Shrimp and Pork Dumplings

3 boiled dumplings & 3 fried dumplings

If you like ordering dumplings when you go out to a Chinese restaurant, you should consider making them at home. It's fun to do from scratch and discover how they get from the kitchen to your plate. These dumplings can be boiled or fried. Fried is best for eating straight (or with dipping sauce) and boiled is great served in hot chicken broth (like wontons).

SHRIMP AND PORK DUMPLINGS

Yield: about 50 dumplings

1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/4 lb. ground pork

1 cup chopped watercress (can substitute arugula)

1/2 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped

1/4 cup chopped scallions

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 (16 oz.) package round dumpling (or pot sticker) skins

1.      Place the shrimp in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until ground.

2.      In a large bowl, combine ground shrimp, pork, watercress, water chestnuts, scallions, oyster sauce, sesame oil, garlic, soy sauce, white pepper and salt; mix together well.

3.      Place about 2 teaspoons of the filling onto each dumpling skin. Slightly wet the edge of the dumpling skin, fold over and pinch with your fingers to form a seal all the way around.

4.      To cook: Pan fry the dumplings in a large skillet over medium heat with oil for 15 minutes, turning over halfway through (or place them in a pot of boiling water for 10 minutes; drain and serve).

adapted from Vivian Lee

whole shrimp

pureed shrimp

chopped scallions

I couldn't find any watercress, so I substituted baby arugula.

filling ingredients ready to mix

I think these would be just as good with all shrimp and no pork.

filling mixed

filling on dumpling wrapper

folding dumpling

sealing dumpling

I crimped the edges with a fork on about half the dumplings
(an experiment to see whether the seal would be better that way).
Turns out it doesn't matter (they all held together beautifully).

sealed dumplings (without crimping)

dumplings before frying/boiling

dumplings frying (some flipped)

It doesn't take much oil, just coat the pan about 1/4-inch deep

fried dumplings

I made a dipping sauce with low-sodium soy sauce, rice vinegar,
chopped scallions, minced garlic, minced ginger and a touch of
sesame oil. I didn't measure the amounts--just add ingredients to taste.

dumplings boiling

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