Garlic-Chilli Potato Dumplings (VG) from Weeknight Vegetarian

By Erin Brown
Related Categories: Cookbook Confidential

“These make a pretty quick and comforting dinner. My kids really like them and they are super versatile. It doesn’t really matter what shape they end up – fat, thin, short or long dumplings – they taste just as good and make a fun plate. This one-pot recipe is designed for using up ready-cooked potatoes. However, if you don’t have any in the fridge, you can boil the same quantity, peeled and quartered, for 12–15 minutes until tender, then chill them under a cold tap. If I am in a rush I like to roll out the dough with a rolling pin then make criss-cross cuts to form little diamonds. Otherwise use good-quality pre-made noodles like udon. The sauce can be as spicy or not, as you please, and a plateful of steamed green veg goes very well alongside.” Joe Woodhouse, author of Weeknight Vegetarian

Serves 4

For the sauce/dressing

30g (1oz) dried shiitake mushrooms

200ml (7fl oz) boiling water

25g (1oz) coriander, leaves picked, stalks finely chopped, kept separate

2 tablespoons tamari sauce

5 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 heaped teaspoon chilli flakes

100ml (3½oz) sunflower oil

25g (1oz) roasted peanuts, chopped

3 spring onions, finely sliced

For the dumplings

900g (2lb) cooked potatoes, peeled and quartered

360g (12¾oz) cornflour, plus more to dust

Salt

For the sauce/dressing, put the shiitake in a small heatproof bowl and pour in the measured boiling water from the kettle. Leave to rehydrate while you make and cook the dumplings.

To make the dumplings, push the cooked potatoes through a ricer, or use a masher to crush them. Add the cornflour with a pinch of salt and form into a smooth dough. Pinch off the dough in sections and roll each out on a lightly floured surface to form ropes.

Cut along the lengths to form 1cm (½ inch) dumplings; I like a 5cm- (2 inch-) long, fat dumpling. Place on a lightly floured tray and repeat the process until the dough is all shaped.

Bring a large saucepan of well-salted water to a simmer. Add your dumplings, wait for them to float to the surface, then cook for 1–2 minutes. Drain well and put in a heatproof mixing bowl.

Drain and slice the rehydrated shiitake, then add to the mixing bowl with the coriander stalks and tamari. Finally, add the garlic and chilli flakes in a small pile.

Heat the oil in a small pan. Pour the hot oil over the garlic and chilli to let both sizzle and cook. Toss, then serve topped with the peanuts, spring onions and coriander leaves.