"Mini Brains" Pork Dumplings with Chile Dipping Sauce

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Prep 1 30

Total 2 15

Course Mains

Servings 4

Equipment

1 steaming attachment for pots, or bamboo steamer

Ingredients

For the sauce:

1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
3 tbsp Asian chile-garlic sauce
3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
3 tbsp Chinese black vinegar, or rice vinegar
2 tbsp mirin (Chinese rice wine) or sweet sherry

For the dumplings:

2 tbsp vegetable oil, plus more for brushing
5 oz shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps thinly sliced
4 large scallions, white and light green, parts only, finely chopped
8 oz baby bok choy, finely chopped (about 1 2/3 cups)
1 small carrot, coarsely grated
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated (about 4 tsp)
3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp mirin (Chinese rice wine) or sweet sherry
1 tsp Asian chile-garlic sauce
kosher salt
2/3 lb ground pork
30-50 round wonton wrappers GF recipe linked below

Instructions

Make the sauce.

In a large bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, chile-garlic sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, and mirin. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside (the sauce will become redder and more ghoulish as it sits).

Make the dumplings.

In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over high heat until shimmering, about 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms, scallions, bok choy, and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, mirin, and chile-garlic sauce and cook until the liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Season with salt (you won't need much). Transfer the vegetables to a bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set a small bowl of water next to your work station.
Remove the bowl of vegetables from the fridge and stir in the pork until incorporated. Place 3 wonton wrappers on a cutting board and brush the edges with water (GF wonton recipe linked). Spoon a scant tablespoon of the filling onto the center of each wrapper. Fold the wrapper over the fulling and press the edges to seal, pressing the dumpling wrapper directly against the filling and pressing out any air pockets as you go. Use scissors to trim the wrappers as desired, leaving a 1/4-inch border around the filling. Transfer the dumplings to the prepared baking sheet, cover with a damp towel, and repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling. Keep in mind that they don't have to look perfect - you're making brains!
Line both tiers of a two-tiered bamboo steamer with parchment paper cut to fit and brush the parchment with vegetable oil. Fill a wok or a large skillet with 2 inches of water and bring the water to a boil. Fill the tiers of the steamer with dumplings, making sure the edges don't touch (otherwise they could stick together). Cover the steamer, place it in the wok, and steam the dumplings until the filling feels firm, about 6 minutes. Transfer the cooked dumplings to the bowl with the sauce while you steam the remaining dumplings.
Carefully use a spoon to completely coat the dumplings with the sauce, then use a slotted spoon to transfer the dumplings to a serving platter. Serve the remaining sauce on the side in a beaker or spooky plate.