Shrimp and Vegetable Dumplings
Making dumplings from scratch is easier than you might think, especially if you take advantage of purchased dumpling wrappers and one of our prepared dipping sauces. You can find dumpling wrappers in the refrigerated sections of most well-stocked grocery stores and almost any Asian market. They are often labeled as pot sticker wrappers or, at Japanese stores, as gyoza wrappers. Both work equally well.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. (500 g) shrimp, peeled, deveined and chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
- 1 cup (3 oz./90 g) coarsely chopped green cabbage
- 1 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tsp. peeled and minced fresh ginger
- 1 tsp. minced garlic
- 2 Tbs. soy sauce
- 2 tsp. sesame oil
- 1 tsp. mirin
- About 24 round dumpling wrappers
- 3 green onions, white and light green portions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
- Toasted sesame seeds for garnish
Directions:
Combine half of the shrimp and all of the carrot, cabbage, cilantro, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil and mirin in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and fold in the remaining shrimp.
Lightly flour a baking sheet. To fill each dumpling, place a dumpling wrapper on a work surface and brush the edges lightly with water; keep the other wrappers covered with a slightly damp kitchen towel to prevent them from drying out. Spoon 1 tsp. of the filling in the center of the wrapper and fold the wrapper in half to enclose the filling. Pinch the edges together at one end of the half-moon, then, using your thumb and index finger, make 4 or 5 pleats along the edge to enclose the filling completely. Place the finished dumpling on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.
At this point the dumplings can be frozen if desired. To freeze, arrange the dumplings in a single layer, not touching, on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze. When the dumplings are firm, transfer them to sealable plastic bags and freeze for up to 1 month.
When ready to serve, in a sauté pan or wok large enough to hold a steamer basket or in a ceramic steamer, bring water to a simmer. Arrange some of the dumplings in a single layer in the basket, leaving some space between them. Set the basket in the steamer, cover tightly and steam the dumplings until the filling is firm, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and keep warm while you repeat with the remaining dumplings.
Sprinkle the dumplings with the green onions and garnish with sesame seeds. Serve immediately with the dipping sauce alongside. Makes about 24 dumplings.
Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen