A little bit of toasted pumpkin seed oil goes a long way. Its earthy, robust flavor is very similar to that of toasted sesame oil. If you don’t have toasted pumpkin seed oil, use an equal amount of dark sesame oil instead.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 3 minutes
Makes 6 servings
Dumplings
1 cup (220 g) pumpkin puree
1 square Japanese curry base
3 green onions (scallions), thinly sliced
2 teaspoons minced garlic
½ bunch fresh coriander leaves (cilantro), roughly chopped
4 teaspoons soy sauce
½ cup (30 g) panko breadcrumbs
18 square wonton wrappers
2 teaspoons potato starch, dissolved in 4 teaspoons water
Clear Soup
3 teaspoons toasted pumpkin seed oil
3 teaspoons roasted pumpkin seeds
12 oz (350 g) extra-firm tofu, cut into ½-in (1.25-cm) cubes
6 cups (1.5 liters) Vegetarian Dashi (page 27), heated
3 green onions (scallions), thinly sliced, if desired
Place a large pot of water over high heat. Bring to a boil.
To prepare the dumplings, combine the pumpkin puree, Japanese curry base, green onions, garlic, coriander leaves, soy sauce and panko breadcrumbs in a food processor. Pulse a few times, then process until well blended.
Place two wonton wrappers on your work surface. (Keep the remaining wrappers covered with a damp towel.) Spoon 1 tablespoon of the pumpkin mixture in the center of each wrapper. Dip a fingertip in the potato starch mixture and wet the edges of the wonton wrapper. Pull the edges of the wrapper around the mixture and pinch closed. Fold the dumpling so the ends meet and crimp to close. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.
Gently drop the dumplings in the boiling water and then turn off the heat. Stir with a spoon to make sure none of the dumplings stick to the bottom of the pot. Let dumplings cook for 3 minutes. Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon.
To assemble the soup, lay out 6 medium-sized soup bowls. Place ½ teaspoon pumpkin seed oil and ½ teaspoon pumpkin seeds in each bowl. Divide the tofu evenly among the bowls. Add 3 warm dumplings to each bowl. Ladle 1 cup (250 ml) of hot dashi into each bowl. Sprinkle with green onions, if desired. Serve immediately.
Clear Soup with Pumpkin Dumplings
