Chinese Mushroom Dumplings with Sweet Chili Ginger Sauce

So many times I walked by the frozen aisle in Trader Joe’s and tried the hardest to resist the temptation in picking up boxes of Asian dumplings. So I finally buckle down and make a whole bunch of them — for now and for the freezers. Dumplings are one of those snacks and side dishes I crave from time to time. These days, restaurants of all venues embrace them as an appetizer. No doubt, they are much cheaper to make in your kitchen. Most important, these flavorful Chinese mushroom dumplings, filled with your own mix of the freshest selected ingredients, are hard to beat. Tasty and wholesome and universally loved. Put in a little time, the reward is immense.

The filling is nothing more elaborate than a burger patty, meat filling for pies or a bolognese sauce. The Chinese mushroom dumplings from Half-Baked Harvest are meatless and vegetable-based, so hearty that you won’t miss the meat. While most Chinese dumplings are made with pork and cabbage, the vegetarian ones satisfy any dietary preference. The ingredients include: assorted shitake and cremini mushrooms, shallot, garlic, ginger, soy sauce and bok choy or any vegetable of your choice.

You may chop up the mushrooms by hand or in the food processor, depending how many dumplings you’re making. Mix with the rest of the ingredients, sauté until they become tender. Taste often as you go along; the best part is there is no raw meat to worry about.

The two-stage cooking process: fry and simmer

Cooking the dumplings is a two-stage process. Heat the pan with canola oil (use neutral oil, not sesame oil which can’t withstand high heat) and start frying the dumplings in medium-hot oil. Once the bottom of each dumpling forms a base with oil coating, gently add water to the pan. The spattering can be intense, so be mindful. Lower the heat to medium-low. The idea is to steam the dumplings, covered, until the wrapper skins become tender and transparent. Remove the cover, there should be no water left in the pan and the dumplings are nicely caramelized. If not, keep the heat on until the pan is dry and the dumplings are browned underneath. At that point, you’d have developed a crispy bottom — the best part of the dumpling.

The unexpected and exciting key player: the chili crisp

The Chinese mushroom dumplings as well as the accompanying sweet chili ginger sauce are getting equal billings, in my humble opinion. I use the Laoganma Chili Crisp, the key ingredient for the sauce, is gaining popularity. That’s because there are very few things that can’t be elevated with the chili crisp. (It’s amazing to add to mayo or avocado toast.) Lately, it has become an essential staple in my kitchen and my favorite among all the chili sauces out there.

What is chili crisp?

Chili crisp (Laoganma brand) is an infused oil condiment that usually contains crunchy, flavorful bits of peppers, onions or scallions, garlic and other aromatics. “Chili crisp,” “chili oil” and “chili sauce” are often used interchangeably. What differentiates chili crisp is the ratio of crispy bits to oil.

“The chili inside stays crispy, and that’s a large part of the condiment,” said Lucas Sin, chef and owner of Junzi Kitchen and Nice Day Chinese Takeout in New York City, adding that the ratio of crisp to oil is such that you get much more crisp than oil in each spoonful, which creates an addictive texture.

These dumplings are indeed addictive. I thought I’ve made enough. But it’s never enough; it’s a good thing!

Print Recipe

Chinese Mushroom Dumplings with Sweet Chili Ginger Sesame Sauce

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• MUSHROOM FILLINGS:
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 shallots, or sweet onions, chopped
• 4 cups assorted shiitake or cremini mushrooms, chopped
• 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
• 1 clove garlic, minced or grated
• 2 cups roughly chopped spinach or bok choy or chive
• 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce or tamari
• black pepper
• 30-34 round dumpling or wonton wrappers
• 1/3 cup raw sesame seeds
• 2 green onions, chopped, for serving
• SWEET CHILI GINGER SESAME SAUCE:
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 3-4 tablespoons chili garlic sauce or Lao Gan Ma spicy chili crisp
• 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce or tamari
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
• 1-2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes using more or less to your taste
• 1/2 inch fresh ginger, peeled and grated

Instructions

1

MAKE THE MUSHROOM FILLING: Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the shallots and cook until fragrant and lightly caramelized, 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms, ginger, and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally until the mushrooms have cooked down, about 5 minutes. Add the soy sauce and large pinch of pepper. Stir in the greens. Cook another 2-3 minutes, until the mushrooms are caramelized. Remove from the heat and let cool.

2

FILL THE DUMPLINGS: To assemble, spoon 1 tablespoon of filling onto each wrapper. Brush water around the edges of the wrapper. Fold the edges of the wrapper up around the filling and pinch in the center to seal. (Don't worry about being perfect.) Repeat with the remaining wrappers.

3

Put the sesame seeds in a shallow bowl. Place the dumplings on top of a thoroughly wet tea towel. Dip the dumplings, now with slightly wet bottoms, in the bowl and then dredge them in the sesame seeds. Set aside. The dumplings, covered with a moist towel, can be kept in the refrigerator until you're ready to cook.

4

COOK THE DUMPLINGS: Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the dumplings and cook until the bottoms are light golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Carefully pour 1/4 cup of water into the skillet, it will splatter, so stand back. Immediately cover with a tight-fitting lid. Turn heat to medium-low and let the dumplings steam for 5-6 minutes. Serve warm with sauce (see below) and green onions.

5

MAKE THE SWEET CHILI GINGER SAUCE: To make the sauce, combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Serve alongside the dumplings.

Notes

Adapted from https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/chinese-mushroom-dumplings/