Edamame Dumplings
April 18, 2017 By Cathy — 6 CommentsThere’s no chance you can eat just one of these dumplings. The creamy soybean filling is perfectly countered by a light, savory dipping sauce. A great starter to any meal!
When you love to cook, and perhaps even blog about it, there’s a common misconception that it’s all you want to do. Or that you don’t love when others, no matter their skillset, cook for you. Truth is, I love taking a break from the kitchen. I’m downright gleeful when my husband grabs the breakfast reins over the weekend or offers to hit the grocery store. And my favorite activity, bar none, is going out to dinner (bonus points if I don’t have to book the sitter).
See the thing is, I really don’t spend my days judging every bite of food that goes in my mouth. And I don’t have the same set of expectations for the local diner as I do for a 4-star restaurant in Manhattan. There is plenty of room in my heart for a solid pile of nachos and an 8-course tasting menu with a wine pairing and perfectly timed souffle.
Dining out is not just a break from cooking and cleaning or an excuse to wear pretty shoes with a heel, it’s a constant source of inspiration. Sure I can find inspiration in the grocery store, farmers market and my favorite foodie magazines, but there’s nothing like popping something in your mouth so unbelievably delicious that you immediately want to run home to try to recreate it.
This happened recently when I met my cousin for dinner in the city at Buddakan. We ordered some tasty cocktails, way too much food and talked for close to four hours. When we stopped reminiscing long enough to inhale some dinner, we were both stopped in our tracks by their edamame dumplings. The creamy edamame filling was punctuated with dash of truffle oil and it was served in a delicate shallot-sauternes broth. It was far and away the star of the meal and I was immediately inspired to make my own version back home.
As much as I loved the hint of truffle oil in the dumplings we enjoyed at Buddakan, I played around with it and decided I prefer a more straightforward edamame flavor. I also opted for a classic dumpling dipping sauce that provides a little more punch. The combination of soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, honey and chili sauce is just the right blend of sweet, savory and spicy.
Folding the dumplings is definitely my favorite part of making them. You can keep it simple with triangles or give those triangles a little bend and bring the points together for a distinctive shape. Check out the video just below for a quick folding demo.
I hope you enjoy these dumplings as much as my family does or maybe I’ve inspired you to make your own variation. I’ve been bit by the dumpling bug so I expect I’ll be folding, steaming and pan-frying plenty of different varieties in the days and weeks to come. And then I’ll definitely need a break from the kitchen and a date for another inspiring meal out! Ah the delicious cycle…
- Edamame Dumplings
- 12 oz shelled edamame, cooked according to package instructions and drained
- 4 oz (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 - 12 oz package square wonton wrappers
- Dipping Sauce
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp chili paste (sambal oelek)
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tsp freshly ground ginger
- ½ tsp sugar
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced on the bias
- *Special equipment: bamboo steamer
- Edamame Dumplings: Combine cooked edamame, butter, heavy cream and salt in the bowl of food processor fitted with a steel blade.
- Process until very smooth, 3-5 mins. Filling can be made 1-2 days ahead, covered and chilled.
- Set up your dumpling-making station with the wonton wrappers covered loosely with a damp towel, a small dish of water, edamame filling, a tsp measuring spoon and a parchment-lined sheet tray.
- Take out 3-4 wrappers at a time and lay them on the counter with the point facing up. Moisten the two top edges of the wrapper by dipping your finger in water and rubbing it along the edge.
- Place two rounded teaspoons of filling in the center and fold over to form a triangle with the wide side at the bottom. Press to adhere.
- Make a small crease on the bottom side and bring the right and left points together. Moisten to adhere. Place the dumpling on the lined sheet tray and cover with a slightly damp towel.
- Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling.
- Place a bamboo steamer in an inch or two of boiling water in a wok or fitted over a saucepan.
- Lay the dumplings, not touching, in the lined steamer basket. Cover and steam until tender and cooked through, about 10 mins.
- Serve with the dipping sauce.
- Dipping Sauce: Whisk together all of the ingredients until the sugar and honey are dissolved.
- *Uncooked dumplings can be frozen on a sheet tray, then stored in a plastic freezer bag for several weeks.
I feel exactly the same way about dining out Cathy! Any meal where I don’t have to cook is a joy to me.
Your dumplings look absolutely to-die-for!
Right Alida? Any excuse for a bite out!
I am with you guys…. cooking is wonderful, but sharing and having someone cook for you is such a expression of love. “Have at it!” I am so happy you did this post. I have a dumplings cookbook, but the step by step still feels daunting. Seeing it in video form is so useful. Thanks Cathy.
Glad you like the video Cindy. Dumplings used to seem so intimidating to me too, now I’m addicted to making them.
Never in a million years would I think to stuff a dumpling with edamame, but man, am I glad you did!! These look insanely tasty!
It’s seriously my new favorite filling Karly! You’ve gotta try it.