Description
These Vegan Zucchini Dumplings are a delightful plant-based appetizer or meal featuring a savory filling of shredded zucchini, tofu, carrot, and wood ear mushrooms, seasoned with mushroom powder, salt, and pepper. The dumplings are pan-fried to achieve a crispy golden bottom and then steamed with water until cooked through, making them tender and flavorful. Serve with garlic chili sauce for a perfect spicy kick.
Ingredients
Scale
Dumpling Wrappers
- Store-bought dumpling wrappers (about 30 pieces)
Filling
- 1 medium zucchini (about 1 cup shredded)
- 150g firm tofu, crumbled
- 1 medium carrot, shredded
- 1/2 cup wood ear mushrooms, soaked and finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon mushroom seasoning (or mushroom powder)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Other
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (for pan-frying)
- 1/4 cup water (for steaming)
- Garlic chili sauce (for serving, optional)
Instructions
- Prepare Filling: Shred the zucchini finely and squeeze out as much moisture as possible using a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth. This prevents soggy dumplings. Sauté the shredded carrot and chopped wood ear mushrooms in a dry pan over medium heat until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
- Combine Filling Ingredients: Add the shredded zucchini, crumbled tofu, salt, black pepper, mushroom seasoning, and sesame oil to the bowl with the sautéed vegetables. Mix well to evenly distribute the seasoning and combine all ingredients into a cohesive filling.
- Assemble Dumplings: Place one dumpling wrapper flat on your palm. Add about one teaspoon of filling to the center of the wrapper. Moisten the edge of the wrapper with a little water, then pleat and pinch the edges together firmly to seal and prevent filling from leaking during cooking.
- Cook Dumplings: Heat vegetable oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Arrange the dumplings in the skillet in a single layer, making sure they do not touch. Pan-fry for 2-3 minutes or until the bottoms turn golden brown and crispy.
- Steam Dumplings: Carefully pour 1/4 cup water into the skillet and immediately cover with a lid to trap steam. Let the dumplings steam for about 5-6 minutes, or until the water has completely evaporated and the wrappers become tender and fully cooked.
- Serve: Remove the lid, let the dumplings crisp up on the bottom for another minute if desired, then transfer to a serving plate. Serve hot with garlic chili sauce on the side for dipping.
Notes
- Ensure to squeeze out excess water from zucchini thoroughly to avoid soggy filling and wrappers.
- You can substitute wood ear mushrooms with shiitake or button mushrooms if unavailable.
- If preferred, boiling the dumplings instead of pan-frying and steaming is also an option.
- Use firm tofu to maintain texture in the filling.
- Store leftover dumplings uncooked in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or freeze them for up to 1 month.
