It’s always nice when everyone at the table can enjoy the same meal and no one feels left out. My beautiful friend Ellen Kanner has been making sure that vegans have delicious and exciting food on her table with her wonderful blog Soulful Vegan, her newsletter Broccoli Rising, and in her award winning books. Her Broccoli Shiitake Shumai are her latest recipe and she was generous enough to share them with us.

I’ve known Ellen and her husband Benjamin for a long time. Back then, we had just opened our first restaurant in South Miami and Ellen was a food writer for the Miami Herald. Have you ever met someone and there’s just an instant connection? Of course we bonded over our love of food. But it was more than that. Ellen’s warm, self-effacing, and so freaking funny. And in a city with a lot of flash but not much substance, Ellen is the real deal. She’s incredibly knowledgeable, totally plugged into the local food scene, and an amazing writer. Although our work paths have crossed paths many times in the past, this is our first recipe “collab”.

It all started one night when she came in for dinner with Benjamin. Since this blogging thing is kind of new for me, I hit Ellen with as many questions as I could recall. With her usual kindness, she answered thoughtfully and thoroughly, not minding my obvious inquisition. And then it hits us, we should work on a blog post together. I decide to create a broccoli recipe as a nod to her newsletter. Ellen keeps the ingredient theme running but decides to take the plunge and dive into shumai, the classic Chinese dumpling. Although she claims they are outside of her comfort zone, she manages just fine. So for those of you who’ve never made dumplings before…this one’s for you. A snack, a finger food, or an appetizer, Ellen Kanner’s Broccoli Shiitake Shumai are here to satisfy your discerning veggie taste buds.

Vegans get a bad rap. It’s true. Mostly I think it’s because people conflate it in their minds with a lifestyle that seems militant or judgmental. But if we just focus on the food aspect, there are a lot of positives that are undeniable. It’s good for our bodies, it’s earth friendly, and it’s economical. But if I can’t sway you with those arguments, maybe deliciousness will. Because who can say no to a dumpling? Plump, savory, and oh so delicious, they’re kind of the perfect food to turn into a vegan option.

For those of you looking for holiday meal inspiration, these Broccoli Shiitake Shumai are perfect for entertaining as you can make the recipe in stages. Plus it’s not such a heavy bite that it will interfere with dinner. The filling is earthy from dried shiitakes, it has some of my favorite flavor boosters like toasted sesame oil and ginger, and the dipping sauce is a piquant delight. These little morsels will be as tempting as anything else you offer, so let’s get into it.

First Make the Broccoli Shiitake Shumai Filling

The filling gets started by soaking the dried shiitakes in hot water so they reconstitute.

While they are softening, I prep the broccoli and tofu.

The broccoli gets quickly blanched in boiling water to retain its bright color.

The filling is done and can be made several hours or even a day or two ahead of time and kept in the fridge until you’re ready to make the shumai.

Shaping the Broccoli Shiitake Shumai

Shumai are really the gateway project for dumplings. They are so easy to assemble and there’s no complicated sealing and crimping, they can give you the confidence to tackle more elaborate ones. Ellen uses vegan wrappers that have become widely available at grocery stores from a brand called Nasoya. They are square and she cuts out circles to shape her Broccoli Shiitake Shumai. I had circle shaped ones on hand already so that’s what I used.

Take out a small stack of wrappers from the pack and keep the rest covered so they don’t dry out. Start by putting a generous tablespoon of filling into the center of a wrapper, and then use one hand to cup and hold it upright (I put my fingers together to form an “O” ) while you use the other hand to gently push the filling down with a spoon or butter knife. Place the dumping on the kitchen counter and finish shaping the dumpling with your fingers so it’s nice and compact.

Place the dumpling on a baking sheet.

Continue until you have used up all of the filling, this will make about 20 shumai. Because there is a lot of water content in the filling, it is best to steam the shumai right away. Leaving them for too long will cause the wrappers to absorb the water and stick to the baking sheet. You can also wrap the baking sheet in plastic wrap first before placing the dumplings which will help keep the dumplings from sticking.

Steaming Broccoli Shiitake Shumai

While they are steaming, whip up the dipping sauce. One of the things I love about Ellen’s recipe is all the fun and clever garnishes she uses, from toasted sesame seeds to minced chilis and scallions. These add a fresh zing to every bite and make for a gorgeous platter.

I loved the dipping sauce so much that I was drizzling it right on top of the shumai!

Thanks again Ellen for sharing your Broccoli Shiitake Shumai, we loved it! Give it a try and let us know what you think, and tag us in your pics @funkyasiankitchen, we love hearing from you!

If you love dumplings as much as we do, check out some of our other popular recipes like these Korean Mandu, Pork Gyoza, and Pumpkin Wontons!

Broccoli Shiitake Shumai

★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆ No reviews

• Author: Ellen Kanner
• Yield: 20 1x

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 stalk broccoli
• 3 dried shiitake mushrooms
• 4 ounces firm tofu
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon peeled and minced ginger
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 
• sesame seeds or cilantro leaves for garnish, if desired
• wonton wrappers (I used Nasoya vegan wrappers, available in some grocery stores)

Dipping Sauce:

• 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoon brown sugar or palm sugar
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon warm water

Optional garnishes:

• 1/2 teaspoon toasted white sesame seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon Serrano or Thai chili, sliced thin
• 1/2 teaspoon scallion, the green top, sliced thin

