SAUCE
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped green onion (scallion), white and green parts
1 Follow the directions for “Eliminating Shrimp’s ‘Fishy’ Taste” on page 20. (This step is optional.)
2 To make the filling, first chop the shrimp into a paste with a knife or a food processor.
3 In a medium bowl, combine the shrimp, salt, sugar, pepper, sesame oil, cornstarch, ½ egg white and cilantro.
4 In a separate small bowl, beat the remaining ½ egg white with 1 tablespoon water for sealing the dumplings.
5 Make the dipping sauce: Mix the soy sauce, balsamic vinegar and green onion. Set aside.
6 Place 2 teaspoons of the filling in the center of each dumpling wrapper. Brush with the egg mixture along the edge. Fold over to form a half-circle.
7 Heat the oil in a wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add all of the dumplings and pan-fry for 1 minute.
8 Add the water. Cover and cook for 1 minute, then remove the cover and continue to cook until the water is completely gone, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately with the dipping sauce.
COOK’S NOTE
If you only can find square dumpling wrappers, use a cookie cutter to cut them into rounds.
Veggie Tofu Lettuce Cups
When my friend Stacy tried this recipe, she couldn’t believe her teenage daughters, Brianna and McKenna, were devouring tofu and liking it. It takes a little extra time to prepare and bake the tofu, but it’s totally worth it. I love the combination of textures that the water chestnuts and shiitake mushrooms contribute, but the sauce, which is rich and layered from the dark soy sauce, hoisin sauce and rice wine, is the best part. This is a great appetizer for “Meatless Mondays”—it’s even hearty enough for dinner with a side of Egg Drop Soup (page 64).
Serves 6 to 8 as an appetizer or snack
Preparation time: 20 minutes + draining and marinating time
Cooking time: 45 minutes
One 16-oz (500 g) block firm tofu, drained
MARINADE
⅓ cup (80 ml) soy sauce
¾ cup (185 ml) water
1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
1½ tablespoons dark sesame oil
2 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
1 fresh hot red chili (deseeded if you prefer less heat)
4 tablespoons water chestnuts, finely chopped
2½ cups (250 g) fresh shiitake mushrooms, chopped
4 tablespoons green onion (scallion), finely chopped (green and white parts)
4 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or sherry
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce, homemade (page 25) or store-bought
Leaves of 1 head butter lettuce, washed and dried
1 Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
2 Wrap tofu block snugly in 4 or 5 layers of paper towels and place on a plate. Cover with a second plate and balance a heavy can or two on top to weigh down the plate and press down on the tofu. Set aside to let drain for 30 minutes. Remove and discard paper towels, then replace with dry paper towels and repeat the process a second time. Cut the pressed tofu into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes.
3 Whisk marinade ingredients together in a medium bowl. Add the tofu cubes and gently toss to coat. Cover and place in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
4 Arrange tofu cubes in a single layer on a large sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Lightly spray tofu all over with cooking spray and bake, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and just crisp, about 40 minutes total.
5 Heat the oil in a wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallot, ginger and chili and stir-fry until fragrant. Add the water chestnuts, shiitake mushrooms and green onions and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the tofu and stir-fry for 1 minute, then pour in the soy sauce, rice wine or sherry and hoisin sauce and stir-fry for another minute.
6 Transfer to a serving bowl. Place the lettuce leaves on a plate or platter alongside the tofu filling so guests can make their own wraps.
Shiitake Mushroom and
Spinach Dumplings
When I brought my vegetarian friend Dave to dim sum for the first time, he was pleasantly surprised to see the array of meatless dumpling options going around in the carts. All of my non-Chinese friends make me do the ordering at dim sum (even though I can’t even speak Chinese!), and I load up on as many veggie dumplings as I do the meat or seafood kind, because they’re so healthy, fresh and flavorful. This recipe, loaded with umami flavor from the shiitakes, is inspired by one of my favorite veggie dumplings at my go-to dim sum restaurant, Ocean Seafood, in Los Angeles’ Chinatown.
Serves 8 as an appetizer or snack
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 4 minutes
8 oz (250 g) firm tofu
2 egg whites, divided
2 teaspoons peeled and minced fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons finely chopped green onion (scallion), white and green parts
1 tablespoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon dark sesame oil
1 teaspoon all-purpose cornstarch
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)
½ cup (50 g) stemmed and finely chopped fresh shiitake mushrooms
4 tablespoons thawed frozen spinach, squeezed dry and finely chopped
30 store-bought round potsticker wrappers
3 tablespoons oil, divided, for frying
Water,
