Vegan dumplings with spicy dipping sauce

Method21 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Gradually add the 130 ml water to the 250 g dough flour, mixing with chopsticks or a spatula until no loose flour remains. Combine and knead into a dough.

   Uses 250 g all-purpose flour for the dough · 130 ml water for the dough

2. 2

   Step 2: Cover the dough from step 1 and rest it for 10–15 minutes, checking from 10 minutes. Knead again until smooth.

   Re-knead the rested dough · 10 minUses mixed wrapper dough

3. 3

   Step 3: Cover the smooth dough from step 2 and rest it for a further 30–60 minutes until soft, checking from 30 minutes. Prepare the filling while it rests.

   Check that the dough is soft · 30 minUses smooth wrapper dough

4. 4

   Step 4: Finely chop the smoked tofu (150 g), Chinese chives (70 g) and six fresh shiitake mushrooms and grate the carrot (50 g). Put all four in a large bowl. Set the 1 tbsp filling scallions, 1/2 tsp minced ginger and 1/4 tsp filling Sichuan pepper on top. Have the remaining filling seasonings ready.

   Uses 150 g smoked tofu, finely chopped · 70 g Chinese chives, finely chopped · 6 fresh shiitake mushrooms, finely chopped · 50 g carrot, grated · 1 tbsp scallions, finely chopped, for the filling · 1/2 tsp ginger, minced, for the filling · 1/4 tsp ground Sichuan pepper for the filling

5. 5

   Step 5: Heat the 1 tbsp filling oil until just smoking, then carefully pour it over the scallions, ginger and Sichuan pepper on the filling bowl from step 4.

   Uses chopped filling with aromatics on top · 1 tbsp cooking oil for the filling

6. 6

   Step 6: Mix 2 tsp filling soy sauce, 1/4 tsp sesame oil and 1/4 tsp salt into the bowl from step 5. Adjust the salt to the tofu’s saltiness. Keep the uncooked filling ready for wrapping.

   Uses filling with hot aromatic oil · 2 tsp light soy sauce for the filling · 1/4 tsp sesame oil for the filling · 1/4 tsp salt for the filling, adjusted to taste

7. 7

   Step 7: Divide the softened dough from step 3 into three equal parts. Keep them covered while working.

   Uses soft rested wrapper dough

8. 8

   Step 8: Take one of the three dough parts from step 7. Roll it into a rope and cut it into 10 equal pieces. Keep the other two parts covered.

   Uses first of three equal dough parts

9. 9

   Step 9: Press each of the first 10 dough pieces from step 8 into a small disc with your palm.

   Uses The first ten cut dough pieces, with the other dough parts still reserved

10. 10

    Step 10: Roll each of the 10 discs from step 9 into a thin wrapper, keeping the edge thinner than the middle. Dust with a little extra flour only if it sticks. Keep the wrappers covered.

    Uses first ten dough discs · Extra all-purpose flour as needed for rolling and the optional freezing tray

11. 11

    Step 11: Take the first wrapper from step 10 and put a spoonful of the filling from step 6 in its center. Use enough to fill it while leaving space to seal.

    Uses first wrapper of the ten · A spoonful of filling for this wrapper

12. 12

    Step 12: Fold the filled wrapper from step 11 into a half-moon and seal the middle section of its edge.

    Uses first filled wrapper

13. 13

    Step 13: Make 2–4 pleats from each end of the half-folded dumpling from step 12.

    Uses first half-folded dumpling

14. 14

    Step 14: Press around the edge of the first dumpling from step 13 to seal it completely. Fill and fold the remaining nine wrappers from step 10 in the same way. Then work with the two reserved dough parts from step 7, cutting each into 10 pieces, pressing, rolling, filling and sealing as in steps 8–13. This makes 30 dumplings. Keep them covered; refrigerate any unused filling promptly.

    Uses first pleated dumpling · remaining nine first-batch wrappers · two reserved dough parts · Filling as needed for the remaining wrappers · Extra all-purpose flour as needed for rolling and the optional freezing tray

    
15. 15

    Step 15: Optional make-ahead route: instead of cooking immediately, arrange the uncooked dumplings from step 14 on a tray lined with parchment or lightly dusted with extra flour. Freeze until solid, then put them in an airtight bag. Skip this step if cooking them fresh.

    Uses uncooked assembled dumplings to freeze · Extra all-purpose flour as needed for rolling and the optional freezing tray

16. 16

    Step 16: Choose the quantity of uncooked dumplings to cook. For the fresh route, take them directly from step 14. For the frozen route, take them from step 15 and cook without defrosting, using steps 17–19 below. Keep any remaining frozen dumplings in the freezer.

    Uses Fresh route: dumplings from step 14 · Frozen route: dumplings from step 15, without defrosting

17. 17

    Step 17: Coat a frying pan with a thin layer of the pan-frying oil and heat over high heat. Add one uncrowded batch of the chosen fresh or frozen dumplings from step 16.

    Uses One panful of the selected fresh or frozen dumplings · Cooking oil as needed to thinly coat the pan for each batch

18. 18

    Step 18: When the bottoms of the dumplings in step 17 are golden brown, carefully pour in pan-frying water to reach one-third of their height and immediately cover the pan. Cook until the water has evaporated and the dumplings are cooked through, with soft cooked wrappers and hot cooked filling. Continue if a frozen batch needs more cooking.

    Uses first dumpling batch in the oiled pan · Water as needed to reach one-third of the dumplings’ height in each pan

19. 19

    Step 19: Once the water in step 18 has evaporated and the dumplings are cooked through, uncover and fry for about 30 seconds to crisp the bottoms. Transfer the cooked batch to a plate. Repeat steps 17–19 with the remaining chosen dumplings, adding a thin oil coating and one-third-height water for each panful as needed.

    Check the crisp dumpling bottoms · 1 minUses covered cooked dumpling batch

20. 20

    Step 20: Put the 1 tsp sauce chili flakes, 1/4 tsp sauce Sichuan pepper, 1 tsp sauce scallions and one pinch sugar in a heatproof bowl. Heat the separate 1 tbsp sauce oil until just smoking and carefully pour it over these seasonings.

    Uses 1 tbsp cooking oil for the dipping sauce · 1 tsp chili flakes for the dipping sauce · 1/4 tsp ground Sichuan pepper for the dipping sauce · 1 tsp scallions, finely chopped, for the dipping sauce · 1 pinch sugar for the dipping sauce

    
21. 21

    Step 21: Mix the 2 tsp sauce soy sauce and 2 tsp black rice vinegar into the dipping sauce from step 20. Serve it alongside the cooked dumplings from step 19 for dipping.

    Uses hot aromatic dipping-sauce base · 2 tsp light soy sauce for the dipping sauce · 2 tsp black rice vinegar for the dipping sauce · The cooked dumplings collected from the completed panfuls