Ever since we were in Paris, my baby daughter is finally enjoying the taste of meat and seafood. The idea of being able to feed her a wider variety of meals thrills me. During our stay, Maman served a lot of shrimp dishes. Yesterday, Aria requested dumplings. So I prepared and filled them according to my mom’s recipe for the filling. Maman’s trick to give the shrimp a better consistency is to blend in a few baby squid with the shrimp. If that scares you, you can omit them; the dumplings will still be just as yummy.
Shaping dumplings can be a little tricky, and I think it’s the biggest challenge the first time you try. So I simply shaped the dumplings and sealed the bottom with fresh, round pot sticker wraps. I also used unconventional flavors for the filling with fennel, carrots and green peas to please daughter’s tastebuds.
1. Info for Shrimp Stuffed Dumpling Recipe
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 60 mins
- Servings: 6
- Calories: 163kcal
2. Ingredients for Shrimp Stuffed Dumpling Recipe
- 1 (16-ounce) package fresh, round pot sticker wraps
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon mushroom seasoning salt (see tips)
- 1 cup fennel, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil (optional)
- 1 teaspoon fried garlic
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 6 frozen baby squid
- 10 ounces raw medium shrimp
3. Directions:
- For the fennel: Reserve the fennel fronds for garnish later. Heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add the shallots and cook for 3-4 minutes until fragrant and slightly brown. Add the fennel and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool. Coarsely chop. Set aside.
- For the shrimp dumplings: In a bowl, season the shrimp with 1 teaspoon of fried garlic, salt, red chili powder and black pepper. In a food processor (or a mini-blender if you have one), blend the shrimp with the baby squid. Add 2 tablespoons oil. Add the fennel, peas and carrots. Mix well. Check the seasoning. Add more mushroom seasoning if necessary. Form 3-tablespoon-sized shrimp dumplings, placing each on a pot sticker wrap; bind it to the shrimp filling by gently cupping the bottom.
- Cooking the dumplings: Line a large steamer basket with parchment paper. Place the dumplings, pot sticker wrap down, in one single layer, inside the basket. Pour boiling water into the bottom of the steamer. There should be at least a 3-inch-high level of water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Place the dumpling layer, ensuring the base doesn’t come in contact with the water. Steam dumplings for 30 minutes or until tender and cooked through.
- Garnish with the reserved fronds. Serve immediately with Sriracha or plum dipping sauce on the side (see tip section for the recipe).
- Bon appétit!
4. Tips and advices:
- Mushroom seasoning salt brings a very distinct, earthy flavor to the broth. You can find it at gourmet specialty stores or in most Korean stores. If not, you can substitute regular table salt for mushroom seasoning.
- You can find pot sticker wraps in the fresh section of Asian stores. They’re slightly thicker than wonton wraps and they’re round. My favorite brand is New Hong Kong Noodle Company (they rmake all sorts of noodle dough products).
- One of the most common condiments to serve with these dumplings is Sriracha sauce. It’s the red chili sauce with the green cap.
- Easy recipe for dumpling sauce: Combine 3/4 cup plum sauce, 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce, 1-½ tablespoons rice vinegar, 1-½ tablespoons of garlic-infused oil, ½ teaspoon of Sriracha and 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger in an immersion blender attachment (and the attachment measuring cup) or a mini-prep until the mixture becomes thick and smooth. Add a little water if necessary.
- I have silicone cupcake liners and I think next time I’ll experiment with them so the dumplings have a more appealing look. I’ll keep you updated.