Dumplings

These dumplings are EVERYTHING, I usually make two batches and store them in the freezer for quick meals, they freeze super well and cook quickly. They are the ultimate meal prep. You can choose whatever protein you like for the filling, I typically do either pork or shrimp, but you can use tofu, beef, chicken, turkey etc. The sauce you dip them in is equally good and the recipe for that is also below. They are absolutely delicious, so lets make them!

Ingredients:

8 oz baby bella mushrooms
2 tsp grated ginger
2 tsp grated garlic
2 tbsp red pepper flakes/Aleppo pepper
½ tbsp kosher salt
½ tbsp paprika
½ cup corn starch (may need to add more if too wet)
1 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp ponzu sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
½ tbsp rice vinegar
⅛ tsp fish sauce
2 tbsp white sugar
2-3 baby Bok choy finely diced
½ bunch finely chopped cilantro (½ cup chopped)
Whites of 4 scallions chopped finely
1 lb. ground meat of choice (pork or finely chopped shrimp)
Wonton wrappers

Directions:

First grab a large bowl, add all of the ingredients to the bowl and mix until combined. If using shrimp, you'll need to clean and remove the tails, and use a large knife to chop the shrimp very finely, it should look like ground meat.
Once everything is combined, grab your wonton wrappers and get a small ramekin with water in it. Grab a wrapper, place about a ½ tbsp of filling into the center of the wrapper, then dip your finger into the water and wet the surrounding edges of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper in half, so two corners meet (should get a triangle), holding the dumpling so that one point is facing up, take the two lower corners and pull them behind to meet. (this style is called triangle ingot) there are many ways to fold them, it's much easier to see visually. I'd recommend looking at a quick video online.
This recipe makes a lot so I like to pre-freeze my dumplings so they hold their shape better, so place the folded dumplings onto a plate lined with parchment or wax paper, and place them in the freezer like that for about 15-20 minutes. Once they are slightly frozen you can throw them into a plastic bag and back into the freezer.
For those not freezing, grab a large pan and lightly cover the bottom with a neutral oil (I use canola).
Place the dumplings into the bottom of the pan, turn the heat on medium low, cover and cook for about ten minutes or until the bottoms look crispy.
After ten minutes, pour about ½ cup of water into the pan with the dumplings, cover and allow to steam for about 6-8 minutes. The dumplings should be crispy on the bottom and soft on top.
Serve with the dumpling dipping sauce (recipe below) and top with sesame seeds and the green tops of scallions chopped.
Enjoy!