Veggie Jiao Zi (Chinese Dumpling) Soup
A light yet delicious Chinese dumpling soup. The dumpings are made with several kinds of veggies, smoked tofu, shiitake mushrooms, water chest nuts, and black fungus, tossed with soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil. Simply wrap it up with store-bought wonton or dumpling wraps.
Yield
4 servingsPrep
30 minCook
5 minReady
35 minIngredients
Amount | Measure | Ingredient | Features |
---|---|---|---|
Veggie filling | |||
4 | each |
mushrooms, shiitake
fresh, or dried and re-dehydrated |
* |
4 | each |
cloud ear black fungus
|
* |
½ | cup |
water chestnuts
plunged into boiling water and refreshed in cold water, drained and chopped |
* |
8 | ounces |
tofu
smoked, finely chopped, 4 squares |
|
1 | each |
carrots
peeled and finely chopped |
|
1 | each |
green bell peppers
finely chopped |
|
2 | cloves |
garlic
minced |
|
1 ½ | tablespoons |
ginger
fresh, minced |
|
2 | each |
scallions, spring or green onions
minced |
|
¼ | cup |
cilantro
fresh, finely chopped |
|
2 | tablespoons |
soy sauce, tamari
or to taste |
|
1 | tablespoon |
rice wine
or to taste |
|
½ | tablespoon |
sesame oil
or to taste |
|
½ | teaspoon |
salt and black pepper
to taste |
* |
1 ½ | tablespoons |
cornstarch
|
|
48 | each |
wonton wrappers
or as needed |
* |
1 | x |
cornstarch
for dusting |
* |
Soup | |||
4 | cups |
stock
chicken or vegetable |
|
½ | teaspoon |
sesame oil
|
|
10 | ounces |
spinach
frseh, stems removed, rinsed and drained |
|
1 | x |
scallions, spring or green onions
thinly slice on the bias for garnish |
* |
1 | x |
red pepper flakes
optional, for garnish |
* |
Ingredients
Amount | Measure | Ingredient | Features |
---|---|---|---|
Veggie filling: | |||
4 | each |
mushrooms, shiitake
fresh, or dried and re-dehydrated |
* |
4 | each |
cloud ear black fungus
|
* |
118 | ml |
water chestnuts
plunged into boiling water and refreshed in cold water, drained and chopped |
* |
231.2 | ml/g |
tofu
smoked, finely chopped, 4 squares |
|
1 | each |
carrots
peeled and finely chopped |
|
1 | each |
green bell peppers
finely chopped |
|
2 | cloves |
garlic
minced |
|
23 | ml |
ginger
fresh, minced |
|
2 | each |
scallions, spring or green onions
minced |
|
59 | ml |
cilantro
fresh, finely chopped |
|
3E+1 | ml |
soy sauce, tamari
or to taste |
|
15 | ml |
rice wine
or to taste |
|
7.5 | ml |
sesame oil
or to taste |
|
2.5 | ml |
salt and black pepper
to taste |
* |
23 | ml |
cornstarch
|
|
48 | each |
wonton wrappers
or as needed |
* |
1 | x |
cornstarch
for dusting |
* |
Soup | |||
946 | ml |
stock
chicken or vegetable |
|
2.5 | ml |
sesame oil
|
|
289 | ml/g |
spinach
frseh, stems removed, rinsed and drained |
|
1 | x |
scallions, spring or green onions
thinly slice on the bias for garnish |
* |
1 | x |
red pepper flakes
optional, for garnish |
* |
Directions
To make the filling:
If using dried shiitake mushrooms, bring a small pot of water to a boil.
Boil the dried mushrooms and black fungus for 3 minutes, turn off the heat, and let sit for about 20 minutes.
Remove the re-dehydrated mushrooms and black fungus from the hot water, rinse under cold running water, let cool enough to handle.
Then squeeze out as much water as possible.
Remove the tough stems, and finely chop the mushrooms and black fungus.
While the mushrooms and black fungus are soaking in the hot water, place the water chestnuts in a towel and squeeze out as much moisture as possible.
Place the water chestnuts, finely chopped tofu, carrots, green bell peppers, garlic, ginger, scallions, soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl.
Then add the finely chopped mushrooms and black fungus when they are ready.
Using your hand or a spoon, stir vigorously in one direction to combine the ingredients evenly.
Add the cornstarch and stir to blend. The mixture should be stiff.
Use a fork, teaspoon or two chopsticks to place a scant teaspoonful of the filling in the center of each wonton skin.
Gather the edges of the skin together around the filling and squeeze to form a "waist" as you gradually remove the fork, teaspoon or chopsticks.
Squeeze the "waist" and the ends shut to enclose the filling.
The finished dumpling should look like a drawstring purse.
Place the finished dumplings on a tray that has been lightly dusted with cornstarch.
Heat 4 quarts of water to boiling in a large pot. Add the wontons and cover.
Once the water is boiling again, cook for about 4 minutes or until they rise to the surface.
Remove with a long-handled strainer and drain. Discard the water.
Heat the broth, salt and sesame to boiling.
Add the spinach and cooked wontons and portion into serving bowls.
Garnish with sliced scallions and a few red pepper flakes.