Pan-fried vegetarian dumplings / potstickers (素煎饺)

Method21 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Cover the five dried shiitake mushrooms with cold water and soak in the refrigerator for 8–12 hours, or longer if needed, until very soft. Start checking at 8 hours. Drain, squeeze out excess water and trim away the tough stems; discard the soaking water.

   First mushroom hydration check at 8 hours · 480 minUses 5 dried Shiitake mushroom (pre-soaked (see note 1)) · Cold water to cover the five dried mushrooms

2. 2

   Step 2: Soak all 30 g dried mung bean vermicelli in a separate bowl of water until pliable, following the product soaking directions. Drain well and discard the water; these noodles are hydrated, not pre-boiled.

   Uses 30 g dried mung bean vermicelli noodles (pre-soaked) · Separate water for hydrating the mung bean vermicelli

3. 3

   Step 3: Wash all 150 g spinach. Bring a pot of water to a boil, briefly blanch the spinach until wilted, then lift and drain it. Puree the drained spinach in a food processor.

   Uses 150 g spinach (5oz) · Water for washing and briefly blanching the spinach

4. 4

   Step 4: Press the spinach puree through a fine sieve to extract about 75 ml / 5 tbsp green juice, adding a little water only if needed. Keep the juice for the green dough and reserve all the remaining squeezed spinach puree for the filling.

   Uses All the drained spinach puree · A little water only if needed to obtain spinach juice

5. 5

   Step 5: Divide the 300 g dough flour into two equal 150 g portions. Add about 75 ml water gradually to one portion, holding back as needed, and knead into a firm, smooth white dough that is easy to roll.

   Uses 150 g flour for white dough · Water added gradually from the approximately 75 ml allowance

6. 6

   Step 6: Add the separated spinach juice gradually to the other 150 g flour and knead into a firm, smooth green dough. Keep the squeezed spinach puree aside for the filling.

   Uses Remaining 150 g flour for green dough · About 75 ml green juice for the dough; keep the puree separate

7. 7

   Step 7: Cover both doughs and rest for at least 30 minutes. Use this rest to prepare the filling; the dough should relax enough for thin rolling.

   Rest both unleavened doughs for at least 30 minutes · 30 minUses The complete white dough · The green dough only; keep the puree separate

8. 8

   Step 8: Wash the 200 g pak choi and carrot (60 g), peel the carrot and mince both finely. Finely chop all the drained softened mushroom caps and hydrated noodles. Mix these prepared vegetables, mushrooms and noodles in a bowl.

   Uses 200 g Pak Choi (or Chinese cabbage) · 60 g carrot · All drained softened mushroom caps · All pliable drained noodles · Water for washing the pak choi and carrot

9. 9

   Step 9: Squeeze out excess water from the chopped vegetables and mushrooms with clean hands. Discard the expressed liquid and keep the damp, well-drained filling ingredients.

   Uses The complete minced mixture

10. 10

    Step 10: Stir all the reserved squeezed spinach puree and the whole egg (1) into the drained filling ingredients.

    Uses All drained filling ingredients, without the discarded liquid · All the reserved squeezed spinach puree, without drawing the juice again · 1 egg

11. 11

    Step 11: Wash and finely chop the spring onion (1 stalk) and prepare ½ tsp minced ginger before heating oil. Put both aromatics and the pinch of ground Sichuan pepper on top of the unsalted filling. Heat the separate 1 tbsp filling oil and carefully pour it over the aromatics and pepper. Mix and keep the unsalted raw filling refrigerated while rolling the wrappers.

    Uses The complete unsalted filling · 1 stalk spring onion, washed and finely chopped in step 11 · ½ tsp minced fresh ginger · 1 pinch ground Sichuan pepper · 1 tbsp cooking oil to pour over the filling aromatics · Water for washing the spring onion

12. 12

    Step 12: After the full 30-minute rest, divide the white dough into two equal pieces and roll each into a rope. Keep the green dough covered until needed.

    Uses All the rested white dough; keep green dough covered

13. 13

    Step 13: Divide the green dough into two pieces. Flatten each into a rectangle the same length as a white rope, wrap it around that rope and seal all the way along, making two green-coated white dough ropes.

    Uses Both prepared white ropes · All the rested green dough

14. 14

    Step 14: Cut the two combined ropes into about 40 equal sections in total. Press each section into a small disc with your palm, keeping the unused sections covered.

    Uses Both complete two-colour ropes

15. 15

    Step 15: Roll each disc thin with a rolling pin so it has a white centre and green rim. Use a little of the separate extra flour for dusting only if needed; keep completed wrappers covered.

    Uses All the pressed discs · A little extra flour only if the board or wrappers stick

    
16. 16

    Step 16: Only when the wrappers are ready and you are about to fill them, mix all 1 tsp salt into the chilled filling. Do not leave the salted filling standing; if liquid collects, tilt the bowl and squeeze each spoonful gently before filling.

    Uses All the unsalted filling · 1 teaspoon salt

    
17. 17

    Step 17: Place a suitable spoonful of filling in the centre of each wrapper, leaving enough bare edge to seal without leaking.

    Uses The wrappers being filled, keeping the rest covered · A spoonful of filling for each wrapper

18. 18

    Step 18: Fold each filled wrapper and pinch its edges firmly closed. Continue with the remaining wrappers and filling to make about 40 dumplings. Cook promptly, or freeze the raw assembled dumplings immediately in a single layer on a flour-dusted or lined tray, then transfer the solid frozen dumplings to an airtight freezer bag.

    Uses Each filled wrapper and the remaining assembly supplies · A little extra flour for an optional freezing tray, unless it is lined

    
19. 19

    Step 19: Coat the frying pan with the separate frying oil and heat over high heat. Add a single layer of assembled dumplings; cook stored frozen dumplings directly from frozen without thawing. Keep any remaining raw dumplings cold or frozen while cooking batches.

    Uses Cooking oil to coat each frying pan batch, as needed · Only the dumplings that fit this frying batch in one layer

20. 20

    Step 20: When the bottoms are golden, carefully pour in fresh water to reach about one-third of the dumplings height and immediately cover with a lid. Cook with steady steam until the water has evaporated.

    Uses The complete loaded pan batch · Fresh water to reach about one-third of the dumplings height

21. 21

    Step 21: Once the water is gone, uncover and check the wrappers are cooked and the egg filling is fully set and hot through, reaching 71°C / 160°F in the centre. If needed, add a little more pan water and re-cover until cooked through. Let the bottoms crisp, then serve hot. Repeat the same fry-and-steam procedure for the remaining dumplings. Serve plain or with the optional ready vegetarian dipping sauce; ten dumplings make one portion.

    Uses The cooked dumplings from this pan batch · Any remaining dumplings for additional frying batches · Ready vegetarian dumpling dipping sauce of your choice, as desired · A little additional pan water only if needed to finish cooking the centre