Sweet Potato Dumplings in Green Thai Coconut Curry

Sweet Potato Dumplings in Green Thai Coconut Curry with Shitake Mushrooms, Red Pepper, Peas, and Crispy Tofu. A blend of cilantro, basil, spinach, jalapeño, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, lime, and cumin make for the base of the curry. 

For the green thai curry:

In the bowl of a food processor, combine 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1/4 cup basil leaves, 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, 1/4 cup fresh spinach, a 1-inch piece of fresh ginger (peeled), 3 inches of lemon grass (tough outer layer removed), 3 cloves of garlic, 1/4 to 1/2 of a jalapeño (depending on the spice level you like), the juice and zest of 1 lime, 1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil and 1/4 cup water. Blend till very smooth, adding more oil or water to get a nice smooth paste.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium pan. Slice 2 shiitake mushrooms into 1/2-inch pieces. Sauté till nicely browned. Add in 1 red pepper, sliced. Cook another couple of minutes. Turn heat to low. Add in the green curry sauce and cook for about 3 minutes on low. Add in 1 can of full fat coconut milk. Stir and taste to adjust seasoning. Season with soy sauce, more cumin, more jalapeño if you want it spicier, etc. 

Add in 1 cup of frozen peas and keep over low heat until ready to serve.

For the dumplings:

2-3 medium sized sweet potatoes (You need roughly 2 cups mashed)

1 tablespoon ground flax seed

2 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 cup all-purpose flour (Plus extra for rolling)

Steam, microwave, boil or roast your potatoes. Remove skins. Put through a ricer if you have one, otherwise just mash well. 

Combine flax seed and water. Let sit for 5 minutes. Stir the flax mixture, salt and pepper into the sweet potato. Using your hands, incorporate the flour into the sweet potato. You are looking for a very soft dough. It is going to be sticky, but you can add more small amounts of flour if you feel it is too soft to handle. Dust your surface with flour. Taking small amounts at a time (about 1/2 cup), roll the dough into 1-inch thick ropes. Using a sharp knife, cut the ropes into 1.5 inch dumplings. 

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add in the dumplings are cook for about 1 minute and a half, till the dumplings begin to float. Remove from water, toss with a little olive oil and chopped cilantro. 

For the tofu:

Cut into 1 inch cubes and press between paper towel to remove as much liquid as possible. Heat some olive oil in a skillet and sear the tofu on both sides. Medium low for about 7 minutes on each side. 

To serve, spoon curry into a bowl. Top with some sweet potato dumplings, crispy tofu, fresh cilantro, basil, and a drizzle of coconut milk.