Easy Steamed Vegetable Dumplings

More About This Recipe

• Dumpling, anyone? When I became a vegetarian in my teens, broccoli with garlic sauce was the only thing I would order from the Chinese food menu. While my family didn’t order out a lot, when we did, that was my standard go-to order. Then I got to college. Ordering out became more frequent. And somewhere along the line, I discovered steamed vegetable dumplings. Then, everything changed. Dumplings were a revelation. These Steamed Vegetable Dumplings are flavorful filled pasta bites, stuffed with a cabbage mixture. You dip them in a soy sauce-based dipping sauce (I usually just use soy sauce, but gyoza dipping sauce is awesome with them too). I was head over heels for them. Since then, steamed vegetable dumplings have remained a favorite of mine. How well a restaurant does them really tells you a lot about the kitchen there. And yes, I totally judge a restaurant based on their dumplings. Until recently though, I had never made dumplings myself. After a cringe-worthy experience trying to make fried wontons at home, I was completely turned off and intimidated by making any savory dish that involves filling. And wrappers. But when Tablespoon’s Erin and I went back and forth on a topic for a post, steamed dumplings came up … and I was intrigued. The challenge of working with dumpling wrappers and creating a delicious dumpling sent me straight to the kitchen.
• After multiple attempts, I developed this fabulous, fast, delicious Steamed Vegetable Dumplings recipe. The filling starts with coleslaw mix -- the bagged mixture of cabbage and carrots found in the bagged lettuce area of the grocery store -- mixed with chopped beansprouts, scallions, soy sauce, sesame oil and ginger. Then the filling is briefly cooked before filling the dumplings. To seal the dumplings, I stick to the a very plain method, sealing them up like a half-moon. But, you could totally pleat them in traditional dumpling fashion, if you want. Someday, I probably will too. Anyway, then the dumplings are steamed until tender, and served. All in all, these can be made in 30 minutes or less. They really are that easy.