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Crispy Hen of the Woods Rice Paper Dumplings
Looking for some big, juicy dumplings bolstered by wild ingredients? Well, this is it!
These dumplings come across like spring rolls or egg rolls, but with a slightly different, crispy/chewy texture that is fantastic. They’re also shallow-fried instead of deep-fried, making them a little bit less of a finicky treat. You could also probably make them in an air fryer if you have one at home.
The star of the show is the hen of the woods (also known as the maitake) mushroom, pictured below, which can be found growing at the base of oak trees in the early fall.
This recipe also used ground domestic pork, but you could definitely make it with wild pork or ground turkey or venison. The recipe is pretty fluid when it comes to the mushrooms too. If you can’t find any hen of the woods (try a Whole Foods or Eataly first before giving up!), then feel free to use something like oyster mushroom in its stead.
You may need to hit up an Asian grocer for some of these ingredients (rice paper sheets, chili oil, black Chinkiang vinegar), but many larger grocery stores carry much of this stuff nowadays.
After making these dumplings, try altering the filling to suit your own taste or the current season; these things are endlessly riffable!
- Prep Time45 min
- Cook Time30 min
- Total Time1 hr 15 min
- Yield12-15 dumplings
Ingredients
For the Dumplings
- 1⁄2 lb hen of the woods (aka maitake), cleaned, trimmed, and chopped into small bits
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 2 cups Napa cabbage, finely chopped
- 3 scallions, chopped
- 1 red chili, minced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1⁄2 lb ground pork
- 1⁄4 cup chopped cilantro with stems
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 3 tablespoons lard or oil
- 12 -15 sheets of rice paper
For the Sauce
- 1 part mild chili oil
- 2 parts soy sauce
- 3 parts Chinkiang black vinegar (or balsamic vinegar)
Preparation
Chop the mushroom into very small, bite-sized pieces.
Add the lard or oil to a skillet over medium-high heat and add the mushroom. Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring often.
Add the cabbage, scallions, chili, and garlic and cook for another minute.
Transfer the mushroom mixture to a large bowl. Add the pork, cilantro, sugar, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Mix well.
Take a plate or a deep dish and add some water to it. Dip the rice sheets in the water so that the entire surface gets wet. Gently lay it down on a work surface. Add 2 tablespoons of the pork and mushroom mixture to the rice paper in a line in the center. Fold over both sides, then roll the side closest to you over the filling. Continue rolling, creating a tight, burrito-like shape. Set aside and continue until the filling is used up.
Add the 3 tablespoons of lard or oil to a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add several rolls to the pan, ensuring that they do not touch each other (you’ll probably need to cook them in batches). Cook for about 6 minutes, flip, and cook for another 6 minutes, or until pork is cooked through and rice paper is quite crispy. You may need to cut one open and eat it to be sure… don’t worry, I won’t tell. Reduce heat if rice paper is beginning to burn.
Mix together the sauce ingredients in whatever size batch works for you. I made about a cup or so, which took about 2 tablespoons of chili oil, 4 tablespoons soy sauce, and 6 tablespoons black vinegar.
Serve the dumplings with the dipping sauce after letting them cool for 5 minutes or so. Enjoy!
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