Eat Voraciously: 🍄 Celebration dumplings 🥟 ~ INFO IMAGES

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Here's what's for dinner tonight.

By G. Daniela Galarza

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Celebration dumplings

Happy Monday, all! My colleague Aaron Hutcherson writes a monthly column on pantry-friendly recipes. They're ideal for when the weekend flew by — maybe you were busy washing the dog or shoveling snow off the driveway, catching up on school work or making soup for a sick friend — and couldn't get to the market or store. I've been there!

Today's recipe is one of Aaron's, and it's a smart little number that may sound more challenging than it is: Mushroom Dumplings.

I can already hear the snorts and retorts: "Daniela, are you kidding?! Dumplings aren't a weeknight meal!"

Hear me out: This is an 8-ingredient recipe that takes 40 minutes, start to finish, including the prep and cooking. If you have dumpling wrappers in your fridge or freezer — they last quite a while in there — a can of mushrooms, bamboo shoots and a few sauces, you're good to go. (And if you don't have those ingredients, or don't care for them, I checked in with Aaron and got a few substitution ideas for you, below.)

A food processor means the prep takes minutes. The only other tools you'll need are a pan and your hands. Worried about your dumpling-shaping skills? Here's a video primer, here's another, and here's a pep talk: If you didn't grow up learning how to shape wontons or dumplings, you're probably not a pro at it, and that's okay! They don't have to look perfect! As long as they're tightly pinched closed, you're good. This is also an opportunity to recruit your roommate, spouse or family members big and small to help out.

Making dumplings together is a Lunar New Year tradition for many — Lunar New Year starts tonight for some, tomorrow for others — including my colleague Marian Chia-Ming Liu, who wrote about her dumpling recipe, and the practice of bonding while making dumplings together as a family, last year.

They're said to bring good luck, as they symbolize wealth — some shapes mimic old Chinese gold ingots — and prosperity. To increase the fortune factor, some people slip a whole cashew into a dumpling. Whoever gets the dumpling with the nut "is granted good luck for the rest of the year," Liu wrote.

Today's recipe

Photos by Scott Suchman for The Washington Post; food styling by Lisa Cherkasky for The Washington Post

Mushroom Dumplings

Substitutions and alterations:

Instead of canned mushrooms >> you can use any kind of sauteed fresh mushrooms (start with about a pound). You can also use dried mushrooms (2 1/2 ounces dried mushrooms, fully rehydrated, should yield about 12 ounces).
If you don't care for mushrooms >> substitute 12 ounces sauteed cabbage or dark leafy greens.
No bamboo shoots? >> Consider cabbage and greens again, shredded carrots or finely chopped scallions.
If you're interested in a meaty dumpling >> follow Marian's recipe. It makes a larger quantity, but can be halved.
Out of hoisin? >> Use sriracha or another hot sauce or chile sauce, or a mixture of soy sauce and barbecue sauce.
Wonton wrappers tend to be wheat-based >> but for gluten-free dumplings, look for wrappers made from rice or other flours.

Make Ahead: Lightly dust formed dumplings with flour so the skins don't crack. Transfer the dumplings to a baking sheet, making sure they are not touching, and freeze them. Once frozen, they can be placed in freezer containers and frozen for up to 3 months.

Storage Notes: Leftover dumplings can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Where to Buy: Wonton wrappers, hoisin sauce and chili-garlic sauce can be found in well-stocked supermarkets, Asian markets or online.

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Servings: 2 to 4 (makes about 20 dumplings)
Total time: 40 mins

Ingredients

One (13.25-ounce) can mushrooms pieces and stems, drained and rinsed
One (8-ounce) can bamboo shoots, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons chili-garlic sauce
20 round wonton wrappers (from one 4.8-ounce package)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or another neutral oil, divided
1/2 cup water, divided
Soy sauce with a sprinkling of sesame seeds or your favorite dipping sauce, for serving

Steps

1. Squeeze as much water as possible from the mushrooms and bamboo shoots. Add to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. (If you do not have a food processor, finely chop the vegetables by hand.) In a medium bowl, mix together the chopped vegetables, hoisin sauce and chili-garlic sauce until evenly combined.

2. To form the dumplings, fill a small bowl with water. Place a dumpling wrapper on the countertop and spoon 1 tablespoon of the mushroom mixture into the center of the wrapper. Dab your index finger in the water and dampen the edges of the wrapper. Fold in half, creating a half-moon. Gently press the two halves together at the center of the curved edge. Then, working your way down one side from the center, make 2 small pleats and press the edges closed. Repeat on the other side of the dumpling. When you're done, the dumpling will be closed, with 4 pleats and a slight curve. Repeat until you run out of the mushroom mixture. You should get about 20 dumplings.

(Alternatively, you can simply seal the dumplings without pleating by pressing the edges of the folded wrapper together and gently crimping the sealed edge 4 times.)

3. In a medium, lidded nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon of oil until shimmering. Add half of the dumplings, seam side up and evenly across the pan so they aren't touching, and fry until golden on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes. With the lid in hand, quickly pour 1/4 cup of water into the skillet, cover, and steam for 5 minutes, until the dumpling wrappers are cooked through; remove from the pan. Repeat with the remaining dumplings, then serve hot or warm with the dipping sauce.

From Voraciously staff writer Aaron Hutcherson. Tested by Aaron Hutcherson.

Nutrition information per serving (based on 4): Calories: 202; Total Fat: 8 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Cholesterol: 3 mg; Sodium: 538 mg; Carbohydrates: 28 g; Dietary Fiber: 3 g; Sugars: 5 g; Protein: 5 g.