Mongolian-Inspired Veggie Dumplings

Ingredients

Dumpling filling:

• 1 Tbsp high heat oil (like avocado)

• 1 Tbsp ginger, minced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 3 c green cabbage, shredded

• 1 c carrots, shredded or grated

• 1 c green onions

• 2 Tbsp soy sauce or liquid aminos

• 1 Tbsp rice vinegar

• 2 tsp sesame oil

• Pepper, to taste

Homemade dumpling wraps (premade wraps work great too!):

• 2 c all-purpose flour

• Dash of salt

• 1 tsp your preferred oil

• ¾ c hot water

Whole cabbage leaves if steaming with a bamboo steamer

2 Tbsp your preferred oil if steaming with a rice cooker or other steamer

Your favorite dipping sauce

Preparation

1. Filling: Heat oil in a large wok or pan on med-high heat. Add ginger and garlic. Cook for ~30 seconds to release flavors, then add cabbage. Cook until it starts to shrink down. Don’t over stir or it’ll get mushy. You want it to make some lightly browned areas.

2. Add carrots and green onions. Cook the same as the cabbage - not over stirring and until carrots start softening.

3. Add soy sauce/liquid aminos, rice vinegar, sesame oil and pepper. Cook until the liquid is mostly evaporated.

4. Making the dough: combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Stir in warm water until the dough looks crumbly. Knead until smooth (~8 min). Add sprinkles of flour if the dough is too sticky, or sprinkles of water if it’s too dry. Form into a big ball, cover bowl with a kitchen towel and place in a slightly warm location (I usually put mine on top of the fridge). Let rise for about 20 minutes.

5. Pull off a fist-sized piece of dough. Reshape both into balls again. Set one ball back under the towel. On a lightly floured surface, use your hands to roll it out into a rope-like strand; putting pressure in the middle and moving your fingers toward the ends to give it an even smoothness and thickness. Stop when it’s about 3/4 inch in diameter.

6. Cut your dough rope into roughly equal 3/4 inch long pieces. Gently press your thumb into them to squash them a bit. Roll each piece out with a rolling pin, trying to keep them as round as you can, until they’re about as wide as your full palm. I suggest laying them side-by-side on a lightly floured surface, so they don’t stick to each other. Or fill each one as soon as it’s done.

7. Filling the dumplings: lay a dumpling wrapper flat on your palm, place a full spoonful of filling in the center of the wrap.

8. Now for “pinching” them closed. I’m not great at pinching, so I use the “flower” technique. Grab opposite edges of your wrap and pinch them together in the middle just a bit - it should look like you’ve got a mini burrito in your hand. Now, take the open ends of the burrito, bring them together and pinch. Voila! Flower dumpling at your service. The 4 corners should be slightly open, which is fine. Leave them that way to help the dumpling cook evenly.

9. Place on a tray lined with wax paper to prevent sticking. Keep them out to steam immediately, or they freeze well for a few days too.

10. Steaming your dumplings: you can use a traditional bamboo steamer, rice, cooker, or whatever is your favorite steaming apparatus. Place cabbage leaves under the dumplings if using a bamboo steamer to prevent them from sticking and breaking apart. Dip the bottom of your dumplings in a saucer with a bit of oil if using a rice cooker or other steamer for the same reason. Whatever you use, keep space between the dumplings so they don’t stick to each other.

11. Once your water is boiling, place your dumplings in the steamer for ~8 minutes. They should be heated through and look slightly puffy. Fan them with cool air and they should be a tad translucent.

12. Serve them up right away with your favorite dipping sauce.