Tofu & Red Cabbage Dumplings

I had some red cabbage left over from the Kale Borsch that I made last week, and was wondering what I could do with it, when I suddenly remembered a dumpling recipe that I had used a few years ago. Traditional Chinese dumplings are made with napa cabbage and ground pork, but crumbled tofu works just as well. Using red cabbage adds some extra colour to the dish.

Tofu & Red Cabbage Dumplings

2 tablespoons & 2 tablespoons oil, seperated
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
4 scallions, chopped, green parts only
150g firm tofu, crumbled
1.5 cups red cabbage, shredded
2/3 cup white or brown mushroom caps, sliced
30 round (eggless) wonton wrappers
1/4 cup (60ml) water
Salt, to taste

In a saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil and sauté the scallions for about 1 minute over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, cabbage, scallions, and tofu. Turn to high heat and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the soy sauce and salt (if using) and continue to stir over high heat for another 2-3 minutes until the excess liquid has been absorbed. Sprinkle in the cornstarch and ginger and mix quickly. Trasfer to a dish to cool.

Put 1.5 teaspoons of the vegetable mixture in the center of each wonton wrapper and moisten the edges of the wrapper with water. Fold to make a moon shape, making a few pleats to seal:

Heat 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil in the saucepan and put in half of the dumplings. Cook both sides for ~2 minutes over medium heat until well browned; then repeat with the remaining dumplings and the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Transfer to a dish and serve with dipping sauce of your choice.

Serve alongside tofu soup, a stir-fry or a rice/noodle dish.