Vegan Chinese Dumplings
Hi lovelies!
Following the previous Vegan Dumpling Wrappers Recipe, here is the first full vegan dumpling recipe on the blog! And I’m so proud of it because they came out so delicious. That’s why I said ‘The First’ because I’m crazy about Asian dumplings. As well as dumplings of other cuisines. Do you like dumplings? Let me know in the comments which other stuffed dumplings you want to see here!
So as I mentioned, you can make the dumpling wrappers at home in advance. Check the previous recipe I made for you. You can also buy them ready if you don’t feel like working too hard. Today we will focus on making chubby vegan dumplings stuffed with veg and tofu.
Vegetable and tofu filling
For our filling, I chose zucchini, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, and tofu. You can easily choose any vegetable or protein you want. Just make sure that if these vegetables tend to have a lot of water after cooking, then these liquids should be drained and squeezed before filling the dumpling with it. Skipping this step will result in your dumplings getting too wet and tear. Therefore, it’s best to have a Cheeseclosth ready in hand that allows you to squeeze the liquids efficiently.
Stuffing and Sealing dumplings
So this step requires a little practice. However, once you get the idea, the next dumplings are going to be easier for you. The first thing we want to do is make sure the surface we are working on is floured, and our dumpling wrappers are defrosted and easy to work with.
- Since we want to have chubby dumplings, make sure to roll the premade dumpling wrappers to a thinner thickness. This way they will also be able to contain a bit more of the filling.
- Prepare a small bowl of water in advance so we can wet the edges of the wrapper. This will help us seal the dumpling efficiently. After we have rolled out the dumpling, wet the edges, and scoop a tablespoon and a bit more of the filling in the center.
- To seal the wrappers, Place the wrapper in a Small Sauce Bowl for much convenient work. pinch one end with the other end over the filling with your fingers.
- Then pinch and seal on both sides while holding the top edge. The folds on the sides should be pressed to the two ends we sealed at the beginning. Press all the ends gently to seal tightly.
Cooking the Dumplings
Cooking them will be done in two stages. Frying and then steaming. We’ll create crispy and golden bottoms by pan-searing the dumpling first. Use a Non-Stick Wide Pan with a lid. Depending on the heat of your stove it should take between 7-10 minutes over medium-high heat. Then pour boiling water. About 2 cups or about one-third of the height of the dumplings. Let the water cook the dumplings until they are fully absorbed and the dumplings are shiny and beautiful.
Storing the dumpling
You can freeze the dumplings and the filling, before assembling them or also after. It’s best to keep the filling in a covered container when putting it in the freezer or a little bag that doesn’t tear easily. If you want to store them in the freezer after the dumplings are already filled, make sure to store them in a box or flat container with parchment paper at the bottom. Also, keep a space between them and don’t stack them on top of the other.
If you made these vegan dumplings recipe tag me on my Instagram page Cacao_ Shamaness. And if you have any questions feel free to comment below! Enjoy!
Vegetable and Tofu Stuffed Dumpling
Equipment
- Rolling Pin
- Mandoline slicer
- Non-stick pan with a lid
- A small bowl of water to seal the dumplings
- Wide spatula
- Cheese cloth
Ingredients
Vegetable Tofu Filling
- 2 Tbsp. Olive oil
- 2 Carrots Sliced thinly with a mandoline
- 3 Zucchini Sliced thinly with a mandoline
- 200 gr Tofu Squeezed out of liquids and finely grated.
- 6 Hydrated shiitake mushrooms Hydrate in boiling water 1 hour before. Remove their leg, Squeeze out from the water, and chop. *Save the shiitake water for the ginger sauce - recipe below.
- 3 Green onions Finely chopped
- ½ Cup Fresh cilantro Chopped
- 1 Tsp Garlic powder
- ½ Tsp Black pepper
- ½ Tsp Salt
- 1 Tsp Ginger powder Or fresh chopped
- 1 Tbsp. Sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp. Soy sauce
- 25 Dumpling wrappers Link to the recipe below
Spicy Chilli Ginger Sauce
- 2 Small red chili pepper
- 50 gr Ginger
- ¼ Cup Shiitake stock
- 5 Tbsp. Fresh lemon juice Half a lemon
- 2 Tbsp. Soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp. Sesame oil
- 3 Tbsp. Maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp. Rice vinegar
Instructions
- Defrost dumpling wrappers. If you want to make homemade dumpling dough, click here for the recipe.
- Put the grated zucchini into a bowl, sprinkle a teaspoon of salt over it, and mix. Set aside for 30 minutes so that all the liquid will migrate from the zucchini.
- After 30 minutes, squeeze the zucchini well from the liquid with a cheesecloth. Place the zucchini back into the bowl. Squeeze the tofu as well and add to the bowl with the zucchini. Season with sesame oil, soy sauce, salt, and pepper.
- In a pan, heat a little oil and lightly sautee the green onions, grated carrots, and shiitake mushrooms. Add garlic powder and ginger and sautee for about 10 minutes. Add them to the bowl with the zucchini and tofu.
- Add the chopped coriander and mix all the vegetables well.
- Dust the work surface with flour. Place a dumpling sheet and roll with a rolling pin to a thinner thickness.
- Take a tablespoon of the filling, place it in the center of the dough.
- Take a small bowl of water, dip your finger and moisten around the end of the dumpling with water.
- Seal the opposite ends first and then start closing with contractions on both sides. Close and tighten the dumpling tightly at the top end in a gentle circular motion so that the dough won't tear.
- Fill and close the rest of the dumplings.
- Heat oil in a pan and pan-fry all the dumplings over medium-high heat for about 8-10 minutes or until you see that the bottoms of the dumplings get a nice golden brown color.
- Pour boiling water into the pan in the amount of about a third of the height of the dumplings. Close with a lid and cook until all the water is absorbed in the dumplings.
- For the sauce: Blend everything in a food processor until smooth. Serve the dumplings with the sauce. Enjoy!