Goldfish Tofu Dumpling with Curry Broth

I think making dumplings is so therapeutic. Here’s a simple recipe for tofu dumpling with a savoury yellow curry broth. It’s one of my favourite dumpling and broth combinations!

Back in the days, during the Chinese New Year, our mom will always wrap some dumpling for us when they are busy at work. Like most Asian mothers, Mama Liu worried that we wouldn’t be able to cook for ourselves when they are busy.

Making these tofu wontons reminded me of those days. But instead of simply cooking the dumplings in boiling water, we made the dish more sophisticated by serving the wontons with a yellow curry broth. We should always aim higher when we get older, right?

Cooking Notes for Dumpling

• Folding dumplings: This time we decided to do something special to celebrate the festive season by making them into goldfish dumpling shape compared to the usual shape you see in Sichuan Red Oil Dumpling.
• Cooking the dumplings and broth separately: The reason why we cook these separately is because there’s usually a lot of starch sprinkled over the wrappers. If you boil the entire batch of dumplings inside the broth, the starch will release into the broth and can affect the texture of the broth.
• Freezing the dumpling: You can make these dumplings ahead of time. Place the dumplings over a plate and cover with plastic wrap. Make sure that you don’t cluster the dumplings too close together or they might get stuck.
• After a few hours, transfer the dumplings to a freezer bag. When you are ready to eat the dumplings, just drop the frozen dumplings straight into the boiling water. It may take an extra minute or two for the dumplings to cook.

Yellow Curry Broth

We like preparing the curry broth before making the dumplings because this allows more time for the flavours of the broth to develop.

Ingredients |

• 1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger (about a 1-inch piece of ginger)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons yellow curry powder (mild spice)
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, add more if necessary
• 3/4 cup (175ml)  full-fat coconut milk (can sub with low-fat coconut milk)

Method |

Heat the 1 tablespoon of oil in a pot. Add the minced ginger and garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. And followed by the curry powder and stir to coat the spices.

Add the vegetable broth and 1/2 teaspoon salt, cover the pot, and bring the broth to boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and swirl in the coconut milk. Let the broth simmer for about 10 minutes, covered. Turn off the heat and let the broth sit on the stove, covered, as you make the dumplings.

Tofu Dumpling

• about 45 to 50 square dumpling wrappers
• 1 package of firm tofu (I used a 14-ounce package)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
• 2 tablespoons minced ginger
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 3 cups shredded green cabbage (ensure they are no longer than 1-inch pieces)
• 1 large carrot, grated (about 1 1/4 cups)
• pinch of salt
• 4 scallions, sliced

Method |

Drain the tofu and wrap the tofu around a layer of paper towels. Press the tofu by placing the tofu block on a plate and weighing it down with a stack of plates. Let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the towels and cut the tofu into small 1/4-inch cubes.

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil in a large pan. Add the minced ginger and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the cabbage, carrots, and a pinch of salt to the pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Meanwhile, transfer the tofu and scallions to the pan and add another pinch of salt. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Taste the filling. If you want the filling to be a smidgen saltier than you would normally prefer. The wonton wrappers will mellow out the saltiness of the filling.

Get your dumpling-making station set up. Transfer the filling into a large bowl. Take the wrappers out of the packaging. Have a small bowl filled with water, a large baking sheet, and 2 kitchen or linen towels ready. The wrappers and the dumplings dry out pretty quickly. Use one towel to cover the wrappers and another large towel to cover the finished dumplings.

Dip a finger into the bowl of water and wet 2 adjacent sides of the dumpling wrappers. Spoon about 2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon of filling into the centre of the wrapper. If you can fit more filling into the dumpling, great! Carry on by sealing the wrapper on the diagonal (dry sides over the wet sides) so that you end up with a triangle shape. Press down on the sides to make sure that you have the dumpling properly sealed. You don’t want the filling to release while they’re cooking.

Lightly wet one of the base corners of the folded triangle, and fold the dumpling in half so that the other base corner overlaps the wet corner. Repeat until you have all the dumplings filled.

Always check if the curry broth and see whether it’s still warm enough for your liking. If not, heat it up over medium-low heat and keep it simmering on low as you cook the dumplings.

Bring a big pot of water to boil. Add about half of the dumplings into the boiling water and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. All the dumplings should float to the top. Transfer the cooked dumplings to a bowl and add the remaining dumplings into the hot water.

Ladle some of the curry broth into a bowl and serve with the dumplings. Top with chili oil and black sesame seeds, if you like.

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xoxo, Joe