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Turkey Cabbage Dumplings

Turkey Cabbage Dumplings
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You Win Some, You Dim Sum

Well…technically, Dim Sum is a meal of small plates served with tea (think Tapas if you lean more towards Spanish cuisine), but I just love that silly expression, and since dumplings can be served as part of Dim Sum I think it works! (imagine the smiley emoji here).

I also love dumplings…all kinds…meat, veggie, seafood, folded, tied, fried, steamed…the list is very long! But since everyone seems to be working on their beach bodies this time of year, I wanted to share these healthy dumplings made with seasoned turkey and wrapped up in packets of fresh cabbage. All the asian-inspired flavors of traditional dumplings with fewer calories…a win-win for sure!

“The dumplings had the flavor of paradise…” – Lemony Snicket

These are very simple dumplings to make. I used my bamboo steamer, but any steamer basket will work. Start with Savoy Cabbage or Chinese Cabbage…Savoy’s are lacy and delicate looking so they make a pretty dumpling package! You can use the traditional cabbage heads you find in most grocery stores, but the leaves are typically thicker so the dumplings aren’t quite as tender. Blanch the individual leaves of cabbage in boiling, salted water for about three minutes (this helps make them pliable), then put them on a cookie sheet lined with paper towels to cool and drain.

Cabbage

While your cabbage leaves cool, mix together the turkey, green onions, ginger, soy sauce (or coconut aminos), fish sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, crushed red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Using your hands, mix until well combined.

green onion, ginger

Pat the cabbage leaves dry. Place about 1- 1/2 tablespoons of the turkey mixture in the middle of each leaf. Fold the stem edge of the leaf up and over the meat. Fold the two sides to the inside and over the meat, tucking them in as you roll the bottom edge up towards the top (like you would roll a burrito).

Place each dumpling in the steamer basket, seam side down. Add the broth or water to a pan and place the steamer basket on top (you don’t want the liquid to touch the basket and get into the dumplings). Bring to a boil, then cover and steam for 12-13 minutes.

Dumpling Dipping Sauce

While the dumplings are steaming, mix together the ingredients for this wonderful dipping sauce. It hits all the notes you want…salty, sour, sweet, and spicy!

These Turkey Cabbage Dumplings are amazing, and the sauce takes them to another level of deliciousness! As an added bonus, they are easy AND healthy! How can you go wrong? And they are beautiful to look at…and we eat with our eyes first, am I right?

Steamed Cabbage Turkey Dumplings

One more bonus, for my readers who don’t eat meat…these can easily be made with diced tofu (about 8 ounces) in place of the turkey (I’m starting to sound like one of those infomercials…”and if you order now our bonus gift to you is…”! But who doesn’t love a bonus?

Be Sure to Pin This for Later!

Give these amazing dumplings a try, and let me know in the comments how you like them. And while you’re here, be sure to subscribe to A Slice of Spice so you don’t miss any of the goodness!

Until next time, keep it spicy!

Michele

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Turkey Cabbage Dumplings

Turkey Cabbage Dumplings

Tender cabbage dumplings stuffed with seasoned turkey and steamed to perfection.

Course Main Course
Cuisine Chinese
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 2
Author Michele

Ingredients

For the Dumplings

  • 1 pound ground turkey (can use ground chicken)
  • 1/2 cup green onions – sliced (3-4 onions)
  • 1/2 inch knob of ginger, peeled and grated
  • 1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos
  • 1 tsp fish sauce
  • 1 tsp hoisin sauce
  • 1/2 tsp sesame oil
  • 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional) more if desired
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 16 chinese or savoy cabbage leaves (ends trimmed)
  • 2 cups vegetable broth or water

For the Dipping Sauce

  • 1 1/2 tbsp hot water
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
  • 2 tsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tsp chili oil
  • 1 tsp garlic – minced

Instructions

Dumplings

  1. Bring a large saucepan of water with a pinch of salt to a boil.  Line a large sheet pan with paper towels.  Once the water is boiling, submerge cabbage leaves in the water for about three minutes to soften.  Transfer leaves to paper towel-lined sheet pan and let cool. When the leaves are cool enough to handle, pat dry with another paper towel.

  2. In a medium bowl, combine turkey, green onions, ginger, soy sauce, fish sauce, hoisin, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.  Using your hands, mix well.

  3. Place about 1 1/2 tbsp. of turkey mixture into the middle of each cabbage leaf. Fold the stem side of the leaf up over the meat.  Fold the two sides towards the center and gently roll up as you tuck the sides in (similar to rolling a burrito).

  4. Fill a pot with two inches of broth (or water if you prefer) and put your steamer basket on top.  Make sure  your broth/water comes just below your steamer basket so the liquid doesn’t touch your dumplings.

  5. Gently place dumplings into steamer basket seam side down (you can stack them if you need to).  Bring broth/water to a boil.  Cover the steamer basket and let the dumplings steam 12-13 minutes, until the turkey is cooked through.  

  6. While your dumplings steam, make your dipping sauce (below).  When the dumplings have finished cooking, transfer dumplings to a paper-towel lined plate and enjoy!

Dipping Sauce

  1. Mix hot water and honey together in a small bowl and stir until honey is dissolved. Add remaining ingredients and stir well.  Serve with dumplings.

    Dumpling Dipping Sauce


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