Shrimp Dumplings
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Steamed shrimp dumplings are a popular staple of Chinese and dim sum restaurants. Handling the dough that encompasses the shrimp and vegetables can be one of the more challenging aspects of making shrimp dumplings (they can break apart pretty easily). Master these instructions, though, and it is well worth the effort and serves as a wonderful appetizer, small dish, or party food.
Remember that to make dumplings you'll want a bamboo steamer, as well as a plate that can go inside it (and that is heat resistant). The ingredients you'll need are: filling ingredients: - shrimp (6 ounces, peeled and chopped) - single egg white, large - cornstarch (2 teaspoons) - bamboo shoots (3 tablespoons, finely chopped) - dry sherry or rice wine (3/4 teaspoon) - green onion (1.5 teaspoons, finely chopped) - sesame oil (1/4 teaspoon) - white pepper (1/8 teaspoon) - kosher salt (dash or to taste) dough ingredients: - tapioca starch (2 tablespoons) - wheat starch (3/4 cups) - vegetable oil (2.5 teaspoons) - boiling water (about 2/3 cups) - quarter teaspoon of kosher salt - vegetable oil (about 1/3 cup) serving ingredients: - soy sauce - hot chili oil |
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Let's start with the dumpling dough. Have a medium bowl ready and add your tapioca starch, wheat starch, and salt. Then you're going to slowly and carefully add about half a cup of boiling water. Now add the oil and start kneading the dough with your hands.
If the dough is dry, add more boiling water a bit at a time. You want to keep shaping the dough until it has a nice smooth quality (about 2 more minutes) - be carefuly not to overdo it. When you're done, cover the bowl with a cloth and leave it for around 25 minutes.
Now on to the filling. Take another medium bowl and add the shrimp, green onions, bamboo, sesame oil, rice wine, corn starch, the egg white, and the salt and pepper. Mix everything together. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour.
Oil a cutting board and cutting knife with vegetable oil using a paper towel. Pull off about a teaspoon worth of dough, roll it into a ball, then flatten it out. Place the flattened piece of dough on the oiled cutting board. Press on it with the knife to create a circle of dough. Scoop 1.5 tablespoons (or a heaping tablespoon) of filling onto the middle of the dough. Spread it over the dough but don't go right to the edges.
Bring the sides of the dough over the filling so that you are folding everything together to form the dumpling. Press the edges of the dough together.
Oil a skillet or pan. You'll want it to be larger than your steamer by a few inches. Pour two inches of water in and heat the pan til the water boils.
Oil a plate to go inside your steamer. Place dumplings on the plate (inside the steamer), cover the steamer, and put the steamer into your pan where the water is boiling. Steam about 14 minutes - you want the dough to end up translucent.
Serve your dumplings with soy sauce and hot chili sauce.
If the dough is dry, add more boiling water a bit at a time. You want to keep shaping the dough until it has a nice smooth quality (about 2 more minutes) - be carefuly not to overdo it. When you're done, cover the bowl with a cloth and leave it for around 25 minutes.
Now on to the filling. Take another medium bowl and add the shrimp, green onions, bamboo, sesame oil, rice wine, corn starch, the egg white, and the salt and pepper. Mix everything together. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour.
Oil a cutting board and cutting knife with vegetable oil using a paper towel. Pull off about a teaspoon worth of dough, roll it into a ball, then flatten it out. Place the flattened piece of dough on the oiled cutting board. Press on it with the knife to create a circle of dough. Scoop 1.5 tablespoons (or a heaping tablespoon) of filling onto the middle of the dough. Spread it over the dough but don't go right to the edges.
Bring the sides of the dough over the filling so that you are folding everything together to form the dumpling. Press the edges of the dough together.
Oil a skillet or pan. You'll want it to be larger than your steamer by a few inches. Pour two inches of water in and heat the pan til the water boils.
Oil a plate to go inside your steamer. Place dumplings on the plate (inside the steamer), cover the steamer, and put the steamer into your pan where the water is boiling. Steam about 14 minutes - you want the dough to end up translucent.
Serve your dumplings with soy sauce and hot chili sauce.