One of my students called these tasty little bites, “ducklings” instead of dumplings the other day. It is easy to see a connection. They are small, cute, and you want to have them around you.
Our vegetarian version, made with sesame and spinach, packs in a lot of flavor and vitamins. In general, I hear a lot of groaning and “yuck”-ing when spinach is mentioned, but when we add in some other and delicious flavors like sesame, the kids start changing their minds. The optional addition of the ricotta cheese lends a creaminess, like ravioli, that a lot of children will also find really pleasing.
As we were eating our dumplings together in class and once the moms had figured out how easy they were to make, a lot of the moms started talking about the other things with which you could fill your dumplings. That, to me, is the greatest achievement, to give an inspiration and then let my students interpret the recipes to fit their and their family’s taste.
As my afternoon student went to put her coat on, she called down the hall, very seriously, “Mom, don’t forget my ducklings!”
Success.
Sesame Spinach Dumplings
*raw spinach (fresh is best, but frozen is fine)
*1 T. olive oil
*1 t. toasted sesame oil
*2 cloves garlic, minced
*1/4 c sesame seeds (black or white)
*1-2 T. tahini
*optional: fresh ricotta cheese, room temperature
*salt and pepper, to taste
*100 dumpling wrappers (wonton or egg roll skins)
Big Person: Blanche (submerge in boiling water) the spinach for one minute, remove to a colander and drain. Once most of the water has drained off, chop the spinach well. Set aside.
In a saucepan, heat the oils over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for a minute, stirring. Stir in the chopped spinach, season with black pepper, and cook a minute or two, until a lot of the water evaporates and the flavors meld. Remove to a bowl and cool till just warm or to room temperature.
Together: Let your mini-chef sprinkle in the sesame seeds and add the tahini to the spinach mixture. Give all that a good stir and taste for seasoning.
To Assemble: Set out a little bowl of water and a dinner plate for each dumpling maker. Place your dumpling skin on the dinner plate. In the very middle of the skin, place a little ball of the spinach mixture and a little bit of the ricotta cheese, if desired.
Trace the perimeter of the dumpling with a finger dipped in water. The water will act as the glue that seals the dumplings. Begin to fold the dumpling so that the filling is completely sealed. Everyone has a different technique, depending on the shape of the wrapper and personal style. Once a dumpling is made, place it on a platter to be steamed.
To steam the dumplings place a colander in a large pot with a inch and a half of boiling water. Oil the colander so that the dumplings do not stick. Place one layer of dumplings in the colander. Top with a layer of parchment paper, leaving some room around the edges so that the steam can reach the top layer. Place another layer of dumplings on the parchment. Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid, and steam for 4-6 minutes.
Remove the dumplings to a platter and consume immediately. Serve with a side of soy sauce or sesame ginger dressing for dipping.
