Author Notes
These little packets of flavor are delicious with the dipping sauce here, or with a simple soy sauce and rice vinegar dipping sauce. They should be steamed until the wrappers are slightly translucent to make sure the dough is not sticky. Moistening them with olive oil prior to steaming helps prevent them from sticking to the metal steamer. The pan-frying at the end gives you a crispy texture on the bottom in addition to the chewy texture at the top of the dumpling. - clintonhillbilly —clintonhillbilly
Test Kitchen Notes
These dumplings were very tasty and made a fabulous appetizer that the whole family enjoyed. The dumplings themselves had a nice crispness to them and beautiful exterior color. The filling was also great, and I really enjoyed the surprise crunch of the peanut. I would suggest using an extra firm tofu and not overcooking the yam as the filling could otherwise become a bit too mushy. The sauce complimented the dumplings quite well, with the heat being a pleasant addition. I added a dash of soy sauce to the dipping sauce and thought that brought a balance to the overall flavor profile of the dish, as well. - epickles —epickles
Ingredients
- Yam and Basil Dumplings
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1
block tofu
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4 tablespoons
soy sauce
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2 tablespoons
rice vinegar or cider vinegar
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1
Yam, diced
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1 bunch
scallions, chopped
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1 bunch
basil, chopped
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1 cup
roasted peanuts
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1 packet
potsticker wrappers, circular
- Chile-Herb Dipping Sauce
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3 tablespoons
rice vinegar
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3 tablespoons
mirin
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1 tablespoon
sugar
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1
red chile, seeded and chopped
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3 tablespoons
cilantro, chopped
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1 tablespoon
Sriracha (to taste)
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1-2 tablespoons
chopped scallion
Directions
- Yam and Basil Dumplings
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Squeeze the tofu block gently to remove some of the water, and dice it into small cubes. Pour over soy sauce and vinegar. Combine thoroughly and set aside to marinate. Alternatively, you can use marinated baked tofu from the store. The longer you marinate tofu, the more it will absorb the flavors of the marinade. For a stronger flavor, marinate it overnight and add some honey, garlic, and ginger to the marinade.
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Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add diced sweet potatoes to pot and boil until cooked through, about three minutes. Drain and set aside.
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On a flat non-stick surface (you can use parchment paper), assemble dumplings by placing a cube of tofu, a cube of sweet potato, a peanut, and a pinch each of fresh basil and chopped scallions. Bring the sides of the wrapper to the top-center over the filling, and twist them together to create a parcel. If the dough is not sticking together on the top, moisten your fingers with water and pinch firmly after twisting.
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Boil a cup or two of water in a saucepan. Dip your fingers in olive oil and place dumplings into a steamer basket over the water, making sure to moisten the bottoms with oil so they do not stick to the steamer basket. Cover and steam for about five minutes, or until wrapper becomes somewhat translucent and is no longer very sticky.
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In a skillet, heat a half inch of oil until it begins to smoke. Place dumplings in pan and fry until bottoms are nicely browned. Remove and drain on a paper towel.
- Chile-Herb Dipping Sauce
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Mix all ingredients together.
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