Melissa’s Vegetarian Dumplings with Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

For the dipping sauce:

• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon ground Sichuan pepper
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic 
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger 
• 1/2 fresh chile, such as jalapeño or serrano, chopped
• 2 sprigs fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons black vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 2 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced

For the dumplings:

• 1/2″ piece ginger, peeled and cut into coins
• 2 garlic cloves
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use
• 1/2 medium onion, diced small
• 1/2 carrot, diced small
• 1 cup diced red cabbage
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 ounce dried rice noodles
• 1/2 cup diced zucchini
• 2 portobello mushrooms, diced small
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 package square or round dumpling wrappers (about 50)

Directions

Step 1

For the dipping sauce, toast the sesame seeds in a dry, hot frying pan until fragrant, about 2 minutes; transfer to a small dish and set aside. In the same pan, dry toast the Sichuan pepper, about 2 minutes. Off the heat, swirl in the olive oil, garlic, ginger, chile, cilantro, and sugar. Whisk in the soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, scallions, and the reserved sesame seeds. Pour into a serving bowl and set aside.

Step 2

For the dumpling filling, place the ginger, garlic, and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small food processor and blitz to a rough paste; set aside.

Step 3

Heat a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add in 1 tablespoon olive oil and the onions and cook until the onions soften slightly. Add the carrots and cook for 30 seconds. Add in the ginger-garlic paste and cook until fragrant. Transfer the contents of the wok to a large bowl and return the wok to the stovetop.

Step 4

Let the wok heat up again, then add the remaining tablespoon olive oil and the cabbage and cook until the cabbage softens slightly. Turn off the heat and stir in the coriander and cumin. Add to the bowl with the other vegetables, holding back any released liquid from the cabbage (discard it). Allow the vegetables to cool completely.

Step 5

Soak the rice noodles in cold water until softened, about 3 minutes. Drain and roughly chop into 1″ pieces. Add to the cooked vegetables along with the zucchini and mushrooms. Evenly sprinkle on the cornstarch and mix well. 

Step 6

Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Place a bowl of water next to your work area. Open the package of wrappers and cover with a damp kitchen towel so that they won’t dry out. 

Step 7

Place a generous teaspoon of filling in the center of a wrapper (don’t overfill or the dumplings won’t stay closed). Dip a fingertip in the water bowl and moisten the outer edges of the wrapper, then fold it and press the edges together to seal them. For round wrappers, crimp the edges together to make a crescent shape. For square wrappers, use your fingertip to wet the two bottom corners, then overlap them slightly and press together to form a shape like a bishop’s hat. As you finish each dumpling, place it on the rimmed sheet pan under the towel. There should be enough filling to make about 50 dumplings.

Step 8

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop in 12 to 16 dumplings at a time and cook for 7 minutes (they will float to the surface). Use a Chinese strainer to transfer them to a large bowl; cover with a pot lid to keep them warm. Repeat until all the dumplings have been cooked. Serve with the dipping sauce.