A Bowl of Warm Dumpling Soup

I wonder if the spring is coming soon. It is close to May but still rainy and dark outside... which makes me feel down. I need a bowl of warm dumpling soup... it is the best way to warm up myself in this weather. :-)


Korean Dumpling Soup

(Yield: 4 servings / Cooking time: 45 min)

Ingredients:
+ 20 Korean dumplings* (mandoo) --- 5 per serving
+ a half sheet of dried seaweed (nori in Japanese, ghim in Korean)
+ two eggs
+ dried kombu (dashima)** --- about a palm size
+ 5 dried Asian anchovies** (~2.5" size)
+ 1 galic clove, crushed
+ salt and pepper



* There is a separate recipe for Korean dumplings (called "mandoo" in Korean) later in this posting.

** You can find kombu dried asian anchovy in Asian specialty market. Kombu (in Japanese) or Dashima (in Korean) is an edible kelp often used to make flavorful broth. There are several sizes of dried anchovies; the large ones (~2.5") are mostly used for broth. If you cannot find the big ones, please use 8-10 medium size (~1.5") dried anchovies.

Procedures:
1. First, we are going to make some garnishes.

Dried seaweed (nori in Japanese, ghim in Korean): with a kitchen scissor, cut seaweed into 2" length and 1/5" width strips.

Eggs: separate egg white and yolk. Whisk gently the white and yolk with a fork to make them smooth, but make sure not to incorporate air. Season with salt. Heat a non-stick pan and spread oil with paper towel (we don't want any access oil). Cook egg white first, and then yolk as thin as you can. Ideally, the egg white and yolk should not have any brown color on them. Slice them into diamond shape when they are cooled.


2. Removes bellies from the dried anchovies and wash the dried kombu.



3. In a pot, pour cold water for four dumpling soups (~4 cups). Add dried kombu and set aside for 20 minutes to hydrate the dried kelp.


4. After 20 minutes, bring to a boil the water with kombu. When the water start boiling, add dried anchovies and a crushed garlic clove and reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.


5. Strain the broth through a fine strainer. Season with salt and pepper and pour the strained broth back to a pot and bring to a simmer. Discard the anchovies and garlic. You can eat kombu with a deeping sauce made with gochujang (Korean red chilly paste) and vinegar.

6. Add pre-cooked Korean dumplings into simmering broth, and re-heat in simmering broth.


7. Serve the dumpling soup in a bowl with garnishes.

Enjoy~




Korean Dumpling ("Mandoo")
(Yield: 30-35 dumplings / Cooking time: 2 hours)

Ingredients:
+ 0.8lbs ground pork
+ 7oz tofu (half of regular tofu package)
+ 3 dried shitake mushrooms ("pyogo" in Korean)
+ a bunch of Chinese chives
+ 1/4 onions
+ 4 garlic cloves
+ 1 egg white
+ dumpling wrappers* (white round shaped one)
+ salt and pepper



You can find white round shaped dumpling wrappers in Asian specialty stores.

Procedures:
1. Prepare the ingredients as followings...

+ Onion: Chop in brunoise.

+ Garlics: Mince very finely.

+ Chinese Chives: Chop in small pieces and sauté with a bit of salt.


+ Hydrated shitake mushroom: Hydrate shitake mushrooms with a warm water. Squeeze out excess water and slice in thin strips. Sauté the strips with a salt and pepper and cool them down. Chop in brunoise.


+ Tofu: With cheese clothes, squeeze out excess water.


2. Make sure the Chinese chives and mushrooms are completely cooled down. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. This is your dumpling filling. Make sure the bowl is over ice to keep the fillings cold and to avoid any food spoilage.


3. Prepare a sheet tray with dust of enough flour so the dumplings cannot stick to the tray.


4. Okay... now let's make some dumplings. It is very similar to making a tortellini.

First, place a sheet of dumpling wrapper on your left palm (right palm if you are left-handed). Spoon a table spoon of dumpling filling over the wrapper.

Shape the filling into a rugby ball shape so that you can easily wrap the dumpling, and dip your finger in egg white and wet the outside edge of the top half of the wrapper.

Fold the wrapper up and close the edges.

Make sure the wrappers are closed firmly by pressing the wrapper with your fingers.

Bend the dumpling.

Wet one side of tip with egg white.

Attach the other side of tip over the egg white brushed tip. Press with your fingers.

Shape the dumpling with your hand.

5. Steam the dumplings for 8 minutes. If you have a bamboo steamer, it would be great. I used a stainless steamer laid with a kitchen clothes.

Before and after...


6. Take the dumplings out from the steamer and cool down. Use immediately or freeze for later uses. When you freeze the dumpling, lay the dumplings on a sheet tray without touching each other and freeze. After the dumplings are completely frozen, take them out and put in a air tight plastic bag. If you freeze the dumpling in a zipper bag from the beginning, the dumplings are going to stick to each other.