Easy Spelt Dumpling Wrappers with Steamed Vegetable Filling

Steamed spelt dumpling wrappers need only spelt flour, salt and hot water. Fold them around a vegetable filling of cabbage, carrot and mushroom, then steam for 10 minutes. The recipe makes 24 soft dumplings with a mild, nutty edge.

Hot water relaxes the dough, so it rolls out without springing back. The wrappers stay tender after steaming. The bite is soft, not chewy.

The filling needs one careful step. Salt the cabbage and squeeze it hard. If it stays wet, the liquid leaks through the pleats and the wrappers turn gummy.

The steps stay clear and the ingredients cost little. Allow about 1 hour 45 minutes in total, including a 30 minute dough rest. You can shape the whole batch and freeze it uncooked.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Three-ingredient wrappers stay soft and roll out easily.
The filling uses everyday vegetables and costs little per serving.
Uncooked dumplings freeze and steam straight from frozen.
Spelt gives the wrappers a mild, nutty flavor.

Hands pleating a rolled spelt wrapper around a spoonful of vegetable filling on a floured wooden board

Ingredient Notes

white spelt flour: White spelt gives the softest, most workable dough. Whole grain spelt works too, but the wrappers turn denser and need a little more water.
hot water: Use water just off the boil. It partly cooks the flour, which makes the dough tender and easy to roll thin.
green cabbage: Napa cabbage is milder and works as a direct swap. Salt and squeeze either one to remove excess water.
shiitake mushrooms: Chestnut mushrooms are a cheaper swap. Cook them until the pan is dry so they add flavor without moisture.
soy sauce: Tamari works as a substitute if you want a slightly rounder, less sharp saltiness.

Family table with a shared steamer, chopsticks, small sauce dishes and a cucumber salad in window light

Prep Time 45 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Rest Time 30 mins

Total Time 1 hr 45 mins

Cooking Method: Stovetop

Cuisine: Asian-Inspired

Courses: Appetizer

Difficulty: Medium

Cooking Temp: 100 C

Servings: 4

Estimated Cost: 1.10

Calories: 309

Best Season: all_year_round

Dietary: Contains gluten (spelt), Dairy-Free, Egg-free, Vegan

Description

Hot water makes the spelt dough easy to roll thin, and a well-squeezed cabbage filling keeps the steamed dumplings soft instead of soggy.

Ingredients

Spelt dumpling wrappers

250 g white spelt flour (plus extra for dusting)
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
125 ml hot water (just off the boil)

Vegetable filling

200 g green cabbage (finely shredded)
1/2 tsp fine sea salt (for the cabbage)
100 g carrot (coarsely grated)
150 g shiitake mushrooms (stems removed, finely chopped)
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
3 spring onions (thinly sliced)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 tbsp fresh ginger ((15 g); grated)
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/4 tsp ground white pepper

Dipping sauce

2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/4 tsp chili flakes (optional)

Instructions

Spelt dumpling wrappers

1
Whisk the spelt flour and 1/4 tsp salt in a 24 cm / 9-inch bowl. Pour in the hot water and stir with a fork until shaggy. Let it cool for 2 minutes, then knead for 5 minutes until smooth and soft. Add 1 tsp water if it feels crumbly. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.

Vegetable filling

2
While the dough rests, toss the cabbage with 1/2 tsp salt and leave it for 10 minutes. Wrap it in a clean towel and squeeze hard until no more liquid drips out. A wet filling leaks through the pleats and makes the wrappers gummy.
3
Heat the rapeseed oil in a 20 cm / 8-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the mushrooms for 4 minutes until the pan is dry and the edges turn brown. Add the garlic and ginger and stir for 30 seconds. Cool for 5 minutes, then mix with the cabbage, carrot, spring onions, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tsp sesame oil and white pepper.

