I absolutely love Thai food with a passion! In fact I’m not even sure why I haven’t posted any of my favourite Thai recipes up on my site – until now that is! But with my love of Thai food also comes a love of gelatinous chewy dumplings. These Thai Tapioca Pearl Vegetable Dumplings are ridiculously delicious and very easy to make despite what you might be thinking after looking at my pictures. You’re probably thinking that these are some beautifully crafted masterpieces but the truth is I struggle with anything finickity and well… um… complicated! I’m not a chef, I have no skills, I just know how to make stuff taste good.
When these are fully cooked and steaming hot they will be beautifully translucent, once they cool however they will look like something similar to my photographs!
If you follow my Instagram then you may remember my good old buddies over at Vivo Life sent me out some Coconut Secret Coconut Aminos which is basically a bottle of sweetened soy sauce except it is entirely made of coconut blossom sap and contains absolutely no soy whatsoever! I have been obsessed with this stuff ever since – pouring it all over my stir-fries, whisking it into eggs to make sweet egg omelettes, and well even over things like tinned salmon and tuna. Seriously go and buy some because you really are missing out! I used them in this recipe to season my filling but they mainly come into play in my gorgeous improv Thai style sweet and spicy dipping sauce!
These are 100% suitable for anyone following a vegan and Paleo diet but you can adapt them to incorporate whatever things you like. For a more carnivorous take on these dumplings why not try adding in 150g of cooked minced prawn, chicken, or pork to the filling?
Makes: 10 dumplings
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 20-25 minutes
Ingredients:
For the dumplings:
1 cup tapioca pearls
1/2 cup tapioca flour
200ml boiling hot water
1/4 tsp Himalayan pink salt
For the filling:
4 tbsp virgin coconut oil
2″ piece root ginger (peeled & chopped)
1/3 stalk lemongrass (finely sliced)
5 cloves garlic (peeled)
1/4 tsp black peppercorns
Large pinch Himalayan pink salt
3 tbsp coconut aminos
1 carrot (julienned)
3 spring onions (julienned)
2 tbsp finely shredded cucumber
2 large mushrooms (finely diced)
Large handful of cavolo nero (finely shredded)
For the dipping sauce:
1/2″ piece root ginger (peeled & chopped)
1 clove garlic (peeled)
3 tbsp coconut aminos
1 tbsp pure date syrup/maple syrup
1 tbsp organic white wine vinegar
1.5 tsp lime juice
Pinch of Himalyan pink salt
1/2-1 tsp chilli flakes
1 tbsp carrot (finely diced)
1 tbsp cucumber (finely diced)
1 tbsp spring onion (finely diced)
Method:
- Start by preparing the seasoning for your filling. In a pestle and mortar grind together your root ginger, garlic, lemongrass, black peppercorns, and Himalayan pink salt into a fine paste. Stir in your coconut aminos.
- In a large frying pan or wok heat your coconut oil until very hot. Fry your paste for about one minute – enough time to soften the garlic and for you to smell the gorgeous aroma! Add the rest of your ingredients for your filling and flash fry for about 3-5 minutes until slightly tender. Set to one side.
- Next it is time to get started on your dumpling ‘dough’. Place your tapioca pearls into a bowl and pour in some cold water until the pearls are fully submerged. Give them a swirl and leave to sit for 5 minutes before draining the water, using a fine mesh sieve to ensure that you don’t lose any pearls!
- Combine the tapioca pearls, tapioca starch, salt, and water into a bowl and stir until the mixture starts to come together. Knead the dough with your hands until the mixture is fully incorporated.
- Fill a small ball with some cold water and dip your hands into it – this will prevent the dough from sticking to your hands and make it easier to form. Take a small handful of dough and roll into a ball, squash the ball into the palm of your hand into a circular shape. Take around 1/2-1 tbsp of your filling and place it into the centre of the dough, scrunch your hand around the dough to form a cup like shape and then fold over and pinch the edges making sure to wet your fingers as you go along otherwise you may struggle to seal the dumpling. Repeat until all of your dumpling are filled. Set aside your remaining filling.
- Line a bamboo steamer with baking parchment, grease, and place your dumplings inside being sure to leave a little space between them otherwise they will stick together! Fill a pan, that is the same size/little smaller than your bamboo steamer, with around 3 inches of boiling water and place your steamer on top of the pan. Steam for around 20-25 minutes until fully translucent. You can also use a plate placed on the bottom of a pan (filled with water) covered with a lid or use an electric steamer.
- Whilst your dumplings are steaming prepare your dipping sauce. Using a pestle and mortar grind your garlic and root ginger into a fine paste. Combine with the rest of the ingredients, stir thoroughly until fully combined and then pour into a serving dish.
- When your dumplings are almost ready gently heat up the remaining julienned vegetables and divide between your plates.
- Remove your dumplings carefully as they will be ridiculously hot and sticky! You may want to wet your hands to pick them up or use some wet tongs. Place onto your bed of vegetables and serve with your dipping sauce! Enjoy!
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