Shrimp & Pork Dumplings

 One of my favorite Asian dishes to eat is dumplings....so when I found dumpling wrappers at our local Whole Foods, I knew I had to try and make my own.  My personal favorite combination is shrimp and pork dumplings - the subtle flavor of the shrimp goes so well with the mild taste of ground pork.  These are great to serve as an appetizer or as a side dish for any meal.  I love anything that's small and compact and wrapped in an outer casing (like my pierogis!)  You can get creative with the filling of dumplings if you don't like pork or shrimp -- try ground chicken, cabbage, or edamame to name a few.  In the recipe I show below, after boiling the dumplings, I pan fry them...but the next time I try these I want to deep fry them to get the entire outside crispy!

Shrimp & Pork Dumplings

Yields: Approximately 20-22 Dumplings

.4 lbs. Ground Pork

13 small Shrimp, raw and de-shelled

1 tsp. Ginger Powder

3 tbsp. Onion, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tsp. Soy Sauce

1 tsp. Sesame Oil

2 tbsp. Cornstarch

1 tsp. Rice Vinegar

Dumpling Wrappers

1> In a large bowl combine your pork, shrimp, ginger, onion, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch, and rice vinegar.  Mix together this dumpling filling thoroughly with your hands.

2> To assemble your dumplings, lie out one sheet of the dumpling wrapper, have a small bowl of water on the side and with your fingers, wet the outside edges of the wrapper.  Spoon a teaspoon sized portion of your filling in the center.  Fold the wrapper in half creating a half circle shape, and press the edges together to seal.  Repeat this until you have no more filling left.

> Bring a large pot of water to a boil and drop in half of your dumplings.  Once they rise to the top of the water, they are done and can be taken out and placed on a platter.

4> After they’ve been boiled, you want to pan fry them to get the outsides crispy.  In a large sauté pan, heat up a few tablespoons of Canola Oil.  Add your dumplings and cook on each side until golden brown.  Serve warm with the sauce listed below.

Dumpling Sauce

1 tsp. Siracha

¼ cup Soy Sauce

2 tsp. Sesame Oil

½ tsp. Sugar

½ tsp. Rice Vinegar

1.     Combine all ingredients and whisk together until completely integrated. Serve alongside the dumplings to be dipped in.