The following is an online extra from our March 2022 issue.
Photo via Getty Images
Scallion Dumplings
By Vanna Hem and Adam Stull, co-owners of Royal Pig
Owners of the Cambodian pop-up turned Hatch Local food hall vendor Royal Pig, Vanna Hem and Adam Stull appreciate the integral role scallions play in Cambodian cuisine. “Scallions add depth of flavor and enrich any dish,” Hem says. The duo credit scallions for a pop of umami, noting that the herb’s tangy flavor shines through in the chicken filling for their dumplings.
Dough
2 1/2 cups wheat starch
1/2 cup tapioca starch
2 cups boiling water
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Combine and stir all dry ingredients. Stir in all liquid ingredients. Knead dough. Adjust with more wheat starch if the dough is too sticky. Section the dough into eight pieces. Roll each piece into a long tube and cut into 2-inch sections. Flatten each section. Roll with rolling pin until it forms a 4-inch circle.
Filling
1 pound scallions, cut in 1/2-inch pieces
2 whole bulbs minced garlic
2 tablespoons chicken bouillon powder
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
In a small stockpot, heat the oil. Add garlic and stir until it becomes fragrant. Add scallions and cook until they have softened and reduced in size by a quarter. Add chicken powder, soy sauce and black pepper. Remove from stove and allow to cool enough to touch.
Dumplings
Make a pocket in the center of the dumpling skin. Add two tablespoons of filling. Bring dough around filling and pinch edges shut. Flatten dumpling out a bit; it should be about a 3-inch disk shape. Steam dumplings for eight minutes. Pan fry in two tablespoons canola oil until golden brown on each side.
