So remember last week I promised a vegetarian version of my Chinese New Year dumplings? Here they are, in all their meatless glory. In fact these dumplings are not just vegetarian but VEGAN - please don't tell anyone, because this is a meat-eating site. To be honest, I was (extremely) surprised by how good they tasted.
Shitake Mushroom Dumplings
makes 50 dumplings
Ingredients
- 100g fresh shitake mushrooms, or six dried
- 200g chinese greens (eg cabbage, bok choy, spinach leaves)
- 200g silken tofu
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger
- 3 teaspoons finely chopped scallions
- small bunch coriander, finely chopped (including stems and roots)
- 2 teaspoons shaoxing wine
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- dash of white pepper
- 2-4 teaspoons cornflour
- 50 square dumpling wrappers
Method
- If using dried shitake mushrooms, cover with boiling water and soak for 20 minutes
- chop mushrooms into fine dice
- finely chop chinese vegetables
- combine all ingredients, except cornflour, and mix well
- allow to stand for 20-30 minutes
- drain any extra liquid from mixture, and if still too moist, add 2-4 teaspoons of cornflour and mix well
Holding a square wrapper in your left hand, place a teaspoon of filling in the centre
Fold the dumpling wrapper in half, bringing the edges together
Hold the edges of the dumpling between your thumbs and index fingers as shown, with the filled part of the dumpling towards you
Fold the dumpling in half again lengthwise, then curve the dumpling around your middle fingers as shown
Overlap the edges at the front and press to seal, using a little water if needed
Done!
Bring a large pot of water to the boil, then gently lower dumplings into the water six at a time. Cook for three minutes or until the dumplings float to the surface.
Serve with black vinegar for dipping.
Labels: dumplings, food, recipes, Shanghai
