To celebrate the eve of Chinese New Year, here are two more unusual dumplings to greet the Year of the Rabbit. No bunnies were harmed…
While we honour har gow and traditional pork and shrimp shui mei, we can’t resist these twists: a peanut and pork mix with sour plum sauce, and an aromatic coconut curry sauce. Shanghai pork and peanut dumplings are scrumptious.
PORK AND PEANUT WONTONS WITH PLUM SAUCE
175g ground pork
2 scallions, finely chopped
2 tbsp peanut butter
2 tsp oyster sauce (optional)
salt and pepper
1 packet wonton skins
2 tbsp flour paste
vegetable oil, for deep frying
Plum Sauce
225g dark plum jam (jelly)
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1/2 tsp chili sauce
Combine the pork, scallions, peanut butter, oyster sauce and seasoning and set aside.
For the plum sauce, combine the plum jam (jelly), vinegar, soy and chili sauces in a serving bowl and set aside.
To fill the wonton skins, place 8 wrappers at a time on a wok surface, moisten the edges with the flour paste and place 1/2 tsp of the pork mixture on each one.
Fold in half, corner to corner, and twist.
Fill a wok or deep frying pan one third with vegetable oil and heat to 385F.
Have ready a wire strainer or frying basket and a tray lined with kitchen paper. Drop the wontons, 8 at a time, in the hot fat and fry until golden, for about 1-2 minutes. Lift out onto the paper lined tray and sprinkle with fine salt.
Place the plum sauce on serving plate and surround with the crispy wontons.
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PORK CURRY COCONUT DUMPLINGS
Dave Fogelman/Hugh Carpenter
Sauce:
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup orange juice (optional. substitute 1/2 tsp sugar)
1 tablespoon minced Thai basil leaves
1 or 2 small green onions, minced
1/2 teaspoon Indian curry powder
1/4 cup mirin or rice wine
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 teaspoon Asian chili sauce or sriracha
1 tablespoon freshly minced mint leaves or cilantro
Filling:
1 pound ground pork
1 tablespoon freshly minced cilantro leaves
1 green onion, minced
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon mirin
1 tablespoon finely minced ginger
40 round gyoza wrappers
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons canola oil
Combine all the sauce ingredients in a non-metallic bowl and mix well.
Cover and refrigerate.
Combine filling ingredients.
Fill the wrapper with nearly one tablespoon of meat mixture and pleat to close. When finished, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Add the canola oil to a large 12-inch nonstick skillet. Brown the bottom of
the dumplings, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, add the sauce, cover the pan and steam for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, uncover the pan and turn over all the dumplings to coat with the sauce. Transfer to a serving dish and enjoy.
Saucy Cherie 