Sweet Potato, Shrimp, and Lemongrass Dumplings – a delicious recipe with shrimp, stalk lemongrass, shallot, fresh ginger, red Thai chiles, canola oil. Easy to follow and perfect for any occasion.
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To make the filling, put the dried shrimp in a small bowl, add warm water to cover, and set aside to soften for 10 to 15 minutes.
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2
Rinse, drain well, and roughly chop.
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Set aside.
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Trim the lemongrass stalk by removing any hard or loose parts that will be difficult to cut.
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To do that, peel off any dry or loose outer layers.
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Then, cut off the bottom part between the end and just below the widest point of the bulbous portion.
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Finish by cutting off the dry, tough portion at the top.
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The remaining stalk should be smooth and firm.
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Cut the trimmed stalk into 3 or 4-inch sections, then halve each lengthwise.
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Working with two halves at time, put them cut side down, then cut them crosswise into thin half moons; repeat with the other halves.
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Finish by roughly chopping with a rocking motion of your knife.
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Measure 3 tablespoons and transfer to an electric mini-chopper; save any remaining lemongrass for another use.
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Process the lemongrass to a fine texture, pausing to scrape down the sides as needed.
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Add the dried shrimp, shallot, ginger, and chiles.
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Process to a texture to match that of the grated coconut.
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Occasionally pause and scrape down the bowl to process evenly.
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Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.
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Add the dried shrimp mixture and cook, stirring often, for about 1 minute, until the mixture is fragrant with the smell of lemongrass and briny shrimp.
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Add the coconut, turmeric, sugar, and salt, and cook, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes, until the coconut has absorbed the yellow turmeric color and the overall mixture has dried out a bit and is somewhat fluffy.
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Remove from the heat, taste, and add extra salt or sugar, as needed.
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Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool.
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Cover and refrigerate overnight if you are making the filling in advance.
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You should have about 1 cup.
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To make the dough, bring water to a boil for steaming (see page 17 for guidance).
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Meanwhile, peel the sweet potato, making sure you remove any hard spots that will not mash up later.
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Cut the potato into 1-inch chunks and then put into a steamer tray.
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Steam the potato over boiling water for about 8 minutes, or until tender.
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Test by stabbing a few pieces with a thin-bladed knife.
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Detach the steamer tray and set aside to cool and dry for 3 to 5 minutes; the potato mashes easily when warm, and a drier potato yields a less sticky dough.
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30
Mash the potato with the salt to a smooth texture; remove any stringy or hard bits as you mash.
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31
Then incorporate the flour, half at a time, to create a medium-firm dough.
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32
Use the potato masher or a wooden spoon to combine the ingredients at first and then switch to one hand to knead the dough in the bowl.
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Gather the dough into a ball and continue kneading it for 4 to 5 minutes on a well-floured surface.
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Initially, as the flour becomes hydrated, the dough will soften and become sticky.
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Work in extra flour as you knead; I typically work in about 2 tablespoons of additional flour.
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The finished dough should feel medium-soft and supple.
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Press your finger in and a deep indentation will remain.
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Cover with plastic wrap or an inverted bowl and set aside to rest for 30 minutes to relax and become earlobe soft.
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The dough can sit for a few hours at room temperature, but it will soften further and become stickier, requiring you to use extra flour when shaping the dumplings.
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40
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and dust the paper with flour.
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To assemble the dumplings, cut the dough in half, keeping one half covered while you work on the other.
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Roll the dough into a log and cut it into 8 equal-size pieces.
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Dust your hands with flour and roll each piece into a ball; if the dough feels sticky, be liberal with the flour.
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44
To make each dumpling, put it on a floured work surface and pat it with your fingers into a circle a scant 1/4 inch thick and 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 inches in diameter.
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Pick it up and press the rim with your fingertips to widen the circle to 3 to 3 1/4 inches and to make the edge thinner than the center.
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Gently cup one hand and put the dough circle in that hand, placing it toward your fingertips, which will cradle the dumpling as you shape it.
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Place about 1 lightly packed tablespoon of filling in the center.
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Gently press on the filling with the back of the spoon to create a shallow well; your hand will naturally cup a little tighter.
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Use your free hand to gather, pleat, and pinch the dough together to completely enclose the filling.
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Pinch and twist off any excess dough.
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If the pleated side feels sticky, press it on some flour.
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Gently roll the ball between your hands to smooth out the surface.
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Youll have a 1 1/2 to 1 3/4-inch ball.
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Put the ball on your work surface and gently press on it to create a thick disk that is a scant 1 inch thick and 1 3/4 to 2 inches in diameter.
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If you are using the shrimp garnish, finish the dumpling with a shrimp, bending the shrimp to create a C-shape, and press it into the dough to ensure it sticks.
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Regardless, put the shaped dumpling on the prepared baking sheet.
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Repeat to make more dumplings from the cut pieces of dough before working on the remaining half of dough.
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Line a platter with paper towels and place near the stove.
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Pour oil to a depth of 1 inch into a medium saucepan, wok, or deep skillet.
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Heat over medium-high heat to about 325F on a deep-fry thermometer.
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(If you dont have a deep-fry thermometer, stick a dry bamboo chopstick into the oil; if it takes about 2 seconds for bubbles to rise to the surface and encircle the chopstick, the oil is ready.)
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Fry the dumplings in batches, stirring and turning often, for about 3 minutes, or until browned on both sides.
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Take care to adjust the heat in between batches; aim to keep the temperature at or below 325F because a higher temperature browns the dumplings too quickly and creates too many large blisters, which affects their appearance, not their flavor.
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Drain the dumplings on the paper towels.
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Let them cool for about 5 minutes before serving.
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Left over dumplings can be refrigerated and reheated in a 350F oven for about 10 minutes, or until hot.
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They can be frozen for up to a month, too; thaw completely before reheating.
* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.
No additional tips available.
No specific allergen information. Please check the ingredient list for possible allergens.
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Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe makes 4 servings. You can adjust the portion size directly on this page.
You need 15 ingredients. The key ingredients include: 3 tablespoons dried shrimp, 1 stalk lemongrass, 1 shallot, chopped (1/4 cup), 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger, and more.
Yes, Sweet Potato, Shrimp, and Lemongrass Dumplings falls under the Seafood category and is a great choice for this type of meal.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Reheat gently before serving.