Pineapple Kimchi Dumplings

Yesterday, I did something I’d never done before. I went outside for a run…in February…in Minnesota. Why? Because it was nearly 40 degrees outside! It was so warm (yes, 40 degrees is considered warm winter weather), I could honestly feel spring in the air. The snow was melting, the sun was out, and I could hear birds chirping. But today? All of that glorious weather is fading fast as I sit here at my desk, staring outside at the blizzard-like conditions. Womp womp.

These Pineapple Kimchi Dumplings are all I have right now to get me through this sudden winter slump. If I close my eyes and take a bite of one, maybe I’ll be transported back to the chic and super cute restaurant in Naples, Florida where my husband and I first enjoyed them.

We were on a 5-year anniversary trip. And our first stop right after landing at the airport was this raw food restaurant in a strip mall on a busy suburban street a bit off the path to our eventual destination of Marco Island. But it’s my vacation planning MO to scope out all the healthy restaurants in the area. My husband “loves” it when I do this. “Where are you taking me? They serve what kind of food?”

The dumplings we enjoyed at the restaurant were meatless and raw, of course. But I fell in love with the concept of pairing kimchi with pineapple. The sweetness from the pineapple cuts through some of the acidity of the kimchi leaving a wonderfully pleasant sweet and savory flavor.

For my version, I added in ground turkey to bring these dumplings closer to the texture and flavor of the familiar potsticker. To make, simply brown up the turkey in a pan and add the pineapple and kimchi. Fill each dumpling wrapper with the mixture and seal the edges. Note that I got a little fancy with my sealing technique after watching this tutorial (around the 2:30 mark), but there is no harm in simply bringing the edges together to create a basic fold. Once the dumplings are sealed, work in batches, dropping a group of dumplings into a sauté pan, cooking for a couple minutes to let the bottoms crisp up. Then, add in a bit of water, cover, and let them steam for a couple minutes until the dumplings are soft and tender.

And don’t forget to throw together the easy dipping sauce! Take those dumplings for a dip in this spicy and slightly sweet sauce and await the explosion of flavors in your mouth. With Superbowl Sunday AND Chinese New Year quickly approaching, start your menu planning now so you can make the dumplings happen!

5.0 from 2 reviews

Pineapple Kimchi Dumplings

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

40 mins

 

Author: Krista

Serves: 40 dumplings

Ingredients

Potstickers:

• 1 ½ cups kimchi
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 pound ground turkey
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup finely chopped pineapple
• 40 dumpling wrappers

Dipping Sauce:

• ⅓ cup soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon sriracha
• 1 tablespoon, honey
• 1 tablespoon chopped green onion
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Instructions

1. To make the filling, place the kimchi on a cutting board and pat it dry with paper towels to soak up the excess moisture. Then, finely chop the kimchi. Heat the sesame oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Once heated, add the ground turkey to the pan, sprinkle with salt, and brown for 4-5 minutes. Once cooked through, add the chopped kimchi and pineapple to the pan and stir to combine.
2. Place the dumpling wrappers on a baking sheet and add a 2-teaspoon mound of filling in the center of each wrapper. Fill a small dish with water. Dip your finger in the water and trace around the outline of the wrapper. Close the dumpling by folding the filled wrapper in half and sealing the edges by tightly pinching together.
3. Coat a large skillet or sauté pan in cooking spray over medium heat. Once heated, add about 8-10 dumplings to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes. Then, add ¼ cup water to the pan and cook the dumplings, covered, for an additional 2-3 minutes. Repeat until all dumplings are cooked.
4. For the dipping sauce, mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.

Notes

Serving size: 2 dumplings (dipping sauce not included)
Nutrition Information (per serving) from Caloriecount.about.com
Calories: 74 Fat: 2g Carb: 7.9g Fiber: 0g Protein: 5.5g Sugar 1.2g Sodium: 180mg

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