Creamy Dumpling Soup Recipe

Make dumpling dough/wraps

In a small bowl combine 1/2 cup all-purpose flour with 1/4 cup cold water and mix until a soft pliable dough forms. Knead briefly on a lightly floured surface until smooth, cover and rest 10 minutes. Roll thinly and cut into four 3–4 inch rounds.

Prepare filling

Choose chicken or veggie filling: For chicken, combine 1/4 cup ground chicken, 1 tbsp chopped green onions, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp soy sauce, 1/2 tsp sesame oil, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper. For veggie, use 1/4 cup crumbled firm tofu instead of chicken and season the same way. Mix until cohesive.

Fill and seal

Place about 1.5 tablespoons of filling in the center of each round. Fold and pleat or fold in half to form a small half-moon, pressing to seal edges well. Lightly dust sealed dumplings with flour.

Fry dumplings

Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add dumplings seam side down and fry 2–3 minutes until bottoms are golden. Add 3 tbsp water to the pan, cover immediately and steam 3 minutes until cooked through (internal temp for chicken 165°F / 74°C). Uncover and cook 30–60 seconds more to crisp bottoms. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.

In a medium saucepan melt 1 tbsp butter over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp minced shallot and 1 tsp minced garlic and sauté 1–2 minutes until fragrant and translucent, not browned.

Whisk in 1 tbsp flour and cook 30–45 seconds to form a roux, stirring constantly.

Slowly whisk in 3 cups low-sodium stock, bringing the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cook 3–4 minutes until slightly thickened.

Stir in 1 cup half-and-half (or coconut milk) and simmer 2–3 minutes until heated and creamy. Add 1/2 tsp fish sauce (optional), 1 tsp lime juice, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp white or black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Place four fried dumplings into a shallow serving bowl. Ladle the hot creamy soup around the dumplings so they sit partially submerged. Garnish with 1 tbsp chopped scallions and 1 tbsp cilantro leaves and a lime wedge on the side.

Prepare vegetables: shred 2 cups green papaya, julienne 1/2 cup cucumber, 1/2 cup carrot and thinly slice 1/4 cup radish. Place in a large mixing bowl.

Prepare protein: If using tofu, pat 3/4 cup cubed firm tofu dry, shallow-fry in 1 tbsp oil over medium heat until golden on all sides (about 4–5 minutes), drain on paper towel. If using shrimp, use 3/4 cup cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined.

Make house sauce: In a small bowl whisk 2 tbsp lime juice, 1 tbsp tamari or soy sauce, 1 tsp palm or brown sugar, 1/2 tsp fish sauce (optional), 1/2 tsp chili garlic sauce and 1 tbsp water until sugar dissolves.

Toss salad: Pour the house sauce over the shredded papaya, cucumber, carrot and radish. Toss to combine thoroughly. Add the fried tofu or shrimp and gently toss to distribute.

Plate and finish: Transfer salad to a shareable plate. Sprinkle 2 tbsp chopped roasted peanuts and 2 tbsp fried shallots over the top. Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve with lime wedges and extra house sauce on the side.