Chicken-Chile-Lemongrass Dumplings

Instructions

1. Add flour to a food processor. Boil water in a tea kettle; once boiled, pull off heat and allow to cool for a few seconds. With the top on the food processor, slowly drizzle water through the mouth of the lid as the machine whirls. Once all water is added, the dough should form a ball around the blade. Remove lid and pinch dough; if sufficiently moistened, dough should retain shape.
2. Remove dough from processor and place on a floured surface. Knead with the heel of your hand for about 30 seconds. Poke the dough: it should bounce back slowly, retaining the shape of the indentation. Place the dough in a zip baggie, removing all air from the bag. Set aside for 15 minutes and up to 2 hours.
3. Drizzle mushrooms with olive oil, then roast at 250° for 20 minutes. Once cooled, chop fine.
4. To prep lemongrass stalk, chop off about 1” of thick root end and fibrous upper part (about 4-5”). Remove outer layers and use a microplane to grate over a bowl. Fibers from the stalks may fall in; pick them out.
5. In a metal bowl, add chicken, mushrooms, lemongrass, cabbage, chile, green onion, ginger, garlic, cilantro, egg, Gochujang, salt, and cornstarch. Mix together with a spatula or hands; set aside to let ingredients meld together. (You can refrigerate for up to 24 hours.)
6. Once dough has rested, cut into four chunks. Working with one at a time, cover the rest with a moist tea towel. Roll the section into a 12-inch rope, then cut into 12 equal pieces. (I find it’s easiest to cut in half, then half again, then cut each into three pieces.) Roll each ball into a round(ish) flat disc, about 3-½” in diameter.
7. Spoon about a teaspoon of filling into the center of a dumpling wrapper. Bring the center of the circle to the other side, and pinch together. Pleat up each side (see pictures) so there are three pleats on each side of the dumpling. As you work, set dumplings on a parchment or wax paper-lined baking sheet, settling the dumplings so they have a flat bottom as you go.
8. In a large, high-sided, non-stick skillet, add 2 Tbsp oil over high heat. As oil heats, set dumplings close to one another around the pot in arcs, filling the pot (should be about half the dumplings, depending on the size of your pan). Let brown for about 2 minutes, then pour in 1/2 cup water around dumplings, covering pot and letting steam. Once dumplings are cooked through (about 5 minutes) and water is evaporated, remove lid. Let brown for an additional minute or so (look for dark brown bottoms). ***
9. Serve with dipping sauce: 1 part black vinegar 2 parts soy sauce sprinkled with: toasted sesame seeds (toast them fresh yourself for best flavor) diced green onions (green parts!) minced cilantro.
10. * Dough Variation: Chewier Wrappers 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1/2 cup Mochiko sweet rice flour 1 cup freshly boiled water
11. ** You can use pre-minced garlic and ginger in a pinch, but they won’t be as fresh or light in flavor, as the flavor intensifies and can get a bit bitter over time in the jar.
12. *** Steamed: If you’d prefer not to fry dumplings, you can steam them in a parchment-lined steamer insert over a pot of water. Because these dumplings are very light in fat, they’ll cook quickly and will lack a bit of the textural delights of a fried dumpling.

• Recipe Type : Appetizers, Meat & Poultry