Beef Dumplings with Carrots and Onions

Peel and mince the ginger (the finer the better). Chop the green onions into small pieces.

In a large mixing bowl, add the 1.5 lb of ground beef, minced ginger, chopped green onions, 1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt (or 1 teaspoon of table salt), 1 1/2 tablespoons of light soy sauce, and 1 1/2 tablespoons Chinese cooking wine, mixing either clockwise or counterclockwise until well mixed. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge. Let the ground beef marinate a bit while preparing the other ingredients.

Peel the carrots and the onion skins. Use a cheese grater or food processor to turn the carrots and onions into thin shreds or small pieces. Heat a skillet under medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. When the oil becomes warm, add the carrot and onion pieces, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes until soft. Turn off the heat and let the carrots and onions cool to room temperature; about 15 minutes.

While waiting for the carrots and onions to cool, make the Sichuan peppercorn-infused oil. Heat another skillet under medium-high heat. When the skillet is warm, add the rest of the 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and the 1 tablespoon of Sichuan peppercorns. Toss the Sichuan peppercorns occasionally until peppercorns become dark red or brown. Filter the Sichuan peppercorns from the oil and pour the peppercorn infused oil to a small bowl.

When the carrots and onions have completely cooled off, take the mixed ground beef from the fridge. Add the carrot and onion pieces and the Sichuan peppercorn-infused oil into the mixing bowl, slowly mixing with a pair of chopsticks either clockwise or counterclockwise. If the fillings seems dry, add more sesame oil.

Follow steps 5-8 from my Chinese Chive dumpling post for detailed instructions on how to fold the dumplings (the pleated way) as well as the two cooking methods I normally use (the pot sticker method and the boiling method).

Dipping sauce: for every 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, use 2-3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar. For a more flavorful sauce, add some chopped cilantro and minced garlic. For a spicy kick, add a few drops of chili oil or chili sauce.

With extra dumplings, follow step 10 from my Napa Cabbage dumpling post for how to freeze and store the extra dumplings for later.