Crispy rice dumplings with red jujube dates and chili dipping sauce

rice dumpling with chili sauce being eaten with chopsticks.

5 from 1 vote

Crispy rice dumplings with red jujube dates and chili dipping sauce

Upgrade your dim sum game with these crispy rice dumplings with red jujube dates and easy citrus chili sauce. They are completely vegan, can easily be made gluten-free, and make a great appetizer or side dish to acompany Korean, Chinese, or Malaysian dishes.

Prep Time18

Cook Time30

Total Time48

Course: Sides

Cuisine: Chinese

Servings: dumplings

Calories: 59kcal

Author: Adam Sobel

Cost: $11

Equipment

Ingredients

Dumplings

⅓ cup sliced dried red jujube dates
⅓ cup warm water
4 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
½ of a 14 oz. Block of tofu diced in 1 cm. cubes
1 medium size carrot julienne cut, or shredded
2 thinly sliced scallions
1 ½ cups bean sprouts
1 ¼ cups cooked rice white or brown rice
2 teaspoons tamari
1 tablespoon sriracha
¾ teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder
1 teaspoon coconut sugar
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
30 square wonton skins
2 tablespoons canola oil or vegetable oil for cooking

Chili Sauce

2 tablespoons sriracha
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 thinly sliced Bird’s eye chili optional

To serve

1 tablespoon coconut sugar
1 thinly sliced scallion
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
Fresh cilantro leaves to garnish

Instructions

Prepare the Dumpling Filling

Place the jujube dates in a cup and pour the warm water over them to rehydrate the dates.
Heat the toasted sesame oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium heat.
Add diced tofu and cook for 7-8 minutes, flipping the pieces about every minute until lightly golden brown on all sides.
Add julienne-cut or shredded carrots, thinly sliced scallions, and bean sprouts. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until softened.
Add the soaked dates and their soaking liquid, the cooked rice, tamari, sriracha, Chinese 5-spice powder, coconut sugar, and toasted sesame seeds to the pan. Stir-fry for another 2-3 minutes until the ingredients are well combined.
Allow the dumpling filling to cool to room temperature before proceeding to the next step.

Assemble the Dumplings

Lay out the wonton skins on a clean work surface. If making the gluten free version, see my notes below.
Place a small spoonful of the cooled dumpling filling in the center of each wonton skin.
Wet the edges of the wonton skin with cold water using your fingertips or a pastry brush.
Fold in the bottom side of the wonton over the filling, tuck the sides in, then tightly roll it up from bottom to top, sealing the edges with water to create a tight and neat roll, similarly shaped to a spring roll, or a tiny, adorable baby burrito.

Cook the Dumplings

Heat two tablespoons of canola or vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat.
Place the dumplings in the pan, leaving some space between them.
Add two tablespoons of water to the pan, and immediately cover the pan.
Cook for 2-3 minutes until the bottoms are golden brown and crispy.
Carefully flip the dumplings and cook for another 2-3 minutes with the lid on until the other side is also crispy and golden brown.
Remove the dumplings from the pan and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess oil.

Prepare the Chili Sauce

In a small bowl, whisk together sriracha, tomato paste, lime juice, thinly sliced Bird's eye chili (if using), coconut sugar, and sesame oil until well combined.
Serve the Dumplings
Place the crispy rice dumplings on a serving plate.
Drizzle the chili sauce over the dumplings or serve it on the side as a dipping sauce.
Garnish with thinly sliced green onion, toasted sesame seeds, and fresh cilantro leaves for added flavor and presentation.

Notes

To make these dumplings gluten-free

Simply swap out the wonton skins with rice paper wrappers, and make sure to use gluten-free tamari in the filling instead of any other kind of soy sauce. If using rice paper wrappers, make the dumplings one at a time. Soak the rice paper wrappers in a bowl of warm water until pliable, then fill, roll, and cook as instructed for a gluten-free version of this tasty snack!

Don’t rush!

Make sure to cool your filling to room temperature so that it’s not hot when you form the dumplings. This will ensure maximum crispiness and also make it a lot easier to handle and neatly form the dumplings.

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