Hakaw de Camarónes

Shrimp Dumplings with Soy-Lime Sauce & Rocoto Oil

Peruvian food has many Asian influences, but it wasn’t until I moved to London and worked at a really great sushi restaurant that I truly understood the fundamentals of Japanese cooking. Sushi chefs have incredibly fine-tuned palates. They’re almost like sommeliers in that way.

My style of cooking definitely is not what you would call subtle. I like big, bold flavors that taste as loud as the streets of Lima sound. Still, the sushi chefs I worked under taught me how to show respect for every contrasting flavor and texture that goes into each dish. These dumplings, called hakaw in Peru after the Cantonese word for dumpling, are a good example. As you bite into them, the sweet, tender shrimp contrasts with the herbal crunch of fresh lemongrass, leeks, and cilantro, and then you get a spicy and salty kick from the yuzu kosho, a spicy Japanese yuzu-chile paste that you really don’t see much in Peru.

These are best fried as you make them (to keep the filling from making the dumpling wrappers soggy), but if you dry off the shrimp carefully as I do, you can refrigerate the shaped dumplings for a good hour or so. Then pan-fry and steam them “to order” for appetizers or a light supper. And since everything is finely chopped, I wouldn’t waste your jumbo shrimp dollars here. Large or medium shrimp work great.

Shrimp Filling

1 Devein and finely chop the shrimp, leaving a few small chunks of meat for texture. Place the chopped shrimp on paper towels to fully drain. (Blot the top of the shrimp with a paper towel to dry as much as possible.)

2 In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg whites, ginger, garlic, yuzu kosho, and potato starch until no lumps remain. Use your hands or a large spoon to fold in the chopped cilantro, leeks, shallots, lemongrass, and chopped shrimp until well combined.

3 Stack 2 or 3 wonton wrappers at a time on a work surface. Use a 3-inch round ring mold or biscuit cutter to cut the wrappers into circles almost the size of the wrapper. Arrange the circles side by side on the work surface and place a scant 1 tablespoon of the filling in the middle of each. Place a lightly moistened paper or kitchen towel nearby.

4 One at a time, fold each wrapper in half to form a tacolike shape to loosely enclose the filling (do not seal the dumpling wrapper at the top). Stand the base of the “taco” upright on your work surface and pinch together the bottom right and left corners of the wonton wrapper. Use your index finger and thumb on both hands to pull the top of the “taco” outward and pinch together the two opposite sides of the wrapper to make a rectangular, open-faced dumpling. The moisture from the filling should help seal the edges of the wrapper, but if needed, moisten your hands on the damp towel to help seal the wrapper. If some of the filling starts to bulge out of the center as you work, push it back down with your finger. Repeat the shaping process with the remaining dumplings. Arrange the dumplings in a single layer in a casserole dish lined with a paper towel. Fry the dumplings right away, or refrigerate for up to 30 minutes.

5 To cook the dumplings, have a kitchen towel or kitchen mitt at the ready. If any of the dumplings have opened slightly, pinch the corners back together. Pour a thin layer of oil, 2 to 3 tablespoons, into a large, wide saucepan (at least 2 inches deep) with a lid. (Nonstick is best, but any large pan will work.) Arrange half of the dumplings on top of the cold oil and place the pan over very high heat. Sear the bottom side of the dumplings until golden brown, 2½ to 3 minutes. Shake the pan every so often or gently push the dumplings around with a spoon so they don’t stick and brown evenly. Reduce the heat to low, wrap one arm in a kitchen towel or put on a long oven mitt to cover your arm, and very carefully pour ¼ cup water down one side of the pan, avoiding the dumplings (be careful—the water will sizzle when it hits the oil and the steam will be very hot). Immediately cover the pan with the lid and steam the dumplings until the filling turns white, a sign that they are firm and cooked through, 45 seconds to 1 minute (do not overcook, or the dumplings will become gummy). Transfer the dumplings to a plate and tent them loosely with a piece of foil.

6 Drain the remaining oil, carefully wipe out the pan with paper towels, and repeat the frying process with the remaining dumplings. Arrange all of the cooked dumplings on a serving platter and drizzle a generous tablespoon of the soy-lime sauce on top of them. Drizzle the rocoto oil (if using) all over the plate and scatter the celery leaves on top. Serve inmediatamente with the remaining soy-lime dipping sauce on the side.

Soy-Lime Dipping Sauce

Makes about ¼ cup

Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Taste, and add another squeeze of lime juice if you’d like. You can make the dipping sauce 2 to 3 hours before serving the dumplings. Keep the sauce at room temperature.