Veggie Dumplings with Garlic Soy Vinaigrette

I love dumplings (or pot-stickers), but was intimidated by the task of homemade dough.

I recently revealed five essential kitchen gadgets for the home chef, including the food processor (I will always stress the importance of having one): a miracle tool that allows you to create restaurant quality food at home (including dough). With the touch of a button, complex tasks are made easy.

This recipe was, of course, inspired by my mother – who gave me the food processor that I obsess over today. The process was simple, albeit slightly time consuming; it was a successful effort in the kitchen and I would do it again and again.

Veggie Dumplings with Ginger Soy Vinaigrette

You will need

For the dumpling dough (makes 26 to 30 dumplings):

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

1 cup boiling water

1/4 cup cold water

For the filling (makes two different types of dumplings):

Ginger/Eggplant/Red Pepper/Shallot/Garlic

1/2 cup minced ginger

2 cups chopped eggplant

1 cup diced red pepper

1 cup minced shallot

1/2 cup minced garlic

Leek/Mushroom/Carrot/Garlic

2 cups chopped mushrooms

1/2 cup minced garlic

1 cup chopped leeks

1 cup chopped carrots

For Garnish/Sauté:

1 cup chopped cilantro

1 cup chopped green onion

2 cups white bean sprouts

Step 1: Make the Filling Ginger/Eggplant/Red Pepper/Shallot/Garlic

1. Heat a heavy-bottomed saute pan on medium heat; drizzle olive oil in pan. Add shallots and cook until translucent; about 4-5 minutes

2. Add red pepper and cook until soft; another 5 minutes

3. Add eggplant and ginger; cook until flavors combine and eggplant is soft and cooked all the way through. Season with salt + pepper. Set aside

Make the Filling Leek/Mushroom/Carrot/Garlic

1. Heat the same heavy-bottomed saute pan on medium heat; drizzle olive oil in pan. Add leeks and cook until translucent; about 4-5 minutes

2. Add the carrots; cook another 5-7 minutes and add mushrooms and garlic. Deglaze the pan with some white wine (pour in a half cup; stir…it will scrape up all the yummy bits from the bottom of the pan) Season with salt + pepper. Cook another 5 minutes and set aside

Step 2: Make Dough and Prepare for Filling

1. Insert steel blade in food processor; place flour and sesame oil in food processor bowl. With machine running, add boiling water. Add 1/4 cup cold water, processing until ball of dough is formed

2. Place dough in bowl. cover with a damp towel. Let stand 15 minutes

3. Roll dough 1/8 inch thick on a lightly floured surfce. cut cricles wiht a 2 1/2 inch cookie cutter

4. place 3/4 teaspoon mixture on each circle. fold circle in half; pinch edges to seal. Repeat process until you have desired amount of raw, filled and sealed dumplings

Step 3: Cook the Dumplings (par-boil and fry)

 1. Using a heavy-bottomed large sauce pan, bring salted water to a boil. Gently lower in raw dumplings, and par-boil for about 3 minutes. This helps cook in the insides without overcooking the skins (you will fry them so they are crispy). Remove par-boiled dumplings and set aside on paper towels to drain

2. Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet until hot. Add green onions and cook another minute. Place half of the dumplings in the pan, cook covered over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, or until bottoms are crispy and tops are soft. Remove dumplings with a slotted spoon; repeat with remaining dumplings

3. Serve with bean sprouts, cilantro, and garlic-soy-vinaigrette. Soy delicious!

Garlic-Soy-Vinaigrette

1. Place 3 cloves of garlic, 6 tbsp soy sauce and 4 tbsp rice vinegar in food processor and blend until smooth