A Recipe for Tofu Dumplings with Scallion-Ginger Chili Oil
From Emma de Thouars’ “How to Fall In Love With Tofu”
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Hi all,
Hope everyone’s having a great week! I’m really, reeeeaally happy because just like that, the temps dropped down to the fifties this past weekend and I can finally break out my pea coat. People say that summer’s the best time to be in Chicago—but if you ask me, fall is unrivaled. I love chilly, crisp air. Apple-picking. Painting the bright orange trees near Diversey Harbor after work. Pumpkin-flavored everything. Wearing tights and knee-high boots and chunky sweaters. That first batch of cookies. Cooking everything warm and hearty.
Anyway, I’ll keep it short and sweet this week. In honor of the colder weather, I’m sharing this cozy (and plant-based!) recipe for tofu dumplings with scallion-ginger chili oil from Emma de Thouars’ new book, “How to Fall in Love With Tofu: 40 Recipes From Breakfast to Dessert.” Not only do I adore tofu, I’m in full support of it being lauded for the powerhouse ingredient that it is—as in, something that comes in a variety of textures and can soak up the flavors of whatever you’re cooking it in—rather than simply labeled as some meat substitute or health food.
Some assembly is required for these dumplings (naturally), but the filling comes together quickly and can be made in advance. Feel free to make your own wrappers, though the store-bought stuff is just as good—not to mention, incredibly convenient. Emma’s recipe for chili oil yields about double what you probably need, but considering its wide versatility (drizzle the stuff over fried eggs, cold silken tofu, noodles, or plain rice!) it won’t become a problem.
See you all next Wednesday—we’ll be (figuratively) heading back to California for a special edition of “That One Dish” about some great people doing work to promote sustainable fishing and protecting our seafood stock. (Yes, there will be recipes). Be sure to bring your sea legs!
Tofu Dumplings with Spring Onion-Ginger Chili Oil
Makes 40 dumplings
Chili Oil
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, grated
1¼-inch piece of ginger, grated
1 teaspoon white sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons gochugaru
¾ cup neutral oil
2 tablespoons black vinegar
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
Dumplings
14 ounces Napa cabbage, sliced into wafer-thin strips
1 teaspoon salt
9 ounces firm tofu, finely crumbled
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine
1 teaspoon sesame oil
White pepper
40 wonton wrappers (thawed, if using frozen)
Place the scallions, garlic, and ginger in a heatproof bowl. Add the sugar, salt and gochugaru.
Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat to 350°F. Test if the oil is hot enough by tossing a piece of scallion in. If the oil immediately starts to sizzle, it’s ready. Pour the oil evenly over the ingredients in the bowl and stir. Let cool to room temperature, then add the black vinegar and soy sauce.
Place the cabbage in a large bowl and add the salt. Massage the salt into the cabbage for a few minutes until the cabbage shrinks. Squeeze out the moisture. Transfer to a sieve, squeeze the cabbage again and let it drain. Place it back in the bowl and add the tofu, soy sauce, Shaoxing, sesame oil, and a pinch of white pepper. Mix well.
Prepare a small bowl of water. Place a wonton wrapper on your hand and fill it with about 1 teaspoon of filling. Wet the edges of the sheet with your finger, fold the corners together, and pinch to close. Place on a plastic wrap–covered cutting board, and repeat with the rest of the filling.
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to the boil. Boil the dumplings until heated through, about 3 minutes. Cook them in batches, if necessary; the dumplings are quite fragile, so you don’t want them too close together. Don’t overcook, or they will fall apart.
While the dumplings are cooking, put a scoop of the oil on a deep plate and spread it around a little. Remove the dumplings from the water and transfer to the plate; make sure only a little cooking water comes along with them.
Spoon some extra oil over the dumplings and serve.
Freezing Tip: homemade dumplings in the freezer are a huge luxury. Place them on a cutting board covered with plastic wrap, making sure they are not touching each other, and freeze. When the dumplings are completely frozen, you can put them in a ziplock bag.
Recipe adapted from “How to Fall in Love With Tofu: 40 Recipes From Breakfast to Dessert” by Emma de Thouars. Copyright © 2023. Used with permission of Smith Street Books. All rights reserved.