Dumpling Dipping Sauces

Ginger Scallion, Thai and Spiced Soy

Jazz up your dumplings with Ginger Scallion, Thai influenced and Spicy Soy dipping sauces !

In my younger chapters my go to comfort food  meant creamy, cheesy, crunchy fried or even sweet and decadent.  However, my definition of this has changed to Chinese dumplings and in general the full range of dim sum (dumplings, buns, steamed rice rolls) maybe because of the influence of my Chinese food addicted husband ?

I am definitely not ready to take my dumpling making skills to the public but my way of personalizing this experience is through the use of sauces .  Through experiences and my own tinkering I have three (3) go to sauces that have become my staples:

•  Ginger Scallion sauce, a delicious “green sauce” I fell in love with in Jamaica.

• Thai dipping sauce which is my own play on Nam Jim a Thai dipping sauce .

• Seasoned Soy sauce which I developed based on my own tastes .

Ginger Scallion

Ingredients

• 1 cup of finely minced scallion

• 2 tbsp finely minced ginger 

• 1/4 teaspoon of sugar 

• 1 teaspoon of salt 

• 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil 

• 1/2 cup of vegetable oil (neutral ) 

• 2 tablespoons of minced hot pepper 

Preparation:

Step 1 - In a heat proof bowl add in minced scallion , ginger, sesame oil, salt and sugar  and mix thoroughly

Step 2 - Let this sit for at least 30 minutes

Step 3 - In a pot , heat the 1/2 cup of oil until it is almost smoking and remove from heat.

Step 4 - Pour the hot oil over the mixture.

Thai  sauce

 Ingredients :

• 2 tablespoons of garlic

• 2 tablespoons of finely minced hot pepper

• 1/2 cup of cilantro

• 1/2 tablespoon of galangal (ginger can be substituted)

• 1 table spoon of brown sugar

• 1/4 cup of lime juice

• 2 tablespoons of fish sauce

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• 1 tablespoon mint

 Preparation:

Step 1 - Add cilantro, galangal, brown sugar, mint, lime juice  and hot pepper into a mini chopper and  pulse until a paste consistency.

 Step 2 - Mix in fish sauce and salt to your taste.

Soy Dipping Sauce

Ingredients :

• 1/4 Cup light soy sauce

• 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce

• 1 teaspoon of finely minced ginger

• 1 teaspoon of finely minced garlic

• 1 tablespoon of brown sugar

• 1/4 teaspoon of lime juice

• 2 tablespoons of sesame oil (toasted)

• 1/2 stalk of chive / green onion finely minced

Preparation:

Step 1 - Mix all ingredients except chive together in a bowl and whisk for a minute to incorporate.

Step 2 - Top mixture with finely minced chives.

These can be readily tweaked based on your individual taste and preferences. 

Substitutes :

• Galangal - Ginger

• Fish sauce - Oyster sauce, Worcestershire, coconut aminos

• Cilantro - Culantro / shadow beni, parsley