It’s National Dumpling Day today (September 26). The day celebrates a wide variety of dumplings found in India, whether it be Indian versions such as modaks or the Asian ones, including bao, dimsum, gyoza and more. To celebrate the day, we have Chef Vivek Rana of The Claridges, New Delhi, who shares his Mushroom Bao Dumpling recipe with us. By Anushka Goel
Dumplings come in various shapes and forms. They can be fried, like the Indian gujiya or karanji, or they can be steamed, like the Nepali momos. Pan-fried dumplings, such as gyoza, pair amazing with soy sauce and chilli oil, and soup dumplings, filled with a hot broth, make for a delectable bite.
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Dumplings offer the ultimate comfort bite, and are wholesome both in terms of their flavour and nutrients. They’re essentially a thin layer of dough encasing a filling, which can be sweet or savoury, depending upon the region you’re in. Most dumplings are served with a dipping sauce – a spicy chutney for momos, soy sauce and chilli oil for gyoza and more.
National Dumpling Day, which falls on September 26, celebrates the variety of these little pockets of flavour. And, to take the celebrations up a level, we have a dumpling recipe by Chef Vivek Rana, from The Claridges, New Delhi, who shares his tips and tricks to make the perfect Mushroom Bao. Try it out today.
Chef Vivek Rana’s Mushroom Bao dumpling recipe
Mushroom Bao dumpling filling recipe
Ingredients
- 300 gm button mushroom
- 300 gm shitake mushroom
- 30 gm chopped ginger
- 30 gm chopped garlic
- 20 gm red curry paste
- 7 gm broth powder
- 7 gm salt
- 17.5 gm sugar
- 20 gm oyster sauce
- 12 gm chilli paste
- 17.5 gm potato starch
- 10 ml sesame oil
- 30 gm spring onions
- 100 gm cream cheese
- 250 gm mozzarella cheese
- 50 ml truffle oil
- 10 ml refined oil
Method
- Take the mushrooms, chop them and boil properly. Strain and remove all the water from them.
- Next, heat up a wok and add oil, ginger, garlic, red curry paste, and oyster sauce and saute it for 30 seconds. Add salt, broth powder, sugar, sesame oil, and spring onion. Toss it well, add potato starch and stir well to combine. Then, set it aside in a bowl to cool.
- Now, add the two types of cheese and mix well. The misa (or the stuffing) is ready for your baos.
Bao dough recipe
First step dough
Ingredients:
- 600 gm Red lotus flour
- 40 gm sugar
- 40 gm yeast
- 300 gm water
Method:
- Mix red lotus flour, sugar, yeast, and water in a bowl.
- Knead it well, and rest for 40 minutes.
2nd step dough
Ingredients:
- 75 gm red lotus flour
- 75 gm Hong Kong flour
- 80 gm sugar
- 150 gm milk
For coating
- 30 gm concentrated mushroom water
Method:
- Add the ingredients in the well-rested dough mixture, knead well.
- Break off a piece of the dough, flatten and stuff with the mushroom mixture. Close it and shape it like a mushroom. Next, apply concentrated mushroom water on stuffed and shaped mushroom baos to add a hint of colour to them.
- Proof the baos in a hot place for about 12 to 15 minutes and then steam for about 12 minutes in a steamer.
- The baos are ready! Serve with chilli oil and some soy sauce, or indulge in them as is for a delicious, juicy bite.
Hero and Featured Image: Courtesy of Chef Vivek Rana
Related: These 9 Restaurants In Delhi Serve Delectable Dishes Featuring Mushroom
Written By
Anushka Goel
Anushka has previously worked with publications such as the Times of India and Being Indian. A graduate from Xavier Institute of Communications, she specialises in entertainment, food and travel. She also likes to write about sustainability and beauty. When not working, you can catch her reading a book, tending to her plants, cooking or playing an instrument.
