Pork dumplings in Sour & Spicy soup (酸辣水饺）

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Do you always cook with recipes? Or use the remaining bits and pieces from the refrigerator to cook.

I found two torches of leftover ginger flowers in the refrigerator.  Thinking beyond nasi kerabu or asam pedas (sour and spicy) fish, I began to wonder what else I could prepare with these ginger flowers. I finally decided to go with the asam pedas dish because I still had some leftover lemongrass, I grow my own kesum leaves (Vietnamese coriander), and some of the filling for the dumplings that I had previously made was still preserved in a container. How about I twist it and make a Chinese Malaysian asam pedas dumplings?

However, I am running out of asam paste. I usually make a large quantity of asam paste and store it in the refrigerator for later use. Now is the time to make some.

To make asam pedas dish, the main ingredient is the asam paste and my asam paste does not leave much. I always make a big batch and keep some asam paste in my fridge for the next dish. It is time to make some now. But if you think it is too much work, you can opt for store bought asam paste.


This is the recipe to use if you would rather prepare your own asam paste. My preferred method is to just combine all the ingredients in a blender and then cook them until they get fragrant and the oil separates.

Tamarind is another essential component. Tamarind is the main source of the dish's sour taste. I'm using seeded tamarind pulp. I'm combining one tablespoon of tamarind pulp with three tablespoons of water. You can adjust your personal level of sourness.

 

INGREDIENTS (dumpling filling)

450g ground pork

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tsp soya sauce

1 stalk coriander leaves

1 stalk spring onion

20 cm fresh ginger, minced

5 tsp corn starch

3 tsp Shaoxing wine

4 tsp sesame oil

2 tbsp water

Some dumplings skins

 

METHOD

 

1.In a large mixing bowl, combine all the dumpling filling ingredients and the marinade; swirl the filling in a clockwise manner with chopsticks or a fork until it is slightly stretchy, then cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

2. Put sufficient amount of filling in the centre of the dumpling skin, apply some water to  the edge of the dumpling skin and fold it into a dumpling form.

Note: This ingredient can make about 25 pcs of dumplings.

 

INGREDIENTS (Asam paste)

1 big onion

4 small shallots, peeled and cut into small pieces

1 tbsp dried shrimp (wash and clean, soak in water until soft and drained)

1 whole head of garlic

2-inch size of sliced ginger

1 stalk of lemongrass (bottom part), sliced

15pcs dried chillies (trim and cut into 2-3 pcs. Boil in hot water until soft and drained)

100ml water

 

METHOD

1. Process all the ingredients in a food processor until they form an almost smooth mixture.

2. Heat cooking oil, add the blended chilli paste into the oil and sauté until aromatic over low heat for 30 minutes or until the oil separates.  If the paste starts to turn thick halfway cook, add some water, and continue to cook.

NOTE: The paste can be stored in the fridge for 1 week or in the freezer for 1 month.

 

INGREDIENTS (Asam paste soup)

Half of Asam paste recipe

3 cups of chicken broth

2 tomatoes

1 torch ginger flower

1 bunch Kesum leaves (Vietnamese coriander)

1 stalk of lemongrass (bottom part)

1 tbsp tamarind pulp

3 tbsp water (tamarind juice)

2 tomatoes, cut into wedges.

1 tbsp sugar

½ tsp salt

 


METHOD

1. Pour the warm water over tamarind pulp, smash up a bit with a spoon and let soak for 10-15 minutes.

2. Heat oil over medium heat to sauté half of the asam paste. Once the oil separates from the blended ingredients, add in ginger torch flower, lemongrass, and kesum leaves. Saute for an additional thirty seconds, or until aromatic.

3. Pour in the chicken broth and tamarind paste, bring it to a boil then carefully add in the dumpling, let the dumplings cook for about 4 minutes or until the dumplings bloat and float on the surface.

4. Add in the tomato wedges and increase heat to bring the soup to a boil, cook for another 5 minutes. Add sugar and salt to taste. Adjust the taste to your personal preference.

 

 You may also like this Asam Pedas Chicken Drumpsticks and Pan Fried Dumpling





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