Dumplings: Tasty little packets of goodness

I love Oriental food. Flavors and textures galore.

Spicy and crunchy and savory and soft all together on one dish. It's just a whole symphony for the senses.

Basic fresh foods, simple cooking methods, what more can you ask for?

Dumplings are among my favorites. I was first introduced to these little packets of flavor at a Dim Sum restaurant in northern Virginia (there is a large Asian population there) and I was instantly in love. My Chinese-Vietnamese aunt gave me various traditional recipes and I've adapted them to my vegetarian tastes. These are my favorite.

Asian Dumplings with Dipping Sauce

2 tablespoons of canola oil

1 large leek, finely chopped

2-inch piece of daikon radish, finely chopped

8 ounces of firm tofu, drained and mashed

1 tablespoons of ginger, minced

1 tablespoons of mirin

1/2 teaspoon of salt

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 package wonton wrappers 

• Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the leek and daikon radish for about 4 minutes.
• Add the ginger, mirin, salt, and pepper to mashed tofu in a bowl. Then add the leek and radish mixture; stir well.
• On a clean, dry work surface, plop a tablespoon of the filling in the middle of the wrapper. Dampen your fingers and bring the sides together and press then together. You can also bring them together and twist in into a neat little package.
• Set aside and cover with a moist dish towel. Repeat until all wrappers are used.
• If you prefer steamed dumplings, brush the steamer basket with canola oil to prevent the dumplings from sticking and bring water to a boil. Arrange dumplings in steamer basket; cover and steam for about 10 minutes.
• If you prefer fried dumplings, heat several tablespoons of canola oil in a medium frying pan and fry dumplings until browned on both sides. Drain on a dish towel. Serve with dipping sauce.

Dipping sauce

Whisk together2 tablespoons of tamari
1 tablespoons of ginger, minced
3 tablespoons of red bell pepper, minced
2 tablespoons of rice vinegar
2 teaspoons of sugar 

Vegan.