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I had this thing with Chinese take-out. It always sounded like a good idea. I ordered it, ate it, and then…I felt like I licked a salt block. I proceed to drink what seems like gallons of water and then I felt so full and bloated I don’t want to move. Not good. So, a few years ago I figured that I might try my hand at making some at home and I haven’t gone back.
I appreciate the fresh flavors of Asian cooking. However, it too often seems as if the flavors get lost in take-out. I like to keep it simple, but full of flavor. This recipe is a great example. It is good for the waistline, unlike some of the take-out dishes. Yes, making your own dumplings does require a little prep time, but the end result is worth it. If you have a kitchen helper, it goes a lot faster. (Shout out to my daughter Emma ☺.)
You can use round or square won ton wrappers. I used square this time and shaped them into little packages, folding the outside corners to the center. I reserve the shrimp shells and tails and infuse the broth with them, but if you have shrimp or fish stock you can use that too. The filling is flavored with ginger, lemon juice, and sesame oil. Like I said, simple but flavorful. They are served with a lightly sweetened and mildly spicy dipping sauce.
Shrimp and Ginger Dumplings with Sweet Chili Sauce
Equipment
- Food processor
- Spider strainer
Ingredients
For the Dumplings
- 1 ½ pounds raw shrimp, remove and reserve the peel and tails
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 ½ tablespoons freshly grated ginger
- 1 ½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 ½ teaspoons sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 30 wonton wrappers
For the Dipping Sauce
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons chili paste, such as Sambal Olek
- 1 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar
Instructions
For the Dumplings
- Place the chicken broth and reserved shrimp shells in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and allow the shrimp shells to infuse the broth for at least 15 minutes. Remove the shrimp shells and set the broth aside until ready to use.
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine the raw shrimp, ginger, lemon juice, sesame oil, and salt. Pulse several times to combine. (You want a small dice, but not a purée.) Working with one wrapper at a time, place a tablespoon of the mixture into the center of the wrapper. Brush the edges with water. Fold the wrapper in half and press the edges firmly to seal (If desired, you can bring the outside corners together and press firmly again to seal.) Place the dumpling on a parchment-lined baking sheet and continue with the remaining wrappers and shrimp mixture.
- When ready to cook, bring the shrimp shell-infused chicken broth to a rapid simmer. Place a few dumplings in the stock and cook for 3 minutes, stirring lightly to keep from sticking to the bottom, or until cooked through. Using a slotted spoon or Chinese strainer, remove the dumplings and transfer to a platter. Continue cooking the remaining dumplings.
For the Dipping Sauce
- In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, chili paste, and sugar. Serve the dumplings warm with the dipping sauce. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Oh my, these sound fantastic! It's soaring to the top of my recipe list.