Vegetarian pumpkin dumplings (素煎餃/ 鍋貼)

Last Saturday, my sister brought me to a vegetarian food party which organized by Tzu Chi Malaysia 慈濟 (Tzu Chi Foundation is a non-profit organization founded in 1966 by Dharma Master Cheng Yen in the impoverished east coast of Taiwan. The Foundation has been contributing to better social and community services, medical care, education and humanism in Taiwan for nearly forty years). My sister is now one of the volunteer in this center. I was truly enjoyed all the yummy vegetarian foods prepared by their members. Also I learnt this vegetarian dumplings from them..

All yummy vegetarian foods served in this party...素食也可以很好吃！

They also talk about the benefit of eating vegetarian foods and encourage us to eat less meat and oily foods (cheese, butter and etc) to have a better and healthy life..I was inspired by this talk and I will start to cook at least one vegetarian meal once in a week..

They also do recycle activities in this center..

This Taiwan lady taught us how to make dumplings from the scratch..(taken by phone, sorry for the poor quality)

One tip from her, make this flour water to get a cripsy bottom of dumplings..

Adding the flour water, you can see a thin layer of cripsy cooked flour at the bottom..

This is the filling, they suggested to use the mushroom stem (not to waste by throwing away and the stem actually has nice texture)..

Nice dipping sauce-light soy sauce, water, sesame oil and Basil

To make round dumpling wrapper, use the end of the rolling pin and roll by turning the dough in circle..Since this is homemade, do not force yourself to get a perfect round wrapper..Even is uneven, after wrapped, you will still see nice dumpling shape..

Too bad, I'm not able to take the video to show you how i wrap the dumplings. Let me show you the pictures as per below, the steps actually start from pull, fold, press and seal the wrapper..

Pan fry the dumplings...

Vegetarian Pumpkin dumplings (素煎餃/ 鍋貼)
(recipe source: by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover)
*makes around 80 mini dumplings

Dumpling wrapper
300g plain flour
150g pumpkin puree with water, mix 100g pumpkin puree (after steamed) and water

Filling
250g cabbage, chopped finely
50g carrot, chopped finely
20g Chinese chives, chopped finely
100g cooked Chinese Shiitake mushroom stems, chopped finely (you may replace with just mushroom but not the mushroom stem)
Seasonings
1tbsp light soy sauce
1/2tsp salt
1tsp sesame oil
A dash of pepper

Cooking dumplings
Flour water – add 1 cup water with 1tbsp plain flour

Method
1. Soak dried Shiitake mushroom stems for overnight. Braise with water (season with light soy sauce and vegetarian oyster sauce) for 1-2 hours (I use pressure cook to cook for 20mins).
2. To prepare dumpling wrapper, mix flour with pumpkin water, knead till smooth dough, set aside to rest for 1hour.
3. To prepare the filling, squeeze as much of water from cabbage, mix with carrot, chives and mushroom. Add in seasonings, mix till combine well.
4. Dust worktop with flour, divide dough into small pieces, use rolling pin to roll dough into round and thin. Place a small spoonful of filing on the dumpling skin, fold it accordingly.
5. Add little cooking oil in a non-stick frying pan, fry dumplings over medium heat.
6. Once dumplings bottom turned golden brown, add some flour water and cover with lid immediately, cook over high heat.
7. Cook for about 2-3 minutes till water has evaporated.
8. Dish out and serve with dipping sauce (Light soy sauce, sesame oil, water and basil).