Oolong Shrimp Dumplings

If Dragon Well Shrimp 龍井蝦仁—the refined Hangzhou shrimp dish perfumed with green tea—and Taiwan’s Three Delicacies Dumpling 三鮮餃 had a baby dumpling, this would be it. Juicy pork, sweet shrimp, and crisp cabbage folded together with a hint of green oolong tea. Steamed until translucent and glossy, the dumplings are light yet layered, where the mountain and ocean meet in perfect harmony—just like Taiwan.

Oolong Shrimp Dumplings 青心三鮮餃

Recipe by Tiffany Alexandria of CHOOCHOO-ca-CHEW, The Dumpling Club
Yields 48 dumplings

Ingredients

• Oolong Shrimp Dumplings 青心三鮮餃
• ½ lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 tbsp potato starch (or cornstarch)
• 1 egg white
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 lb ground pork
• ½ tsp Ve Wong MSG
• 2 tbsp Traditional Firewood Soy Sauce
• ½ tbsp Green Oolong Tea, blended into powder
• 1 scallion
• 1 inch ginger
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup green cabbage, finely chopped
• ½ tsp salt
• 48 dumpling wrappers

Equipment

• Mixing bowls
• Bamboo and Cypress Steamer
• Tatung Electric Steamer

Instructions

1. Make scallion ginger water: roughly chop the scallion and slice ginger into matchsticks, then place them in ½ cup of water. Using your hand, squeeze the scallion and ginger in the water until murky. Discard the scallion and ginger, reserve the liquid.
2. Mix shrimp, salt, potato starch, egg white, and Shaoxing wine to marinate. In a second bowl, mix the finely chopped cabbage with ½ tsp salt and let it rest for 10 minutes.
3. In a third bowl, mix the ground pork with soy sauce, MSG, green oolong powder. Knead the filling repeatedly for a minute, until the meat is no longer crumbly.
4. Then, use a fork or your hands to vigorously mix the filling in one direction until it emulsifies, about 2 minutes. While mixing, add 2 tbsp of the scallion ginger water at a time. Mix until the water is absorbed, then continue in the same increment until the full amount of reserved liquid is added. The filling should be sticky and cohesive.
5. Squeeze out the excess moisture in the cabbage, discard the liquid. Add the cabbage and shrimp to the pork mixture. Mix well.
6. Fill each wrapper with about 2 tbsp of filling and fold as desired.
7. If steaming:
1. Line a bamboo steamer with a soaked steamer cloth or parchment paper, then place the folded dumplings in the basket(s).
2. Place 2 rice cups of water in the Tatung Electric Steamer, then press the button. Once the water starts rapidly boiling, place the steamer baskets over the top. Steam for 10 minutes, until the wrappers turn slightly translucent or glossy. You can also do this over a pan on the stove.
8. If boiling the dumplings:
1. Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. When the water reaches a rapid boil, drop the dumplings in a couple at a time. Stir to make sure the dumplings don’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
2. When the water reaches a rapid boil again, add 1 cup of water. Bring it to a boil again, then cook for 4 to 6 minutes. The dough should be slightly translucent and the filling cooked through.
3. Remove the dumplings from the pot with a slotted spoon and place them on a plate.
9. Serve with simple dipping sauce, like Wu Yin Taiwanese Black Vinegar.