Simple Vegetable Dumplings

Step 1

MAKE DOUGH: Into a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Use a wooden spoon or rubber scrapper to stir in boiling water. Continue to stir flour and water until the flour is mostly absorbed by the water. Mixture will be crumbly.

Step 2

KNEAD DOUGH: Dump flour mixture onto a clean surface to knead the dough. Knead dough for 8-10 minutes, until dough is soft and smooth. Sprinkle in a little more flour, if necessary, to keep the dough from sticking to your hands and the board. Shape the kneaded dough into a round disc and using a knife, cut the disc into two equal portions.

Step 3

SHAPE DOUGH: Take each portion and form them into round discs. Poke a hole into the center of each disc and shape into a big “O” or bagel, keeping the width of dough even all around. Cover the two bagel forms with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let rest for 20 minutes.

Step 4

CUT DOUGH INTO EQUAL PIECES: Now we’re going to cut the dough into even portions to roll out. Each round of dough will make 16 wrappers. After 20 minutes, take one of the bagel-shaped pieces of dough out from under the cover. Use a knife to cut the shape evenly in half. Take the two halves, line them up next to each other and cut them down the center again. Now you should have 4 equal pieces. Line the 4 pieces up to cut down the middle again. You should have 8 equal pieces. Now cut each half in half for a total of 16 equal pieces. Lightly toss the dough pieces with flour to keep them from sticking to each other. Place all but one dough piece back under the towel/plastic wrap to keep from drying out. Repeat process with other piece of dough.

Step 5

ROLL OUT WRAPPERS: Take your small piece of dough and shape into a round disc. Place on a lightly floured surface and using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into a circle about 3-4 inches in diameter. Place finished wrapper on a lightly dusted board or pan and cover with plastic wrap or kitchen towel. Make sure to keep wrappers lightly dusted with flour so they don’t stick to each other. If your kitchen is hot and humid, I don’t suggest stacking them. Instead lay them in a single layer on a try, slightly overlapping. Repeat process with remaining dough pieces.

Step 6

Place a large skillet or wok on the stove over medium-high heat.

Step 7

Add oil, ginger, garlic, and cabbage. Cook until cabbage begins to wilt and shrink down.

Step 8

Add mushrooms, green onion, and carrots, along with the soy sauce and sesame oil. Continue to cook until liquid begins to evaporate.

Step 9

Season with pepper, to taste, and salt only if needed. The soy sauce tends to add enough saltiness for my taste.

Step 10

Rolling Dumplings:

Step 11

There are many different folding techniques for dumplings, from easy to complex. You can find a plethora of ideas online and a few in in this post.

Step 12

To pleat them, as above, place a small spoonful of filling onto the middle of your wrapper. Lightly wet the edges of the circle with water. Bring two opposite sides of the circle up, like a taco, and pinch to seal the middle. Starting on the left side of the dumpling, make a little fold or pleat towards the pinched center with the front side of the dumpling wrapper, leaving the back side of the wrapper flat. Lightly dampen the outside edge if needed. Pinch the pleat to seal and continue to make one or two more pleats on that side. On the opposite side, make 2-3 symmetrical pleats towards the center. Dumpling should naturally curve around in a half moon shape. Place finished dumplings on a flour dusted platter and cover with plastic wrap or a towel while you finish folding the rest.

Step 13

You can easily steam dumplings in a bamboo steamer, like the one pictured, a vegetable steamer basket, etc. The important thing is to line the steamer with a piece of parchment paper or cabbage leaf so your dumplings don’t stick to the steamer. Place your dumplings onto the parchment in the steamer leaving a little space between each dumpling so they don’t get stuck together. Place steamer over a pan, wok, or pot of boiling water and cook with a rapid steam for 6-8 minutes, or until center is thoroughly heated and wrappers are puffed and slightly translucent. Best if served right away. I included a basic dipping sauce recipe above!

Step 14

Place 1-2 tablespoons of oil into a large pan (I suggest non-stick or well seasoned cast iron skillet) and place over medium heat. Once pan is hot, place into the pan leaving a small space between each one so they don’t stick together. Cook for about a minute or so until the bottom turns a golden brown. Place 4-5 tablespoons of water into the hot pan and immediately cover with a lid. Reduce heat to medium-low and let steam for 5-8 minutes, or until center is thoroughly heated and water has evaporated from the pan. Serve potstickers with the easy dipping sauce included below!

Step 15

Mix all of the dipping sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve along side of potstickers or steamed dumplings.

Step 16

Combine flours, xanthan gum, and pinch of salt in large bowl. Mix in eggs and then add 1 tablespoon of water at a time, mixing in between, just until dough comes together. If dough is still crumbly, instead of adding more tablespoons of water, just wet your hands and mix the dough by hand. This adds just a little moisture without making it too sticky. Take dough out and knead it for a few minutes on a lightly flour-dusted surface (I used more of the 1 to 1 baking flour.)

Step 17

When dough is smooth, use a knife to divide dough in half. Take one of the halves and roll into a 1 to 2-inch thick log (cover the other piece up with plastic wrap so it doesn’t dry out.) Cut log down the center and line each half up beside one another and cut down the center again. You should have 4 equal halves. Line the 4 halves up and divide down the center and then divide each half in half. You should have 16 equal pieces of dough. Repeat process with the other half of dough from earlier. Cover all of the dough with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel while you roll out each wrapper. Should make about 32 wrappers.

Step 18

You can roll, fold, and cook these using the tutorials in this post, just keep in mind that because these wrappers don’t contain gluten, they are a little more fragile and not as elastic as those made with regular flour. Handle the rolled dumplings carefully to ensure they don’t fall apart.