Asian Dumplings

By kayjayjohnson

Ingredients

• 100 (3.5 inch square) wonton wrappers (roughly 2 packages of wrappers; I found them where my grocery store keeps the tofu)
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1/2 pound ground turkey
• 2 tsp grated fresh ginger root
• 4 cloves garlic, minced (I use the “already-minced-for-me-in-a-jar” garlic; so much easier)
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 5 cups finely shredded Chinese cabbage (also known as napa cabbage)
• 1 cup finely shredded kale leaves (do not use the stem)
• 1 cup finely shredded carrots

Details

Adapted from followinginmyshoes.com

Preparation

Step 1

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients, stirring until well mixed. (I found using my hands to be a much more effective way to mix everything)

Place a teaspoon of filling on each wonton. Using your finger dipped in water, dampen the edges of the wonton and then fold the wonton over into a triangle. Press edges to seal in filling — you can simply press them, which is how Hubby said his best friend’s mom did them, or you can also roll the edges. Either way, be prepared to get a little messy. Set dumplings aside till ready to cook.



To Cook, option 1: Steam dumplings in a steamer for about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

To Cook, option 2: Fill a stock-pot with water and bring to a rolling boil. Add the filled dumplings to the water. When they rise and float on the surface of the water, cook for an additional 3-4 minutes.

To Cook, option 3: Deep fry in a couple of inches of oil, heated to 375 degrees. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown.

To Cook, option 4: Heat a frying pan over medium heat and then spray with cooking spray. Brown the dumplings on each side and then add 1 cup of water (or chicken stock) and cover with a lid. When the broth has evaporated, remove the lid and allow the dumplings to “crisp” back up. Watch them closely — I’ve used this method before with store-made wontons and it is easy to burn them!


Quick Notes

*The prep work is the most time consuming aspect of this recipe. You could always use a cole slaw veggie pack to save time, but you’ll probably want to give it all a rough chop since regular green cabbage is much tougher than Chinese/Napa cabbage.

**These can be served with any pre-made Asian dipping sauce; I threw together a blend of soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and hot mustard for Hubby and me. The kidlets (who each ate FOUR of these) dipped theirs in soy sauce.