Gingered Crab Phyllo Dumplings
These Asian-style triangular dumplings made of crisp, light phyllo pastry envelop a ginger-flavoured filling of crab, water chestnuts and corn. They look and taste wonderful, and are surprisingly simple to make. Prepare them ahead for a party, then bake just before serving with a sweet chili dipping sauce.
Dumplings
1 can (7 oz/200 g) white crabmeat
1⁄2 cup (125 mL) canned water chestnuts, drained and coarsely chopped
1 1⁄2 cups (375 mL) frozen corn, thawed
4 scallions, chopped
1 tbsp (15 mL) finely chopped fresh ginger
1 fresh red chili pepper, seeded, deveined and finely chopped
2 tbsp (25 mL) Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry
2 tbsp (25 mL) canola oil
1 tbsp (15 mL) toasted sesame oil
6 sheets phyllo pastry (20 x 12 in./50 x 30 cm)
1 tbsp (15 mL) sesame seeds
Salt and pepper
Garnish
Thai sweet chili dipping sauce
Scallions
• Using phyllo for these parcels keeps the fat content low. This is because only a light brushing of oil is needed to stick the pastry edges together and to give a golden-brown sheen and crisp texture.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Combine the crabmeat, water chestnuts, corn, scallions, ginger, red chili pepper (wear gloves; they burn) and wine in a bowl, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Mix the canola and sesame oils in a cup.
- Roll up each of the 6 sheets of phyllo pastry loosely, rolling from a short side. Using a sharp knife, cut each roll across evenly into 3 pieces. Cover these shorter rolls with plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out. To make the dumplings, open the rolls one at a time and keep the rest aside, covered.
- Lay the strip of phyllo flat on the work surface, with a short end nearest to you, and brush with a little of the oil mixture. Place a heaping teaspoon (5 mL) of the crab mixture near the bottom, toward the right-hand corner of the short end, and fold the pastry diagonally over it. Continue folding diagonally, over and over, until you reach the end of the strip, making a neat triangular parcel. Place on a baking sheet, seam side down.
- Repeat with remaining strips of phyllo, uncovering them only when needed, until all of the crab mixture is used. (The dumplings can be prepared in advance. Cover the baking sheets with plastic wrap and keep in the refrigerator. The baking time may need to be increased to 15 minutes if the dumplings are very cold.)
- Lightly brush the tops of the dumplings with any remaining oil mixture and sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Bake until crisp and golden, about 12 to 13 minutes.
- Transfer the dumplings to a wire rack and cool slightly. Meanwhile, shred the tops of the scallions for garnishing, to form “brushes.” Serve the dumplings warm, on a tray garnished with the scallion brushes and a little dish of Thai sweet chili dipping sauce to accompany.
Preparation time 45–50 minutes
Cooking time 12–13 minutes
Makes 18 dumplings
Each serving (one dumpling) provides: calories 63, calories from fat 18, fat 2 g, saturated fat 0 g, cholesterol 7 mg, carbohydrate 9 g, fibre 1 g, sugars 1 g, protein 3 g.
Choices per serving: Carbohydrate 1⁄2, Fat 1⁄2
