Tofu and Spinach Jade Dumplings
I feel like the last week has been a hyper speed loop of house hunting, setting up our garden plot, testing milkbread, and watching To All The Boys: P.S. I Still Love You. Doesn’t sound terrible. There could be a worse combination of activities.
We finally got some time to head over to our community garden over the weekend to clear out our plot and it looks so good! Next we gotta construct our little fence and plant our little plant babies. In 2 months we’ll have enough veggies to make one really spicy and radish heavy salad lol What should I do with my first home grown watermelon radish?!
House hunting is stressful but exciting. We’re hoping to find something that we both really love and in a neighborhood where we don’t feel like we need to adopt a 150lb dog. I was obsessed with watching house hunters as a kid, so whenever we pull up to a house I like to narrate like I’m Suzanne Wong. Also, no one tells you that when you set off to chase your dreams, you don’t look super stable on paper, even if you feel like in your heart you’re killing it…
I asked Reuben if we could be Lara Jean Covey and Peter Kavinksy for Halloween. He said YES. Now, can someone invite us their Halloween party??
I think I’ve finally nailed down my milkbread recipe yesterday!!! Which is so exciting because about 25% of the recipes in my book are based on that milkbread!
I’ve also finally perfected my crystal dumpling wrapper recipe!!! I tested it a few times for a private class I taught on Monday, and the texture is soooooo perfect now! Crystal dumplings are probably my favorite type of dumpling. They also take on color for beautifully! If you add some spinach to crystal wrappers you get JADE DUMPLINGS. Gosh, I love them so much!!! These are filled with tofu, the left over spinach pulp, and a bunch of aromatics and tasty sauces. It’s vegetarian, but I’m pretty sure the meat loving people in your life will enjoy them too!
Crystal dumpling wrappers are definitely next level in terms of difficulty, but I’m sharing my tips below to help set you up for success! You got this!
Mastering the Best Crystal Dumpling Wrappers
I’ve made a bunch of crystal dumplings on the blog before, but with each recipe I’ve continued to tweak my dough recipe in order to inch my way towards the perfect balance of ideal texture and ease of workability. I’ve finally reached it! Crystal dumpling might just be the hardest dumplings to master. It’s really all on the dough. Crystal dumpling dough is blend of starches, which all have their own properties.
The Starches
Wheat Starch - provides strength and structure in the dough. However, if you use too much wheat starch in the dough, I find the texture a little too hard.
Sweet Potato Starch - provides softness and also translucency. You want to be able to see through the wrapper a little for the full crystal effect. Too much sweet potato starch and it can get gummy.
Tapioca Starch - provides a teeny tiny bit of stretch in the dough and a great chewy texture. To much tapioca starch and it will also be very gummy.
My blend goes like this : 120g wheat starch | 120g sweet potato starch | 30g tapioca starch
I find this blend to be perfect! It’s perfectly chewy and easier to work with than other dough ratios I’ve tried! Getting the right ratio is half the battle!
Use Boiling Water
This is INCREDIBLY important. If you use anything that’s not boiling water, the starches will not cook right. For my regular flour based dumpling wrappers I call for just boiled water, which is boiled water that’s been sitting for a few minutes. For crystal wrappers you want that water as hot as possible. The hot water will steam the starches as the dough is resting and give you a very workable texture.
One time, my water wasn’t quite hot enough and the dough resembled that creature flubber. NOT GOOD.
Canola Oil is Your Friend
Traditional recipes call for lard in the dumpling wrappers. The presence of fat in the dough gives it a little flexibility. Since most of us don’t have lard or find it hard to locate, canola oil is the next best thing. Just 2 tbsp of canola does the trick! I forgot to add it to the dough once and it just crumbles when you go to roll it out. So don’t forget it!
Tips to working with Crystal Dumpling Wrappers
Unlock regular flour based dumpling wrappers, these crystal dumpling wrappers don’t have any gluten. This means the wrappers are very fragile and do not stretch. So when you’re about to start folding your dumpling keep in mind these tips:
Be gentle - You don’t need to use as much force as you do with regular dumpling wrappers. When rolling out the wrapper with a rolling pin or pleating, it doesn’t take much to work the dough.
Move with the Filling - With each pleat, move the filling using your fingers, instead of just pulling on dough which will cause breaks.
Use a Tortilla Press -If you have one, use it to make your dumpling wrappers! It will save you so much time!!
Don’t Stress - even if you get tears and wholes in the dumplings, once they are steamed you barely even notice them! And remember that you can fold these into any shape you want! Doesn’t have to be a pleated dumpling. Simple half moons are totally fine!
Spinach and Tofu Jade Dumplings
makes 24 dumplings
crystal dumpling dough:
120g (1 cup) sweet potato starch
120g (1 cup) wheat starch
30g (1/4 cup) tapioca starch
1/4 tsp salt
200g (slightly less than 1 cup) water *
2 1/2 cup packed spinach *
2 tbsp canola oil
filling:
1lb block of tofu
leftover spinach from wrappers **
2 scallions - chopped
3 cloves garlic - grated
1 tbsp sriracha
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp cornstarch
to make jade dumpling dough:
To make wrappers, combine starches and salt in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
Blend water with spinach to make a puree. Strain out the puree through a fine mesh sieve, until you have 200g of spinach water. Reserve spinach pulp for dumpling filling. Place the spinach water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, pour the spinach water into the bowl of starches. Mix for 5 seconds, it will still be really dry, and cover with plastic wrap. Allow the contents to steam for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, uncover the bowl and add 2 tbsp of canola oil. Start kneading the dough with your hand until you have a smooth and consistent dough ball, about 3-4 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap until ready to use.
to make filing:
Drain the block of tofu and wrap with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Place a heavy skillet or baking tray over the wrapped tofu. Allow the tofu to press and drain for at least 15 minutes.
Cut the tofu into 1/2” cubes and place in a mixing bowl. Add spinach pulp, scallions, grated garlic, sriracha, sesame oil, soy sauce, white pepper, salt, and cornstarch. Using a rubber spatula, mix the filling together, making sure to break up the tofu into smaller chunks.
to assemble dumplings:
Divide the dough in half. Roll out half the dough into a 1” coil and cut into 12 equal pieces. Do the same with the second half. Keep inactive dough covered in plastic wrap. Take 1 portion of dough and knead for 20 seconds and form into a smooth ball. Roll out into a 3.5”-4” circle. If the dough sticks a little, roll the dough ball in a little bit of wheat starch first. Place a tablespoon of filling into the wrapper. Carefully pleat the dumpling into the desired shape. The dough feels fragile, but it’s also forgiving once steamed. Don’t worry if you have a few holes. Repeat with the remaining dumplings and place on a baking tray. Dust the tray with a bit of cornstarch to help them from sticking. Cover dumplings with a clean kitchen towel so they don’t dry out.
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Line a bamboo steamer (same width as your pot) with perforated parchment paper or spray with nonstick spray. Place a few dumplings in the steamer. Dumpling should not be touching. Place the steamer with lid on top of the pot and steam for 7-8 minutes. Repeat with remaining dumplings.
Eat immediately and enjoy with soy sauce or chili oil.
recipe note:
* can omit the spinach in the dough if you prefer white wrappers. Just use 200g of boiling water
** if omitting spinach wrappers, cook 2 1/2 cups of packed spinach or similar green in a skillet until wilted, about 3-5 minutes.