Serves: 6 appetizer portions
INGREDIENTS:
1 Tablespoon finely chopped ginger
¼ cup finely chopped scallions
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon rice wine
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
½ teaspoon sugar
1 Tablespoon oyster sauce
Salt, to taste
¼ cup sliced water chestnuts
¼ cup sliced shitake mushrooms
1 pound ground chicken or duck, dark meat preferred
1 package (12 ounces) round wonton skins
1 to 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup water
1 recipe Crushed Peanut Dipping Sauce
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. In a food processor, combine the ginger, scallions, soy sauce, rice wine, white pepper, sugar, oyster sauce, and salt. Purée until smooth. Add the water chestnuts and shiitakes and pulse to purée, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally to ensure an even texture. Add the ground chicken and pulse just to combine—don’t purée it at this point.
2. Place the filling mixture in the plastic bag and use a rubber band or string to force all the ingredients into one corner of the bag for easy piping.
3. Brush the interior of a wonton wrapper lightly with water. Place the wonton in the center of your palm, wet side up, and fill with 2 Tablespoons filling. Push down on the filling to pack it tightly against the center of the wonton skin. Bring the edges of the wonton skin up the sides of the filling, making a purse. Crimp any overlapping wrapper at the top.
4. At this point you can stop and store stuffed, uncooked wontons in the freezer for up to 8 months until you are ready to cook them.
5. Warm the vegetable oil in a nonstick pan over medium-low heat. Place the shaomai flat-side down in the pan in concentric circles. The dumplings should not be touching each other. Next, turn the heat up to medium-high and watch for a golden brown color, about 3 to 5 minutes.
6. Carefully add the water and cover immediately. Steam for 7 minutes, covered, then remove the cover and allow all the remaining liquid to evaporate and the bottoms to crisp. Serve with the dipping sauce.
Crushed Peanut Dipping Sauce
INGREDIENTS:
½ cup smooth natural peanut butter or sunflower seed butter
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup sliced Chinese black garlic
2 cloves garlic, smashed
3 Tablespoons grated fresh ginger
1 Tablespoon sambal oelek or another Asian chili sauce
1 Tablespoon honey
2 limes, zested and juiced
½ cup water
1 Tablespoon ground black pepper
½ cup crushed, roasted, salted peanuts
Salt, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS:
Combine all the ingredients in the food processor and process until smooth.
Recipe from Noodle Kids, by Jonathon Sawyer
