Lunar New Year Part 2: DIY Dumpling Fillings
With Lunar New Year celebrations in full swing, I thought I’d share the recipes I used to make my dumpling fillings for my LNY party. There are endless varieties of dumpling fillings so to cover my basis, I decided to make beef, chicken, and veggie fillings. Typically, Chinese dumplings are filled with pork and shrimp but since I’m allergic to shrimp and some of my friends don’t eat pork, I figured that these three recipes would best suit the guests at my party.
Recipe 1: Beef Dumplings
To make the beef dumplings, I used this recipe by the Washington Post and substituted ground pork for ground beef. I doubled this recipe using two pounds of ground beef. Hot tip: buy all ground meats at Smart & Final or Costco to get more bang for your buck.
Recipe 2: Chicken Dumplings
For the chicken dumpling filling, I used this recipe by food blogger, Rasa Malaysia. For additional filling, I doubled this recipe using two pounds of ground chicken. To add a little extra flavor, I used Trader Joe’s Soyaki which acts a a fool-proof marinade.
Recipe 3: Veggie Dumplings
To make the veggie dumplings, I used this recipe by The Woks of Life, one of my favorite websites to find authentic Asian recipes.
Overall, it took me about two hours to make all three dumpling fillings. A little goes a long way and I had more than enough filling for fifteen people to make about a dozen or so dumplings each. To cook the dumplings, I prefer to pan fry with oil and then steam a little bit towards the end so the meat doesn’t get too dried out. I like my dumplings crispy on the bottom and juicy on the inside but if you prefer less crisp then you can steam your dumplings to cook them.
Leftover dumpling filling can also be used for meal prepping. I cooked some of my leftover beef dumpling filling with some brown sugar and chili oil then topped it off with veggies, rice, and potatoes. Presto! A perfect lunch that’s filling and wholesome.
I hope everyone is having a glorious Lunar New Year and if you make some dumplings, send me a picture! I’d love to see your dumpling creation. Fun fact, LNY is fifteen days so there’s still plenty celebrate :)
xx
Kiana
(Ella Kol)
