Wild Garlic and Pork Dumpling Broth with Asparagus, Peas and Leaves

Last week I picked some Wild Garlic leaves, (see post) in an urban wood and I promised to make some dumplings with them. Here they are. Use regular garlic if you like.

I made a fresh pork stock, (recipe to follow too.) but chicken would be good. If you can’t be bothered to make a stock, (even though it’s dead cheap, and easy….) try and buy a fresh tasty stock if you can. Butchers often make them now.

The asparagus season officially starts on 23rd April, but I was given an early bunch, so in it went with some frozen peas. (a little more patience is needed til we get fresh peas….)

Wild Garlic, Pork and Prawn Dumplings

Serves 4-6

For the dumplings

150 g raw peeled prawns, chopped fairly finely

250 g minced pork

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white or black pepper

3 spring onions, finely chopped

1 tablespoon finely grated ginger

1 birds eye chilli, deseeded

12 leaves wild garlic, shredded, or 2 crushed garlic cloves

1 tablespoon soy sauce, plus more to serve

1 tablespoon shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry (see note below)

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon cornflour

1 medium egg white, lightly beaten

 

 

For the soup

2 litres good flavoured pork or chicken stock

200 g fresh or frozen peas

bunch asparagus, cut into 2 cm pieces

A couple large handfuls of baby salad leaves – baby spinach, ruby chard, watercress, pea shoots etc.

 

 

1. Tip the pork mince and chopped prawns into a bowl, add salt and pepper and knead together with your hands. Add the rest of the filling ingredients and mix in. Cover and place in fridge for 30 minutes to and hour. (which sets the mixture.)

 

2 .Bring the stock to a simmer in a large pan. Once the stock is boiling, add the peas and asparagus and cook for a minute.

 

3. Bring the stock back to a boil, then drop little spoonfuls of the dumpling mixture into the stock, bring back to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes or until tender. Break one open to check it’s cooked. Add 2 tablespoons of soy to the stock and taste for seasoning.

 

4. Rip a handful of salad leaves into 4-6 serving bowls and spoon the dumplings and broth over the top and serve.

 

 

Little note on…..Shaoshing/shaoxing rice wine – 
A Chinese rice wine made from fermented rice, is sweet, rich and dry at the same time. A dry or medium to dry sherry would work ok instead.

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