Chicken Ginger Dumpling

Chicken Ginger

This was the first dumpling I ever learned how to make.  It started with a recipe in a cookbook at my parents' house in high school.  I have since adapted it a bit, but it's hard to stray too far from a classic. These are really awesome to make on any day and then freeze them so you can have frozen dumplings for weeks to come!

Filling Ingredients:

Photo by Nikki McFadden

• 1 lb ground chicken

• 6 scallions minced

• 1 large carrot minced

• 1 large thumb of ginger minced

• 5 cloves garlic minced

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tsp sesame oil

• 1 tsp ground white pepper

• 1 tsp spicy chili sauce

• 1/4 tsp sugar

Note: If you have a food processor, add your produce cut into pieces and run on high until desired consistency is reached

Other Ingredients:

• ~60 wraps

• Cup of warm water

• Cooking oil (I prefer peanut oil or coconut oil)

• Chicken broth (if unavailable, use water)

• Frying pan with lid

Directions:

1. Combine all your ingredients in a large mixing bowl

2. Using a fork or a spoon, scoop a small dollop into the middle of your wrapper(there should be enough dough around the meat so that you can seal the wrap without any leakage)

3. Dip your finger in a cup of warm water and moisten half of the circumference of the wrapper

4. Folder in half so the dry side lines up with the wet set, press and seal

5. Using both hands, pinch the wrap with your thumb and forefinger, fold the dough in your left fingers over your right, and pinch the layers together.

6. Continue until the whole edge is pleated

7. Heat a pan with your choice of oil (I prefer peanut or coconut oil)

8. Place dumplings in oil, creases up

9. Cook until bottoms have browned

10. Pour in the chicken broth to cover the bottom of the pan (about 1/3 cup)

11. Cover with a lid and steam

12. Once the broth has cooked off, remove the lid

13. Cook until the bottoms have desired crispiness

14. Remove from the pan and enjoy!

Pizza Rolls

I don't know about you guys.  But I LOVE pizza.  I made a pizza, and can share the recipe later, but way more exciting are my pizza rolls!  As a kid I would house these things like it was my job.  Bagel bites and Pizza Rolls were the best afternoon snacks.  Now I have come up with a recipe which is much fresher, and super easy to make!  As always, my recipe is intended to be simple for everyone to be a cooking star!  You can even choose to make it gluten-free if you feel so inclined.

Ingredients:

• 2-3 cups of pizza dough (I bought my regular dough at Trader Joe's and gluten free from Bob's Red Mill.  It's totally up to you if you want to be GF or not)
• flour (I used coconut flour)
• 1 cup diced pepperoni
• 3/4 cup diced Mozzarella
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 10 leaves fresh basil
• garlic powder (large pinch and 1 tablespoon)
• garlic salt (large pinch and 1 tsp)
• large pinch of oregano 
• parsley (large pinch, 1/4 teaspoon, and 1 teaspoon)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees
2. You should know by now I like to keep things simple.  In a bowl combine the pepperoni, mozzarella, tomato sauce, dried and fresh basil, large pinches of garlic powder, garlic salt, oregano and parsley.
3. You're almost done!
4. In a small frying pan heat up your garlic clove, olive oil, red pepper flakes and 1/4 teaspoon of parsley
5. In a small bowl combine the 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon garlic salt, and 1 teaspoon parsley
6. Take about a tablespoon of your pizza dough and place onto a lightly floured surface
7. With a rolling pin flatten out the piece of dough so it's about 3X3 inches
8. Place a large spoonful of your filling in the center of the dough, fold in half, and seal all edges
9. Dip the morsel into the olive oil mixture covering all sides
10. Then coat one side by placing it in the garlic powder mixture
11. Add to a lightly greased baking sheet
12. Repeat the process until you have a few dozen pizza rolls evenly spaced on the baking sheet
13. Place into the oven for about 12-15 minutes, or until they are golden brown
14. Allow the cheese to cool and bit, and enjoy!

Chicken Classic Dumpling

Chicken Classic

This was the first dumpling I ever learned how to make.  It started with a recipe in a cookbook at my parents' house in high school.  I have since adapted it a bit, but it's hard to stray too far from a classic.

Filling Ingredients:

Photo by Nikki McFadden

• 1 lb ground chicken
• 6 scallions minced
• 1 large carrot minced 
• 3 heaping tsps of ginger minced
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
• 1 tbsp spicy chili sauce

Note: If you have a food processor, add your produce cut into pieces and run on high until desired consistency is reached

Other Ingredients:

• ~60 wraps
• Cup of warm water
• Cooking oil (I prefer peanut oil or coconut oil)
• Chicken broth (if unavailable, use water)
• Frying pan with lid

Directions:

1. Combine all your ingredients in a large mixing bowl
2. Using a fork or a spoon, scoop a small dollop into the middle of your wrapper(there should be enough dough around the meat so that you can seal the wrap without any leakage)
3. Dip your finger in a cup of warm water and moisten half of the circumference of the wrapper
4. Folder in half so the dry side lines up with the wet set, press and seal
5. Using both hands, pinch the wrap with your thumb and forefinger, fold the dough in your left fingers over your right, and pinch the layers together.  
6. Repeat three times
7. Heat a pan with your choice of oil (I prefer peanut or coconut oil)
8. Place dumplings in oil, creases up
9. Cook until bottoms have browned
10. Pour in the chicken broth to cover the bottom of the pan (about 1/3 cup)
11. Cover with a lid and steam
12. Once the broth has cooked off, remove the lid 
13. Cook until the bottoms have desired crispiness
14. Remove from the pan and enjoy!

                   Photo by Nikki McFadden