Asian Dumpling Tips

Modern Indian Chile Pea Puffs Recipe

The other day I made a batch of kumquat and mango chutney to go with these chile pea puffs. Both recipes are from Monica Bhide's new cookbook, Modern Indian. Monica’s recipe intrigued me because the filling is a simplified version of matar paneer – peas and cheese, one of my favorite Indian preparations. Remember to season the filling a little stronger than usual because it needs to stand up to the sweet-tart-pungent chutney. Go for a salty, spicy and sweet finish.

Wonton skins are not traditionally used for Indian dumplings, but neither is puff pastry, which I’ve seen people use. If you want to be hard-core, make a simple flaky pastry (the same kind as you’d use for samosas) and fry them as little half moons. But these are a modern take on traditional Indian foodways so go ahead, use wonton skins. Select thin ones (often labeled Hong Kong Style) for the best, most delicate flavor and texture.

You can bake these puffs as Monica prescribed in her recipe, but she also suggested deep frying them. For me, wonton skins shine when poached, steamed or deep-fried. Since neither of the first two cooking options would work here, I pulled out the oil. The result was heavenly.

Monica Bhide's Kumquat and Mango Chutney with Onion Seeds Recipe

 

I love Indian chutneys and keep a stash of classic tamarind date chutney in the freezer and make a fast batch of fiery green (cilantro and/or mint) chutney for samosas, fried mung bean vada fritters, and bondas (spicy potato dumplings in chickpea batter). In Monica Bhide’s new cookbook, Modern Spice, I discovered this new one to add to my repertoire. Its tart-sweetness results from combining fresh kumquats with sweet canned mango puree (more on this below); a little sugar and vinegar makes things pop more.

The chutney receives lilting notes from sweet fennel seeds and pungent onion seeds. You can find both of these spices at Indian markets and well stocked health food stores and specialty markets. Onion seeds (also called nigella and kalonji seeds) look like black sesame seeds but have an uncommon peppery pungency and slight butterscotch-like flavor. They are not related to onions. Below is a photo for your reference.

Nigella, kalonji, onion seeds. It's all the same!

Quick Char Siu Pork from Trader Joe’s

As you know from last week’s review of frozen Asian dumplings, I’m on a bit of a Trader Joe’s jag. Another one of their Asian products that’s intrigued me lots has been their Chinese-Style Barbecue Seasoned Pork. That’s one big mouthful of a product name (not very catchy!) but ever since I spotted the item in the Fearless Flyer months ago, I’ve wondered if the pork could be used in Asian dumplings such as steamed and baked buns (bāo/bau) and fried sticky rice dumplings (xián shuǐ jiǎo/haam sui gok). Char siu  pork is also one my favorite add-ons in wonton noodle soup, and I love to stuff some in Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches.

How good is the pork? Can I recommend it for cooks who don't have the time to make their own or access to a Chinese barbecue shop? What can be done with the pork? Trader Joe’s does not identify the pork as Cantonese char siu pork but the orange-red coloring and thin long slabs of meat gave the pork’s identity away. The Chinese character printed on the label, 豬 (zhū) means pig, hog, swine. There was nothing about it being chā shāo/char siu pork (叉燒), which literally means fork roasted as the pork pieces are typically suspended on hooks during the roasting process to evenly expose the meat to the heat.

Trader Joe’s Frozen Dumplings Fly Fearlessly through Asia

You may ask why an advocate of homemade Asian dumplings would get near frozen dumplings. The reality is that Asian grocery stores carry tons of frozen dumplings, and one of the best ways to explore the world of Asian dumplings is to eat frozen ones. They’re among Asia’s convenience processed food, like instant ramen noodles. With frozen dumplings, you get to try different flavors, doughs, and check out various shapes. You also see and appreciate homemade ones in a different light too. But let’s be clear – comparing store bought, frozen dumplings with homemade ones prepared from scratch is like comparing apples and oranges. They’re not in the same class. However, to understand the world of Asian dumplings, you’ve got to eat lots of them from varying sources!

Over the years, I’ve purchased plenty of frozen dumplings from Chinese markets but it had been a while since I’d tried any from mainstream food stores. A few weeks ago, while at Costco, I observed two average American shoppers buying a huge bag of frozen Ling Ling (Panda brand) pot stickers, along with Otter Pops popsicles and mini bundt cakes. Then at Trader Joe’s last week, I noticed that about 4 feet of the frozen food case contained various frozen Asian dumplings.

The Thai Gyoza got me the most. What were those? Gyoza are the Japanese version of Chinese jiaozi dumplings. The Thais have their own dumplings but treading on East Asian dumpling turf wasn’t not the norm for Thai cooks. What made the dumplings Thai, Japanese, or Chinese? What were they? So not only did I scoop up bags of Trader Joe’s Thai gyoza dumplings, but also shu mai, samosas, and mini wontons. My husband and I sampled all of them yesterday and here are our thoughts:

Gujarati Wheat Dumplings in Spiced Lentils Recipe (Dal Dhokli)

When I began working on the Asian Dumplings manuscript, I surveyed a number of my friends and fellow food writers about their favorite dumplings. Ruta Kahate, author of 5 Spices, 50 Dishes: Simple Indian Recipes Using Five Common Spices, suggested dal dhokli. It's a creamy, fragrant Indian lentil dish that at first glimpse didn't quite seem to fit my already elastic definition of Asian dumplings. But then I did some research and realized that a dumpling doesn’t always have to be something wrapped, stuffed, or dropped to be a dumpling. In fact, the notion of dumplings as pieces of bread dough poached in a stew is an enduring western culinary concept that is also part of Asian cuisines.

Indian cooks, particularly those from Gujarat where this dish originated, cut diamond-shaped pieces of unleavened chapati bread dough and gently simmer them in an aromatic, spicy lentil dal. The saucy, rich, and satisfying vegan result is a beloved comfort food. Some people describe dal dhokli as a pasta-like dish, but the practice of dropping everyday bread dough into a simmering pot puts it in the dumpling category. This recipe did not make it into Asian Dumpling because it didn’t dovetail tightly with the other recipes. I’ve been waiting to present it to you because it’s amazingly tasty. Every time I prepare it at home, my husband and I stick our head over the simmering dal and inhale the fragrant aromatics and spicy heat, saying, “Ah, dal dholki!”