RECIPE: Southeast Asian-inspired spot prawn dumplings

Savoury Chef Foods Chef Taryn Wa makes Southeast Asian-Inspired Spot Prawn Dumplings, which is a perfect mix of her Mom’s tradition with a modern spin. 

INGREDIENTS

Dumpling Filling

500 g live spot prawns

10 g ginger, minced

10 g garlic, minced

45 mL coconut milk

.5 pieces Thai chilli

20 g palm sugar

45 mL fish sauce

5 g cornstarch

10 g cilantro, minced

10 g green onion, minced

1/4 lime, zest and juice

salt and pepper (to taste)

Dough

110 g wheat starch

25 g tapioca flour

180 mL water

10 mL vegetable oil

5 g salt

Sweet & Spicy Dipping Sauce

15 ml fish sauce

15 ml lime juice

1 thai chilli

10 gm palm sugar

METHOD 

Dumpling Filling

Mix coconut milk and palm sugar until sugar has dissolved, set aside. Remove heads from spot prawns and peel off shells, use heads and shells for another use. Puree 1/4 of prawns in a food processor to make a paste, put in a mixing bowl. Roughly chop the remaining prawns and put in the mixing bowl. Add the remaining ingredients to the prawns and mix thoroughly, adjust seasoning to taste. Keep mix in the refrigerator while you prepare the dough.

Dough

Bring water to a boil. Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Add boiled water and oil to dry ingredients and mix until a dough forms. Knead until smooth.

*dough can be kept overnight in the refrigerator, be sure to wrap well in plastic wrap

*can also be mixed in a mixer with a hook attachment

Sweet & Spicy Dipping Sauce

Combine in a small mixing bowl and adjust ingredients to your desired level of salt/spice/sour/sweet.

Dumpling Assembly

Divide dough in half, set half aside. Roll dough into a log about 3cm in diameter. Cut dough into 10 even pieces (approx 15 g per piece). Keep dough pieces in saran while you make each dumpling. Press each dough disc flat with a tortilla press lined with plastic.

*can be rolled with a small rolling pin/dowel to approximately 6 cm in diameter

Put about 1 Tbs filling (20 gm) in the centre of each dumpling

Fold round in half press to seal

Dumplings can now be deep fried or steamed

Deep fry: heat oil to 375F, fry until golden brown and cooked through

Steaming: Prepare a bamboo steamer, lined with parchment or a cabbage leaf.  Bring water to boil, put steamer on the pot and steam over medium heat for approximately 7-8 minutes, or until dumplings are cooked through.

Serve with the dipping sauce or a squeeze of lime juice, and garnish with cilantro

**Store bought dumpling wrappers can be used if you do not want to make your own dough.