Garam Masala Lamb Dumplings

I love dumplings - pretty much any combination of meat in a dough pocket is delicious to me and thankfully almost every culture has their own version! This particular recipe reinvents the Chinese-style dumpling by using lamb and Indian spices. The first time I made it, I made the dough myself but decided to buy the pre-made wonton wrappers for the second go-around and I didn't taste any difference (the only difference was the time saved!). I'll include the dough recipe at the bottom in case you want to go the 100% homemade route.

Lamb Dumplings with Cumin and Garam Masala

from Serious Eats - makes about 40 dumplings

2 lb ground lamb (I'm sure it would be great with pork too)

1 medium onion, halved

1 bunch scallions, finely chopped

~3 leaves of bok choy, washed

2 tbsp rice wine (I used mirin)

1 tsp vegetable oil

1 tsp salt

t tsp garam masala

1 tsp cumin

1 package wonton wrappers, thawed (or dough recipe below)

Parboil the onion for two minutes (just drop into boiling water). When there is 30 seconds left, add the bok choy. Let cool then finely chop.

Combine all ingredients into a large bowl and mix well. Feel free to refrigerate at this point for up to 24 hours, or freeze (I still have some extra meat in the freezer!).

When ready to make the dumplings, prepare your station. You will need the meat mixture, a spoon, wonton wrappers, a small bowl of water, and either a cookie sheet or a tupperware lined with lightly floured parchment paper. If you're not cooking for a party, you'll want to freeze most of the dumplings by storing in a tupperware, in single layers separated by parchment paper.

Place about a tbsp of filling into the center of one wrapper. Dip your fingers into the water and lightly wet the edge of the wrapper, then fold over. Make a pleated seal by folding the wrapper over onto itself. Place dumpling on parchment paper. Repeat with the rest of the wrappers and dough.

To cook, place a steamer basket into a large pot and fill to the bottom of the steamer with water. Heat until boiling, then drop dumplings in. I recommend spraying them with some Pam beforehand because they will stick together and it's a pain. This will reduce the sticking. Cook for about 8-10 minutes or until wrapper is translucent.

If you want, finish them off by sauteing in some sesame oil over high heat for a minute to get a nice crisp on the edges. Serve with dumpling sauce (buy or make your own by mixing soy sauce with some rice vinegar and sri racha for spice).

To make your own dough:

2 cups flour

3/4 cups boiling water

Add flour to boiling water and stir constantly. The dough should begin to form after 20 seconds. When fully moistened, turn onto a floured surface and knead until elastic (about 5-7 minutes). Let rest for at least 30 minutes, or refrigerate overnight wrapped in plastic.

To use, divide into 5 portions and cover the unused portions with a damp paper towel to keep from drying out. Roll one portion out into a cylinder about 1" diameter then cut into 1/2" pieces. Flatten each piece with your palm then roll into a thin circle with a rolling pin, about 3" in diameter. Fill and seal as above.