Fold and steam

4
Knead the rested dough for 1 minute and roll it into a 30 cm / 12-inch log. Cut it into 24 equal pieces of about 15 g each and cover them with a damp towel.
5
Roll one piece on a lightly floured surface into an 8 cm / 3-inch round about 1.5 mm thick, with edges thinner than the center. Place 1 level tablespoon (about 15 g) of filling in the middle. Dab a little water along the edge, fold in half and pinch it shut with 4 to 5 pleats. Set it on a floured tray under a towel and repeat with the remaining pieces.
6
Bring 3 cm / 1 inch of water to a boil in a 30 cm / 12-inch wok. Line a 26 cm / 10-inch bamboo steamer with perforated parchment. Arrange 8 dumplings with 2 cm / 3/4 inch between them and steam, covered, for 10 minutes. The wrappers should look slightly glossy and spring back when pressed. Move the batch to a tray, cover it, and keep it in an oven at 80 C / 175 F while you steam the other two batches.
7
Stir the soy sauce, rice vinegar, 1 tsp sesame oil and chili flakes together while the dumplings steam. Serve the dumplings hot with the sauce.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 4

Amount Per Serving
Calories 309kcal

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 8g13%
Saturated Fat 1g5%
Sodium 980mg41%
Potassium 480mg14%
Total Carbohydrate 54g18%
Dietary Fiber 5g20%
Sugars 4g
Protein 11g22%

Vitamin A 4100 IU
Vitamin C 15 mg
Calcium 50 mg
Iron 3 mg
Vitamin E 1 mg
Vitamin K 45 mcg
Thiamin 0.2 mg
Riboflavin 0.1 mg
Niacin 3 mg
Vitamin B6 0.3 mg
Folate 40 mcg
Phosphorus 270 mg
Magnesium 100 mg
Zinc 2.3 mg

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

Additional Notes

Make the filling while the dough rests so both are ready together.
Cool the cooked mushrooms for 5 minutes before mixing, or the cabbage turns limp.
Steam in three batches of 8 and keep finished dumplings covered in a warm oven.
Add 1 tsp water to the dough if it feels crumbly after kneading.
Keep unrolled dough pieces under a damp towel while you shape the others.

Keywords: spelt dumpling wrappers, vegetable dumplings, steamed dumplings, homemade dumpling wrappers, spelt flour dumplings

Equipment

26 cm / 10-inch bamboo steamer with lid
30 cm / 12-inch wok or wide pan for the steamer
20 cm / 8-inch skillet
24 cm / 9-inch mixing bowl
25 cm / 10-inch rolling pin
parchment paper for lining the steamer

Tips

Use white spelt flour for the wrappers, because whole grain spelt makes a stiffer dough that tears at the pleats.
Cover the unrolled dough pieces and the shaped dumplings with a damp towel so the wrappers stay soft and seal cleanly.
Roll the edges thinner than the center so the pleats stay delicate and the base can hold the filling.
Leave 2 cm / 3/4 inch between dumplings in the steamer, since spelt dough swells slightly and sticks where pieces touch.
Dab only a fingertip of water along the sealing edge, because extra water makes the seam slide open.

Variations

Replace the mushrooms with 150 g crumbled firm tofu, pan-fried until golden, for a denser filling with more protein.
Swap the cabbage for 200 g chopped pak choi, salted and squeezed dry, for a greener and slightly milder filling.
Crisp the steamed dumplings in 1 tsp oil in a skillet for 1 to 2 minutes to get golden, potsticker-style bases.

Storage and Reheating

Steamed spelt dumplings keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Store them in an airtight container with parchment between the layers so the wrappers don't stick.

Reheat them in the steamer for 5 minutes, until hot through and soft again. The wrappers stay tender, and you can warm only what you need.

Uncooked spelt dumplings freeze well. Set them on a parchment-lined, floured tray for 1 hour until firm, then bag them for up to 3 months. Steam straight from frozen for 14 minutes.

Serving Suggestions

Steamed spelt dumplings are served hot from the steamer with a soy and rice vinegar dipping sauce. The sauce is sharp and the wrapper is mild, so the pairing stays balanced.

Add a crisp side such as sliced cucumber dressed with rice vinegar, or steamed pak choi. For a larger meal, place the dumplings in a bowl of hot vegetable broth.

Six dumplings make a light main portion. Three or four work as a starter or party snack.

Read it online: https://greatbritishspeltrecipes.com/recipe/steamed-spelt-dumpling-wrappers-vegetable-filling/

Valentina

A dietitian with a passion for spelt cooking. After trying different diets, I found spelt works best in my kitchen. Join me for simple, delicious recipes that bring out the best in this ancient grain!