal oelek |
| 1 tsp | salt |
| Sesame and Chili Sauce | |
| 1 tbsp | sesame seeds, roasted |
| ½ tbsp | soy sauce |
| 2 tbsp | canola oil |
| 1 tbsp | sesame oil |
| 1 tbsp | rice vinegar |
| 2 tsp | agave syrup |
| 1 tsp | sambal oelek, or ½ teaspoon chili flakes |
Dumpling fillings can be infinitely varied. Soy, garlic, ginger, sesame oil and rice vinegar make an excellent base to start with. From there, you can vary the vegetables and mushrooms, add some, leave some out, etc, etc. The tofu makes the mix creamy and helps it stick together properly.
1
Take out the dumpling wrappers and let them thaw for 2 hours. You can find ready-made dumpling wrappers in the frozen foods section of Asian grocery stores.
2
Place the dried shiitake mushrooms in a bowl and cover with water (this, of course, isn’t necessary if you’ve managed to find fresh shiitake).
3
Rinse the fennel and cut into pieces – you can use everything but the stem.
4
Make a cut along the length of the leek and rinse all the layers. Cut it into large pieces (the dark green, leafy part is also good!).
5
Cut the cabbage into large pieces. Peel the garlic.
6
Put all the vegetables in a food processor, and add soy sauce, garlic, fresh ginger, sesame oil, rice vinegar, stock powder, sambal oelek and salt. Mix for a short while, until the cabbage and leeks are in small pieces. Avoid making the mix too smooth – you want some bits in it. Pour the mix into a bowl.
7
Drain the water from the shiitake mushrooms and mix for a moment. Add the tofu and mix until you have a sauce with bits of mushroom still in it.
8
Add the mushrooms and tofu to the vegetables. Adjust to taste.
Making the Dumplings
9
Sprinkle flour over a large plate. Prepare a small bowl of cold water.
10
Take a dumpling wrapper in the palm of your hand and put about a spoonful of vegetable mix in the middle. Dip your finger in water and spread along half the edge of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper over the filling to make a half-circle, and press along the edge. If you want the edge to be a little crimped, gently press the corners to the dumpling towards each other. Put the finished dumpling on the floury plate.
To Boil Dumplings
11
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Put in about 10 dumplings at a time. When they are done, they will float up to the surface. Fish them out with a slotted spoon and put them on a nice serving plate.
To Fry Dumplings
12
Heat oil on medium heat in a deep frying pan with a cover. Fry the dumplings for about 1 minute on each side, until they are golden. Add about ½ dl of water and let it boil off while the pan is covered.
Sesame and Chili Sauce
13
Roast the sesame seeds in a dry frying pan.
14
Mix them with sesame oil, rice vinegar, canola/rapeseed oil, soy sauce, agave syrup and sambal oelek. Adjust to taste.
15
Serve with a small plate, chopsticks and a little bowl for dipping sauce for each guest.
16
Serve with the sesame and chili sauce, or gyoza sauce (which can be bought ready-made in Asian grocery stores) – or simply mix soy sauce, chili sauce/sambal oelek and sesame oil, to taste.