What is Shiaoxing wine?

Shaoxing rice wine is made by fermenting and distilling rice, water, and a small amount of wheat. Shaoxing wine has a transparent dark amber color. The alcohol content ranges from 18% to 25%, making it stronger than beer or wine. There are two main types of Shaoxing wine: 1. Aged Shaoxing Wine : Often sold in ceramic jugs, it is served warm as a beverage.It can also be used for cooking, although I opted for the second one. 2. Cooking Wine : This type has salt added to it, allowing it to be sold in grocery stores. It’s suitable for both cooking and drinking. While mirin can be used as a substitute, a closer choice is dry sherry (not cooking sherry).

Do we need agar-agar in this recipe? Isn't that for jellied dishes?

Agar-agar's gelling properties allow the broth to solidify, making it possible to place the liquid inside the dumpling wrapper. As the dumplings are steamed, the agar-agar melts, releasing the broth and creating the signature soupy filling. To ensure the best texture and flavor, it's recommended to enjoy these dumplings fresh out of the steamer, before the filling has a chance to cool and potentially solidify again.

Vegan Soup Dumplings (Vegan Xiaolongbao)

Description

Vegan Soup Dumplings are comforting dumplings filled with vegan minced pork, scallions, ginger and broth jelly. When steamed, the broth within the dumplings liquefied, creating a burst of savory goodness with each bite! The spicy chili vinegar sauce adds an extra oomph to each bite, and will keep you coming back for more!

Ingredients

Units Scale

Jelly (sets in the fridge for 6-8 hours):

1 tsp Agar agar
1 cube of Vegetable stock
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
Salt, sugar, white pepper: a bit
1 tsp mushroom seasoning
2 cups water
Round Wrappers

Filling:

1 pack of vegan minced pork
2 spring onions
1 tsp grated ginger
Salt
Pepper
Chili flakes
1 tbsp sesame oil

Dipping sauce:

Black vinegar
Chili oil
Soy sauce

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Instructions

Prep:

Soup Jelly:
1. Combine vegetable stock and agar agar powder in a saucepan. Stir the mixture thoroughly then heat on medium. Season with salt, pepper, sugar, soy sauce, and shaoxing wine.
2. Bring the soup to a boil, then cool to room temperature and refrigerate for 6-8 hours.
Filling:
1. Crumble vegan mince in a bowl and add scallions, ginger, garlic, and seasonings.
2. Chop the set soup jelly into small cubes and incorporate into the minced pork mix.
Dumpling Assembly:
1. Roll out dough thinly, dusting with flour to prevent sticking.
2. Place the filling (1.5 tbsp) in the center of the wrapper.
3. Pleat the edges, bringing them to the center, and twist to seal, removing excess dough if necessary.

Cook:

Place the dumplings in a steamer lined with greased parchment paper or cheesecloth, ensuring they are not overcrowded.
Steam for 8-9 minutes or until fully cooked, depending on steamer type and dumpling size.
Enjoy the dumplings hot with your choice of dipping sauce. Keep them covered with a damp towel before serving to maintain moisture.

Prep Time: 20
Cook Time: 20
Category: Main Course
Method: folding, steaming
Cuisine: Chinese