steamed chicken dumplings

The humble dumpling has been around for centuries and was considered the perfect way to stretch a small amount of meat to feed more people.  Many cuisines worldwide include dumplings in some form be they stuffed, boiled, or steamed.  Filled dumplings have been around in China for more than 1,800 years!  While some recipes call for boiled dumplings, I prefer the steam method. Steamed dumplings are silky and tender.  The filling can be whatever you fancy (beef, pork, fish, veggies).  Steamed dumplings are a healthy alternative to pan-frying.  Use the recipe below as a guide and tinker with the seasonings as you see fit.  Bypass the steaming and use the dumplings in a soup.  If you have any filling left over as I did, use it in a Thai omelette.

you will need

453g (1 lb.) minced chicken (could use pork or shrimp)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon Mirin
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1/4 cup chopped green onion
dumpling wrappers OR wonton wrappers

method

In a large bowl, mix the above ingredients except for the wrappers. Grab a dumpling wrapper and place a teaspoon of the filling in the middle. Dip your finger in a small bowl of water and wet the edges of the wrapper. Fold in half. Pinch edges to seal. The wrapper should resemble a half-moon. If using a wonton wrapper, it’ll look like a triangle. Slightly wet the ends of the wrapper with water and pinch them together. Place on parchment line baking tray. Repeat the process until finished.

If you do not own a bamboo steamer or wok, use a stainless steel steamer pot.

Line a bamboo steamer with parchment paper.  Alternatively, you can use wilted cabbage or lettuce leaves. Place dumplings in the steamer.  Make sure to leave a small gap between each one.  Place the steamer over a wok of simmering water. Cover and steam for 10 minutes until the skins are translucent and the filling is cooked through.  Serve immediately with a dipping sauce mixture of soy sauce and rice vinegar.

the culinary chase’s note:

If you live in an area that has an Asian grocery store or Chinatown, the fresh dumpling wrappers should be in the refrigerated section. Otherwise, the wonton wrapper will work just as well. Enjoy!