Vegetarian Manti Recipe (Mushroom Dumplings)
Serves 10
30 mins prep
20 mins cook
50 mins total
Vegetarian manti dumplings filled with mushrooms, topped with garlic yogurt sauce, paprika oil and mint, is light, healthy and bursting with savory flavors. These soft pillow like mushroom dumplings are so delicious, soothing and awesome for summer!
MUSHROOM DUMPLINGS
YOGURT SAUCE
TOMATO SAUCE (Optional)
SEASONING
MUSHROOM MANTI FILLING
Preheat oven to 400ºF. Stir mushroom slices, red pepper flakes and 2 teaspoons olive oil. Spread it on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
Roast for [timer minutes=15]15 to 20 minutes[/timer] until mushrooms start releasing juices and are cooked well. Set aside and let cool.
Once cool, mince the mushroom.
Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a small skillet. Add the chopped onions and sauté until soft. Then add grated garlic and sauté further.
Next add minced mushrooms, cilantro, dill and stir well. Add salt as per taste.
Tip: You can also add whole mushrooms to sauteed onion, garlic and then mince it. You may add tofu or cooked split peas to the filling if you wish.
SHAPE THE DUMPLINGS
I used round Shanghai style dumpling wrappers. Cut each wrapper in two semi circles. Take one semi circle and wet edges with water as indicated with yellow color.
Seal semi circle on the straight side to make a cone shape. Place 1½ teaspoons filling in the center. Next, seal the other curved side.
Wet center of the sealed edge with water, as indicated by the yellow color. And pinch it together to make the dumpling. Finish making all dumplings.
Tip: Make sure to pinch the wrapper firmly so that the dumplings are sealed well before cooking, to prevent the filling from coming out. Use a pastry brush to wet the edges of wrappers.
YOGURT SAUCE
Stir the yogurt, grated garlic and salt together. It should have a saucy consistency. Set aside.
TOMATO SAUCE (Optional)
Heat one teaspoon olive oil in a saucepan. Add garlic and lightly sauté without letting it turn brown. Then add chopped tomatoes, tomato paste and simmer until sauce is well done. Set aside.
COOK THE MANTI
You can boil, steam or bake (& then steam/boil) the dumplings.
Boil Dumplings: For softer ravioli like dumplings, bring a large pot of lightly salted water or stock to a boil. Carefully slide in the dumplings and simmer for about 8 to 10 minutes, until they are cooked well. Drain the dumplings.
Tip: With this method, there is a chance of dumplings opening up if they were not sealed well.
Steam Dumplings: Place the dumplings in a greased steam basket. Fit the basket in steamer filled with water in bottom pan. Bring the water to a boil, lower heat and then steam for about 10 minutes until cooked well.
Tip: With this method, dumplings will not open up while cooking.
Bake Dumplings: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Arrange dumplings on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake dumplings for [timer minutes=10]10 to 15 minutes[/timer] until the edges turn light golden brown. Take them out of oven and let cool.
Next, you may either boil or steam the dumplings as explained above.
Tip: Baking will help to reinforce dumplings seal before boiling.
ASSEMBLING VEGETARIAN MANTI
Arrange dumplings in a single layer on a serving platter. Pour yogurt sauce over manti dumplings. If using tomato sauce, then randomly add scoops of it on the top.
Heat two teaspoons olive oil or butter. Take it off the stove, then add paprika and ground red pepper. Drizzle this oil all over the dumplings.
Garnish the vegetarian manti with dried mint.
Tip: You can also garnish with split yellow peas cooked with sauteed onions, garlic and spices.