Inspired by the viral Trader Joe’s dumpling bake making the rounds on social media, today we’re making homemade dumplings baked in a rich, coconut red curry sauce

Today we’re making homemade dumplings baked in a rich coconut red curry sauce. For the last couple of months, I’ve been seeing videos everywhere of people making an easy weeknight dinner using Trader Joe’s premade chicken dumplings, a few of their sauces, and coconut milk.

I thought it would be fun to make a homemade version that’s deeper in flavor and honestly such a fun meal to make on the weekend

Few tips:

• If the dough feels dry, wet your hands and knead; if it’s sticky, dust lightly with flour. It should feel smooth and soft, not tacky.
• Let the dough rest the full 30 minutes. This relaxes the gluten and makes rolling them/shaping them much easier. if you don’t let your dough rest, it will feel tough and be hard to shape
• Salt the cabbage and squeeze it really well. Any extra moisture will make the filling watery and can cause the dumplings to burst or steam instead of sear.
• For the dumpling wrappers, for a casual dinner at home I honestly don’t even bother with a rolling pin. I just shape them into 3-inch circles with my hands. If I were making them for guests, I’d probably be a bit more precise, but how you go about it is completely up to you.
• Cold filling is easier to handle and holds its shape better inside the wrapper. keep your filling in the fridge until you are ready to fill your wrappers
• Don’t overfill the dumplings. One teaspoon is plenty. Overfilling is the main reason your dumplings may tear or leak
• Get a nice golden color on the dumplings before steaming. If they’re pale, give them another minute before adding water
• Add the water carefully and cover immediately. Steam is what finishes cooking the filling without drying it out
• Taste the sauce before baking it all together! This is your last chance to adjust salt, sweetness, or acidity

Here’s a video to guide you along the process

process

Red Curry Dumpling Bake

Inspired by the viral Trader Joe’s dumpling bake making the rounds on social media, today we’re making homemade dumplings baked in a rich, coconut red curry sauce

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Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine asian fusion

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  

Dumpling dough

• 250 grams all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 150 ml boiling water 175f

Chicken filling

• 365 grams Ground chicken
• 150 grams napa cabbage, finely chopped + 1/2 tsp salt
• 10 grams fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp ginger, grated
• 4 cloves garlic, grated
• 2 scallions, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 3/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp powdered ginger
• 1 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp corn starch
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1/2 tsp chili flakes optional

Coconut Red Curry Sauce

• 1 tbsp butter salted or unsalted, whichever you have on hand
• 3 tbsp neutral oil avocado oil is my go to
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tbsp ginger, grated
• 2 tbsp red curry paste
• 1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp powdered ginger
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 400 grams full-fat coconut milk one can
• 120 grams coconut cream
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp teriyaki sauce
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• freshly chopped basil
• juice of 1/2 a lime

Garnish ideas

• chili crunch
• fresh basil
• fried shallot or garlic
• sesame seeds
• drizzle of sesame oil

Instructions

 

• in a medium bowl, combine the flour and salt. Gradually pour in the hot water, stirring with a danish dough whisk or wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 30 minutes
• Place the chopped napa cabbage in a bowl, sprinkle with ½ tsp salt and massage it together. let sit for 10–15 minutes. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible, then transfer to a clean bowl. Add the ground chicken, cilantro, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, scallions, rice vinegar, cornstarch, white pepper, and chili flakes if using. Mix until cohesive and slightly sticky, then refrigerate while you prepare the rest of our dish
• Gently poke a hole in the middle of your dough. Flour your hands and gently stretch out your dough into a long oval bagel shape. Divide the rested dough into 20 g pieces with a bench scraper. Roll or pat each into a 3-inch round (refer to tip section) . Do not stack the wrappers, they will stick. Either work one at a time by rolling, filling, and shaping each wrapper, or roll them all out and give each one its own space on the countertop without overlapping. This will save you a lot of frustration and keep all that hard work intact
• Place 1 teaspoon of filling in the center of each wrapper, fold, and pinch to seal. add shaped dumplings to a baking sheet, and place in the fridge for now
• Heat a 10 or 12 inch stainless steel saucepan over medium heat. add your butter and neutral oil, add the shallot and cook for 2–3 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and grated ginger, cook for 30–45 seconds until fragrant. Add the red curry paste and cook for about 2 minutes to bloom. Sprinkle in your seasonings, then pour in the 120 grams of coconut cream . Stir continuously for 2–3 minutes until emulsified. Now, add the 400 grams coconut milk, oyster sauce, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, and brown sugar. Simmer for 10 minutes until slightly thickened, then turn off heat
• Juice half of a lime, then finish the sauce with 1 teaspoon of lime juice at a time, tasting as you go. adjust the acidity to your preference. Add the basil, then taste and adjust seasoning with salt if needed. You’ll likely find it doesn’t need any additional salt
• Heat a thin layer of neutral oil in a skillet over medium heat and pan-fry the dumplings flat-side down for 2–3 minutes until golden. Carefully add ¼ cup water, cover, and steam for 4–5 minutes until cooked through
• Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Nestle the dumplings into the sauce that we just whipped up inner stainless steel pan. Cover with an oven safe lid or foil and bake for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 8–10 minutes until bubbling and the dumplings have a light crisp on the tops that are peaking through the sauce
• Finish with chopped basil, sesame seeds, scallions, chili crisp or sesame oil if desired. Serve fresh with rice or enjoy on its own!

Keyword asian fusion, coconut, dinner, dumpling bake, dumplings, red curry