Shrimp & Chive Dumplings

In continuing my goal to learn how to cook Chinese food, I decided to give dumpling-making a try. I first saw these shrimp and chive dumplings on Rasa Malaysia. Any time I see something that instantly makes me want to eat it is a sure sign that for me, it is worth attempting to make. These dumplings are a dim sum staple - you can find it pretty much anywhere. The recipe calls for garlic chives, a member of the onion family, and are wider and flatter than the chives found in typical Western supermarkets. I ended up using a lot more chives than stated in the recipe, only because I love how it imparts a fresh flavor to the filling. 

These dumplings were a success and didn't take as much time and effort as I thought. Wrapping them was super easy and does not require same level of coordination required when folding and pleating potstickers. One thing I did do differently was cook the dumplings like I would potstickers: pan-fried golden on both sides then quickly steamed in a little bit of water right in the frying pan. I love the resulting chewiness of the dumpling skin and it also guarantees your dumplings are cooked through without making them soggy or burnt.

Shrimp & Chive Dumplings
adapted from Rasa Malaysia

Ingredients
12 oz. peeled and deveined shrimps (medium to big size)
Large bunch of chives (based on your preference)
1 teaspoon egg white
1/2 teaspoon tapioca starch
1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fish sauce
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
3 dashes white pepper powder
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Dumpling Skins
Water for cooking
Oil for pan-frying



Directions:
Clean and rinse the shrimps with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. I threw half the shrimp in the food processor to turn it into a gummy, paste-like consistency and mixed in the remaining shrimp, cut into small pieces (about 3-4 pieces per shrimp). Add chives and mix well. Marinate the filling with the rest of the ingredients for 30 minutes in the refrigerator. To make sure my filling tasted good, I heated up some oil in the pan at this point to test out the flavors of the filling and adjusted to taste. Alot more salt, pepper and sugar was added for more flavor.



Lay a wonton skin on a flat surface. Dab your index finger with some water and trace it along the four outer edges of the wonton skin. Add a teaspoon of the filling and fold the wonton skin towards the middle. I used my mini cookie/ice cream scooper to scoop up the shrimp mixture - this kept my hands clean and also ensured each dumpling had the same amount of filling.



Dab some water to the wonton skin to seal tight. The dumplings should look somewhat round. Repeat the same until the filling is used up.



Heat up a pan on medium to low heat and add some oil. Transfer all dumplings into the pan and pan-fry both sides until dark golden brown. Working quickly, pour the water in, enough to cover the entire pan and cover the pan with a lid. Let it steam for about 3-5 minutes and remove the lid, allowing the water to cook off.



Continue to pan fry until dry. At this point, the dumplings are cooked through but I like to pan-fry it a little more to get the sides crispy.



Prepare your favorite dipping sauce. Ray likes to chop up some fresh garlic and mix in black vinegar, sweet soy sauce, regular soy sauce and garlic paste.



My first dumpling attempt was a success. The filling was seasoned perfectly and tasted super yummy. This shrimp and chive combo is a great alternative to the pork-cabbage-shrimp combo my mom normally makes at home. Can't wait to try the next dumpling recipe! I saw one with pork and sliced bok choy - should be an interesting combination.