Ramp Dumplings to Celebrate Spring
Dumpling ideas dump (ramps, kale and how to make the crispy skirt)
In Germany, every day still feels like an arbitrary toss-up between spring and winter, but hope is on the horizon: early cherry trees begin to blossom under the gentle rays of sunshine, while tulips and asparagus slowly debut on the market. My Chinese calendar reminds me that it’s Chun Fen (春分, spring equinox day) this week around March equinox day, a solar term signalling spring in full swing. Traditionally, it’s the time of year when spring veggies grace dining tables, and people venture out for picnics and kite-flying.
At my regular farmer’s market stand, ramps (wild garlic), or Bärlauch, arrived gloriously. The Chinese diaspora in Germany has been enthusiastically sharing the wisdom of using this local wild herb as a spring substitute for Chinese chives (jiu cai), as they share similarly delicate garlicky flavors. The latter are hard to find here, especially in areas without big Asian grocery stores. For a few weeks, my WeChat groups have been buzzing with secret locations and tasty results.
In the past few years, I’ve been savoring ramps in Chinese dishes. This recipe is adapted from my very first recipe video, which I would be reluctant to watch, but I still love the idea of incorporating ramps into a vegetarian filling inspired by Chinese chive dumpling pockets. In this newsletter, you will find a kale pork dumpling recipe and a basic dough recipe, too. No matter which mood you’re in, there are always dumplings.
Dumpling with ramps, eggs, and vermicelli
Makes about 35 dumplings, watch here!
Ingredients:
35 dumpling wrappers (homemade or store-bought)
80g ramps (wild garlic) or Chinese chives
4 eggs
50 g dried vermicelli
1.5 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp five-spice powder
1/2 tsp white pepper powder
vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
1. Soak the dried vermicelli in hot water until soft. Meanwhile, clean and finely chop the ramps into small pieces. Drain the vermicelli and chop it into small pieces.
2. Crack the eggs into a bowl, season with 1/2 tsp salt, and whisk. Scramble in a frying pan until fully cooked, breaking them up into small pieces. Set aside to cool.
3. Mix ramps, vermicelli, and fried egg in a large bowl. Add light soy sauce, oyster sauce, toasted sesame oil, five-spice powder, and white pepper powder. Mix until combined.
4. Using store-bought or homemade wrappers, add about 2 tsp of filling to the middle of one wrapper, then seal as instructed in the video. If using store-bought wrappers, dampen the edge of the wrapper with water to seal.
5. Enjoy these dumplings fried or steamed until the wrappers are almost transparent. Serve with chili oil, black vinegar, or aromatic sweet soy sauce. Freeze the rest for later.
How to pan-fry dumplings with crispy skirt
I’ve experimented with a few different formulas and decided to stick with the original one I developed for Kitchen Stories (pictured left), which yields the best lacy result. If you want the bottom to be crunchier, add more flour; for a crispier texture, add more starch.
6-8 frozen dumplings
100ml water
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp flour
1 tsp white rice vinegar
In a measuring cup, mix water, cornstarch, flour, 1/2 tbsp oil and white rice vinegar until well combined.
In a non-stick pan, add remaining 1/2 tbsp and arrange the dumplings, leaving some space in between. Over medium heat, fry the dumplings until the bottom turns a light golden color.
Remix the flour-starch slurry and carefully add it to the pan (it might splash), then cover with a lid. Let steam for about 5-7 minutes until the slurry reduces. Remove the lid and let it fry over medium-low heat until the bottom turns golden brown. As the water evaporates, a nice lace-like crispy layer will form, which takes about 8-10 minutes. For fresh dumplings shorten the cooking time.
Cover the dumplings with a plate big enough to cover all the dumplings, and carefully flip the potstickers onto the plate.
Basic handmade dumpling dough wrapper
Makes about 30-35 wrappers
300 g all-purpose flour
150 g room temperature water
1/2 tsp salt
Mix flour and salt. Add water gradually, then knead into a dough. Cover with a clean towel and let rest for at least 30 minutes. Knead again and let rest for another 30 minutes. If it’s not smooth, repeat this process.
Divide the rested dough into four pieces, roll it into a log, and cut it into small pieces, each weighing about 10-12g. Roll them into small balls, press into a round disk, then knead into thin round wrappers, dusting with flour in between. Cover the rest of the dough to avoid drying.
Dumpling with kale and pork filling
Ingredients
120 g kale without stem
300 g minced pork
2 tbsp light soy sauce
½ tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
½ tsp five-spice powder
150 ml aromatic water (water infused with ginger, scallion and sichuan pepper)
35 dumpling wrappers
Instructions:
Remove kale leaves from the stem, blanch, and drain. Add to a food processor and blend until fine. In a large bowl, add pork and seasoning, adding water in batches, mix with chopsticks until combined and moist. Then add chopped kale. Mix together.
Wrap your dumplings by adding about 2 tsp to 1 tbsp of filling to the center of one wrapper, then seal them as you prefer.
Pan-fry, steam or boil the dumplings, and serve with a sauce to your liking.