Vegetarian Dumplings

These are delicious, crunchy bottomed dumplings. They have tofu in them to give a bit of substance, and you could always add pork or chicken mince instead. This recipe will make about 20 dumplings, so adjust your amounts accordingly. Make sure your frypan has a lid!

• 1 carrot, grated

• 1 silverbeet leaf, thinly sliced and chopped

• 1/8 cabbage, shredded and chopped

• 1/2 cm ginger, finely grated

• 1 spring onion, thinly sliced

• 1 mushroom, finely diced

• 50g other veg if wanted, chopped finely

• 50g hard tofu, finely diced

• 2 sprigs coriander, finely chopped

• 1 Tbsp soy sauce

• 1 Tbsp liquid stock

• 1 tsp sugar

• 1 tsp cornflour

• 25g vermicelli noodles, smoked in boiling water and chopped finely

• 20 dumpling wrappers

Cook ingredients in order as listed, so the more delicate vegetables don’t get overcooked

Mix together soy sauce, stock, sugar and cornflour

When vegetables are cooked, add tofu, soy sauce mix and stir. Turn off heat and add noodles. Mix and remove from pan into a bowl

To make dumplings

Wet wrapper slightly with water around the edge, and place a teaspoon of filling in the middle

Fold over and seal edges. Pleat edges. Sit on flat bottom so the pleats are along the top

Put dumplings in frypan with a little oil and fry for about 2 minutes and the bottom is browned and crisp

Add 1/2 cup of water, place lid on top immediately and steam for 5-8 minutes on low-med

Remove lid and cook until water is evaporated and bottoms are crisp. If they don’t release from pan, just add a little water

Serve as they are, or with black vinegar and soy sauce (and chilli oil if you like it spicy)!