Wood Ear Mushroom Lucky Buttercup Dumplings
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Have you ever felt like the forest was listening? I have. Maybe because it can seem so still and quiet, maybe because I get the feeling that ancient wisdom surrounds me. Other times, it’s because I can see that the trees have ears. I’m talking, of course, about “wood ear” mushrooms. This dark brown fungus grows on decaying or old wood in the spring and fall. It has a soft, almost jelly-like texture and grows in bizarre forms that really do look a bit like ears. Goblin ears, maybe. Or leprechauns.
Wood ear mushrooms are edible, but don’t have a lot of flavor. What they bring to the table is texture! Juicy, slightly crunchy, delightful texture! They (or a similar species) have been used in Asia for thousands of years as both food and medicine. There, it’s called “black fungus” and can be found in salads, soups, dumplings, and more. Since this particular fungi is comprised of a LOT of water, dried wood ear mushrooms shrivel down into tiny little things. The good news is that they re-hydrate really well!
As you forage your wood ear mushrooms, pause to close your eyes and feel your energy connect with the ground below. Listen to the forest, to your own inner dialogue. Or, sing the forest a song. It’s always listening, after all.
I’ve always felt like wood ear mushrooms would be the perfect textural component to gyoza, a fried and steamed dumpling ( or “potsticker” in Chinese restaurants.) Indeed, it soaks up flavor most magnificently and gives that juicy quality that makes potstickers so delightful.
A wide variety of steamed dumplings are considered good luck during the Chinese New Year and Spring Festival. Whether filled with pork, shrimp, or vegetables, eating these delicious homemade dumplings is a sign of good luck throughout the year! I based mine on what I consider to be the first true sign of spring: the lovely little buttercups that emerge in melted patches of earth. Beautiful and delicious! This recipe makes about 21 vegetarian or vegan dumplings.
Ingredients:
Filling:
1 c. finely chopped cabbage
½ tsp. Salt
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
2 eggs (or ½ c. tofu)
1 ½ c. fresh or re-hydrated wood ear mushrooms (.6oz dried mushrooms)
½ c. garlic mustard leaves (or 3 Tbs. chopped scallions)
1 tsp. Sesame oil
1 tsp. Minced ginger
1 tsp. Minced garlic
1 tsp. Soy sauce
½ c. mung bean vermicelli noodles, cooked
Dough:
1 c. boiling water (plus 1 or 2 Tbs. if needed)
2 ½ c. flour
1 ½ tsp. Powdered turmeric
3 Tbs. white sesame seeds
2 Tbs. neutral cooking oil
Dipping Sauce:
1 Tbs. sesame oil
1 tsp. Minced ginger
½ tsp. Honey
¼ c. black rice vinegar (or balsamic vinegar, but cut out the honey)
¼ c. soy sauce
2 tsp. Sriracha
¼ c. shaoxing wine (or sherry)
¼ c. chopped cilantro
Directions:
First, make your filling so that it’s ready to go as soon as your dough is. Place the cabbage in a small bowl and sprinkle the salt over the top. Massage it in with your hands for a minute or two, then set aside.
Add the oil to a non-stick pan over medium heat. Beat the eggs and add them, then stir them until they have scrambled and cooked. Pour them out onto a cutting board. Allow to cool slightly, then chop them into small pieces. (If you are using tofu instead, chop it up now.) Chop up the wood ear mushrooms and garlic mustard leaves.
Add the sesame oil to the skillet over medium heat. Once it’s warmed, add the garlic and ginger, stirring to cook slightly. Add the soy sauce. Stir in the chopped eggs or tofu, wood ear fungus, and garlic mustard. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, to release some of the moisture out of the mixture.
Squeeze the liquid out of the cabbage, then wrap it in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze again to release as much moisture as possible. Stir it into the rest of the filling and remove from heat. The filling should now be fairly dry but cohesive. Chop up the mung bean noodles and stir in. Cover and set aside.
To make the dough, mix together the flour and turmeric in a medium bowl. Pour the hot water into the bowl and mix with a spoon until it comes together into a stiff, but not crumbly, dough.
Knead the dough for ten minutes, then roll it into a ball, cover it, and let it rest for 20 mins. While the dough is resting, work on the dipping sauce.
Heat the sesame oil over medium heat, then add the ginger and mix for a few seconds. Add the honey and black rice vinegar and stir to dissolve and mix. Remove from heat and stir in the soy sauce, sriracha, wine, and cilantro.
After the doughs have rested and the filling and sauce are assembled, roll the dough into a log that is 1 ¼” wide.
Cut the roll into 1” slices. Roll each one out into a 4” circle, making the edges a bit thinner than the white middle. Cover the rest while you work on one at a time.
Squeeze any excess moisture out of your filing one more time, then place 1-2 Tbs. filling in each dough circle. Moisten the edges of the dough with your finger dipped in water. Carefully bring five sections of the dumpling into the center and press together to form the middle of your flowers. You should have teardrop-shaped openings for petals. Gently squeeze in the dough under the petals to close off any holes while maintaining the shape of the petals. Roll a tiny bit of extra dough into a round button and attach it to the center using a drop of water. Set aside and keep covered while you shape the rest of your dumplings.
Heat the cooking oil in a non-stick or cast iron skillet over medium low. While it is heating, set out a plate with tiny bit of water on it and a plate with the sesame seeds on it. Gently set a dumpling in the water, then the sesame seeds so they stick onto the base. Place into the frying pan. Work quickly at this step so nothing gets overcooked! Let the dumplings fry in the oil for 2-3 minutes until golden, then add ¼ c. water to the pan. Cover it well and let the dumplings steam for 6-8 minutes, or until all of the water has evaporated.
Serve hot with dipping sauce.
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Join me for a little winter night magic as we bake this cake full of rich seasonal flavors and black cocoa!