These, let’s say ‘Dumpling Trials’, were born from my love of eating dumplings and my absolute ignorance of how to make them.
What you read here is a summary of me trying out different dumpling fillings based on ideas from my research, what i’ve eaten and my ideas.
I used a bamboo steamer to cook the dumplings. I would 100% recommend getting one, it’s cheap, super easy to use and it is also great for steaming vegies.
Dumplings tend to stick to the bamboo steamer so a great trick is to steam your vegies at the same time as steaming your dumplings. Put cabbage or Chinese broccoli on the base of the bamboo steamer, then place the dumplings on top.
TIP: Put the bamboo steamer over a wok or a saucepan, just so that the steamer covers the area of water.
TIP: Only use a little bit of water when using a bamboo steamer. At most use an inch of water in the saucepan to steam your vegies and dumplings.
For the dumpling pastry I used store bought Shanghai wonton skins made with wheat 🌾 flour.
Day 1
‘Egg’, ‘Egg and Spring Onion’ and ‘Spring Onion‘ dumplings 🥟
I started off with a staple vegetarian dumpling ingredient: egg 🥚 . Egg and spring onion, or egg and chive dumplings are one of the more common vegetarian options seen in dumpling places.
My first trial used various amounts of scrambled egg, blitzed spring onion and a drop of soy sauce.
First just scrambled egg, second a half egg half spring onion mixture and third just spring onion.
The scrambled egg dumpling was extremely hard to get down. The egg was overcooked by the time the dumpling had been steamed. So I wouldn’t recommend.
The egg and spring onion mixture was not bad as the lightness of the spring onion balanced out the stodgy egg, but at the end of the day the egg was still overcooked.
The spring onion dumplings were delicious.
IDEA: Add a nip of ginger to the spring onion and soy sauce dumpling.
Later, I tried putting raw egg in the dumpling pastry with chunks of spring onion, but it was still not the best. The egg cooked perfectly fine in the pastry, but it was just lacking in flavor and texture.
Day 2
Spring Onion, Chinese Broccoli and Mushroom 🍄 Dumplings 🥟
This time I try going all out, using many ingredients!
Re-hydrate dried mixed mushrooms for half an hour in a glass of water. Then strain the mushrooms and squeeze the rest of the water out with your hand.
Put the mushrooms 🍄 in a blitzer along with spring onion and Chinese broccoli. Add a dash of sushi vinegar, soy sauce, Sambal ( Indonesian chili 🌶 sauce), sesame oil and lime and chili seasoning.
They were definitely yummy, but I actually preferred my plain spring onion dumpling from Day 1!
TIP: To make them not stick together and rip open, as I have in the photo, make sure the mushrooms are well squeezed. Also make sure the dumplings are nicely spaced out on the bamboo steamer.
IDEA: Add ginger and garlic to this mixture.
IDEA: Add a uncooked egg to the mixture, which will harden upon steaming.
Day 3
White Chocolate Freckle Dumplings 🥟
Because why not!
They definitely needed a fruity component to lighten it up.
IDEA: Nutella and fresh strawberry/raspberry mixture.
TIP: Wrap your dumpling 🥟 in sushi nori (flat seaweed used to make sushi) to add a yummy crunch before dipping it in soy sauce.
Nicole Reynolds 