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Instructions

1. Drop dried shiitakes into a small bowl.  Pour boiling water over to cover.  Set aside to let the mushrooms plump and rehydrate — at least 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, wrap tofu in kitchen towels and press to get rid of any extra water.  
3. Coarsely chop the broccoli, from stalk to florets. You’ll be using all of it, wasting nothing.
4. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the broccoli and blanch for half a minutes or so, until broccoli is bright green. Drain well.
5. Pulse the broccoli, shiitakes and tofu, garlic and ginger in a food processor just until mixture becomes pebbly, not processed to a paste. 
6. Add the soy, sesame oil and sea salt and pulse again until everything just comes together.  The shiitakes, ginger and soy provide a little umami, the broccoli and tofu add texture and nourishment. That’s it for the filling. Now comes the stuffing part!
7. Cut wonton wrappers into 3-inch rounds.  You can do this using a biscuit cutter or even the rim of a drinking glass. Cover the wrappers with a slightly damp kitchen towel to keep them from drying out.
8. Assemble the wrappers, the filling, and a spoon.
9. Place a wrapper in your palm, cupping it between your forefinger and thumb.  Place about a teaspoon of the filling in the center. Gently cup the wrapper around the filling so it looks like a blossom.  Congratulations, you’ve made your first shumai. Keep it going.
10. Set shumai in a steamer basket over a pot of simmering water. Steam shumai for 8 to 10 minutes or until they smell rich and the wrappers are opaque.
11. Garnish broccoli shiitake shumai with a few sesame seeds or cilantro leaves, if desired. Serve with the dipping sauce.

Dipping Sauce:

1. In a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, sesame oil and water. 
2. Stir  until the brown sugar or palm sugar dissolves.  

 

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This has really been my summer of Air Fryer experimentation. I know I’m late to the party but I’m making up for lost time, and I was especially thrilled with this Air Fryer Tofu. Perfectly golden and crispy, and glazed with a delectably sweet and spicy sauce, this is a winner! And so easy to make too, so let’s get into it.

Making Air Fryer Tofu

I use firm tofu for this and I first remove excess moisture by pressing it in paper towels. I’m generally not a lover of extra firm tofu since it’s missing the pillowiness (is that even a word) and creamy flavor that I crave. But in this instance, firm tofu works better because there’s less moisture to interfere with the frying process. Plus it’s more sturdy and less likely to break apart when you flip over the pieces during the air-frying process.

Then I make a simple marinade with pantry staples that do double duty as a dipping sauce.

Then pour over the tofu, making sure the tofu pieces are coated with the sauce, and let them marinade an hour or two, or even overnight.

When I’m ready to cook the tofu, I reserve the marinade and then add some cornstarch to the tofu to help it really crisp up.

When the tofu is done, it will be golden brown and crispy. Since air fryers, like ovens, can vary in power, you will need to keep an eye on your tofu. If you see that the tofu is getting too dark, lower the heat.

While it’s in the air fryer, I quickly turn the reserved marinade into a syrupy dipping sauce. Cook the sauce for a couple of minutes until it is hot and bubbling. It’s pretty thick already so you will not need to reduce it.

I like to garnish with sesame seeds and some scallions.

This Air Fryer Tofu makes an excellent starter, or a fun protein packed snack. Make a double batch and use leftovers for grain bowls or a quick veggie stir fry. If you haven’t yet gotten into Air Frying, I give oven instructions in the notes. Make it this week and let me know what you think! And don’t forget to tag us in your pics @funkyasiankitchen; we love seeing your creations!

Air Fryer Tofu

★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆ No reviews

• Author: Funky Asian Kitchen
• Prep Time: 10 minutes (plus marinating time)
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: serves 4
• Category: small plates
• Cuisine: Korean

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 block firm tofu (about 14 ounces)

Sauce:

• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 3 Tablespoons ketchup
• 2 Tablespoons mirin
• 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 Tablespoons gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 Tablespoon peeled and minced ginger
• 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
• 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
• Oil spray

Garnish:

• Scallions, finely chopped
• 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (I used a mix of white and black)

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Instructions

1. Drain and wrap the tofu in a couple layers of paper towels. Gently press to eliminate excess water.
2. Remove the paper towel and cut the tofu into bite size cubes, about 1 to 1 ½ inch squares.
3. In a bowl, mix the sugar, ketchup, mirin, soy sauce, gochujang, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil. 
4. Gently transfer the tofu cubes to a storage bag (or container) and add the sauce.
5. Seal the bag, squeezing out the air, and gently move the marinade and tofu around, until all the cubes are coated evenly. 
6. Marinate for an hour or two (or overnight). 
7. Take the tofu out of the bag and gently place the cubes on a plate. Do not discard the marinade. 
8. Sprinkle the cornstarch over the tofu generously, flip the tofu, and sprinkle again to coat the other side. 
9. Spray the air fryer with a cooking spray and add the tofu cubes to the air fryer, leaving a little space between each piece. Spray the tofu with the oil spray.
10. Set the air fryer to 400ºF and air fry for 9 to 11 minutes.
11. Open the air fryer and gently flip the tofu a few times every 3 minutes or so, so they don’t stick to the bottom and also brown evenly. The tofu is ready when it’s golden brown.
12. While the tofu is frying, pour the marinade into a small saucepan.
13. Heat the sauce over medium high heat for a couple of minutes until hot and syrupy.
14. Pour into a small sauce dish.
15. Transfer the tofu to a plate and top with chopped scallions and sesame seeds. Serve Air Fryer Tofu immediately with the sauce on the side.

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Notes

*You can also bake this tofu in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400. Put down a piece of parchment paper (which is less sticky than aluminum foil.) Spray your parchment paper with oil. Lay your prepared tofu on the paper and spray again with oil. Bake the tofu for 15-20 minutes, flipping the tofu halfway through.

Keywords: tofu, vegan, air fryer, korean, gochujang, snacks, crispy