Shiitake Dumplings Recipe

Prepare mushrooms

Wipe shiitake caps clean with a damp cloth and remove stems. Finely chop caps and reserve stems to chop very fine (or mince together). You should have about 1 1/2 cups chopped mushrooms.

Aromatics

Finely mince ginger and garlic. Thinly slice green onions, keeping white and green parts separate. Add the chopped mushrooms, minced ginger, garlic, and the white parts of the green onions to a mixing bowl.

Combine filling

Add ground pork (or substitute) to the bowl. Add soy sauce, shaoxing wine, sesame oil, cornstarch, white pepper, and 1 tsp salt. Mix thoroughly with a spatula or clean hands until the mixture becomes sticky and cohesive (about 1–2 minutes). Taste a small cooked pinch and adjust seasoning if needed.

Set up an assembly station: stack of wrappers, a small bowl of water for sealing, and a spoon for filling. Keep a damp towel over unused wrappers to prevent drying.

Place about 1 rounded teaspoon (about 12–14 g) of filling in the center of each wrapper. Dip a fingertip in water and moisten the wrapper edge. Fold and pleat or simply press to seal, making sure there are no air pockets. Repeat until all wrappers are filled (makes ~28–30 dumplings).

Pan-fry (potstickers) method

Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tbs vegetable oil. Arrange dumplings in a single layer, flat-side down, leaving small gaps. Fry 2–3 minutes until bottoms are golden brown. Carefully add 120 ml water to the pan (stand back – it will steam), immediately cover with a lid, reduce heat to medium-low, and steam 5–6 minutes until water evaporates and dumplings are cooked through. Remove lid and cook 30–60 seconds more to re-crisp bottoms. Transfer to a plate.

Steaming method (alternative)

Line a bamboo or metal steamer with parchment or cabbage leaves. Arrange dumplings without touching. Steam over rapidly boiling water for 8–9 minutes (longer if using frozen wrappers).

Whisk eggs and milk/cream in a bowl until uniform but not overly frothy. Season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper.

Heat a nonstick skillet over low–medium-low heat. Add butter and let it melt, coating the pan. Pour the beaten eggs into the pan.

Using a silicone spatula, stir gently and continuously, scraping the bottom and folding the curds over themselves. Keep the heat low: the goal is slow coagulation for a creamy texture. When eggs are mostly set but still glossy and slightly runny (about 3–4 minutes), remove from heat — residual heat will finish cooking. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Fold in chopped chives or green onion if using. Keep warm until serving.

Mix soy sauce and black vinegar in a small bowl. Add chili oil and sesame seeds if desired.

To serve: arrange a bed or spoonfuls of soft scrambled eggs on serving plates. Top or nestle 6–8 shiitake dumplings per person on the eggs so the warm eggs contrast with the dumplings. Garnish with sliced green onion tops and a drizzle of sesame oil or dipping sauce on the side.