Steamed Dumplings

Steamed Dumplings
The dumplings should be served warm, so reheat them in batches as needed.

Makes about 60 dumplings

• 1 large egg white • 2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger • 1 tablespoon minced garlic • 1 tablespoon peanut or vegetable oil • 1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil • 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce • 1 tablespoon cornstarch • 2 teaspoons sugar • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1 cup diced waterchestnuts • 1/2 cup minced green onions
• 1 1/2 pounds lean ground pork* or 97% Jennie-O ground turkey • 60 round wonton wrappers (from two 12 to 14 ounce packages), thawed if frozen (the thinner the better)

Dumplings are traditionally cooked in stacked Asian bamboo or metal steamers, you can also use a pasta pot with a deep perforated colander-steamer insert.

Make filling:
Lightly whisk egg white in a large bowl, then whisk in ginger, garlic, peanut oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, cornstarch, sugar, and salt. Add waterchestnuts, green onions, and pork or turkey and mix together with your hands until combined well.

Assemble dumplings:
Separate wonton wrappers and restack in piles of 10. If you can not find round wonton wrapper, trim to 3 inch circles. Arrange 6 rounds on a work surface (keep remaining rounds covered with plastic wrap) and mound a scant tablespoon filling in center of each. Lightly moisten edge of wrappers with a finger dipped in water. Working with 1 at a time and leaving dumpling on flat surface, gather edge of wrapper around side of filling, pleating wrapper to form a half moon cup and pressing pleats against filling. Flatten filling flush with edge of wrapper with wet finger and transfer dumpling to a tray. Make more dumplings in same manner with remaining rounds and filling.

Steam dumplings:
Generously oil bottom of colander-steamer insert and bring a few inches of water to a boil in pot so that bottom of insert sits above water. Arrange 10 dumplings, about 1/2 inch apart, in insert and steam over moderate heat, covered, until dough is translucent and filling is just cooked through, about 6 minutes.

COOKS NOTE: Dumplings can be formed and steamed 1 day ahead and cooled completely, then chilled, covered. Steamed dumplings can also be frozen 1 week; freeze in 1 layer on a plastic-wrapped tray until hardened, then transfer to a sealable plastic bag. Reheat (do not thaw if frozen) in colander-steamer insert over simmering water (over low heat) until heated through, about 6 minutes. These are very time consuming but worth it. Set aside at least 1 ½ hours for preparation.

*You will probably have to grind your own or get your friendly butcher to grind the pork for you, since most ground pork is definitely not lean. If you can not do this, use the ground turkey; I actually prefer the turkey.

Sauce for Dumplings
• 4 tablespoons less sodium soy sauce
• 4 tablespoons water
• 4 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon hot chili oil

Mix all ingredients and chill overnight if possible.

Using Pork with Dipping Sauce - Per Serving: 46 Calories; 1g Fat (19.8% calories from fat); trace Saturated Fat; 3g Protein; 6g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 8mg Cholesterol; 121mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain (Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.