Pork Dumpling Slaw
The perfect crunchy, chewy, salty, easy to eat, slightly warm slaw with dumplings in it. A fast Friday sneaky meal, and great midweek too.
Serves: 4
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS
For the dumplings
1 pack frozen dumplings or wontons, pork and beef (the Aldi ones are really good, without too much crap in them)
neutral oil, for the pan
water
For the slaw
1/4 green cabbage, finely shredded
1 cucumber, thinly sliced on the bias and cut into fat matchsticks
1 carrot, thinly sliced on the bias and cut into fat matchsticks
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon crispy fried shallots
2 teaspoons sesame seeds, black or white, pre-toasted if you can find them
1 bunch mint, leaves picked
1 bunch coriander, leaves picked
For the scallion oil
a few spring onions, finely sliced
a big pinch of salt
3 tablespoons peanut oil
For the dressing
rice wine vinegar
soy sauce
METHOD
Cook the dumplings potsticker style. Heat a large frying pan that has a well fitting lid. If you don't have a very good non stick pan, heat it dry for a long time first, until a drop of water beads and rolls around on top of the pan without evaporating. That tells you it is at the right temperature, and it will stop even an egg from sticking.
Add enough oil to coat the base, then add the dumplings in a single even layer, as many as fit.
Because the pan is very hot, wait a moment for it to cool down once the frozen dumplings have hit it, then add enough water to come about 4mm up the side of the dumplings.
Cover with the lid and simmer until all the water has been absorbed and evaporated. The dumplings should be cooked by now and will begin to crisp on the bottom.
The crisping takes a little longer than you would suspect. Keep an eye on it, especially once it starts to make a sizzling sound rather than a bubbling sound, and take care that they don't burn.
Once they are fully cooked, put the lid back on and allow them to cool down so they aren't scalding hot and won't wilt the salad.
Meanwhile, place the cabbage, cucumber and carrot in a large salad bowl. Dress with the sesame oil, crispy fried shallots and sesame seeds, and add the mint and coriander.
For the scallion oil, place the sliced spring onions in a heatproof jug with a big pinch of salt. Heat the peanut oil until shimmering and hot, then pour it over the spring onions. They will sizzle and wilt.
Make the dressing by combining the rice wine vinegar and soy sauce. It is the perfect combination of salt and tanginess, a simplified version of the dipping sauce I make for dumplings.
Add the dumplings to the salad, dress with the scallion oil and the vinegar and soy mixture, and toss well.
VARIATIONS
The meat in the dumplings can be whatever you like.
HINTS
The dry pan trick is worth knowing for everything, not just dumplings. Heat the pan with no oil in it for a long time, then flick in a drop of water. If it beads and rolls around on top without evaporating, the pan is ready. Nothing sticks to it after that, not even an egg.
Listen to the pan rather than watching the clock. While there is still water in there it bubbles. Once it switches to a sizzle, the water has gone and the bottoms are crisping, and that is the moment to pay attention so they don't burn.
Let the dumplings cool with the lid on before they go anywhere near the vegetables. Scalding hot dumplings will wilt the whole salad and the crunch is the reason you made it.
NUTRITION (per recipe total - serves 4 - guide only):
Energy: approximately 9450kJ (2258 calories)
Protein: 60g
Fat: 130g
Saturated fat: 25g
Carbohydrates: 180g
Sugars: 20g
Fibre: 15g
Sodium: 3500mg
Note: calculated on roughly 600g of frozen dumplings and a soy and vinegar dressing of 2 tablespoons vinegar to 1 tablespoon soy. Adjust if your quantities differ.
This nutrition information is a guide only and may vary depending on brands, exact quantities, and ingredient substitutions used.