Dasheen Pork Dumplings With Pear Bacon Jam
You're going to love these dasheen pork dumplings with pear bacon jam. It has a unique taste, and it's guaranteed to satisfy your cravings.
Equipment
Food processor
Large baking tray with aluminium foil
10-inch non-stick skillet with lid
Large pot (for boiling dasheen)
Rolling Pin
Fork (for crimping dumplings)
Instant-read thermometer
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 medium dasheen - about 1 lb / 450g, peeled
3 cups all purpose flour (plain flour Australia and UK) - 375g (plain flour in Australia and UK)
1 cup water - 240ml
Pork Filling
- 3 pounds ground pork belly - 1.36 kg, minced pork belly
- 2 teaspoons five-spice powder
2 teaspoons paprika- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt - plus more to taste
½ teaspoon ground black pepper - freshly ground
1 bottle beer - 12 oz / 355ml, a lager or pale ale works best
Pear Bacon Jam
12 oz bacon - 340g, thick-cut preferred
2 medium red onion - diced- 2 medium pears - chopped
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper - or to taste
2 tablespoons sugar - to taste, optional, if pears are tart
For Cooking and Garnish
2 tablespoons vegetable oil - 30ml- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds - for garnish
2 tablespoons chives - fresh ; chopped, for garnish
Instructions
Dough Instructions
- Peel the dasheen, cut into 1-inch (2.5cm) chunks, and boil in salted water for 15-20 minutes until fork-tender. Drain well.1 medium dasheen
- Puree cooked dasheen in a food processor until smooth.1 medium dasheen
- Add flour and 1 cup (240ml) of water to the puree and mix until a dough forms.3 cups all purpose flour (plain flour Australia and UK), 1 cup water
- Once the dough is formed, knead into a smooth ball.
- Cover and rest for 1 hour.
Pork Filling Instructions
- Season pork with salt, black pepper, five-spice powder, and paprika.3 pounds ground pork belly, 2 teaspoons five-spice powder, 2 teaspoons paprika, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Spread the seasoned pork on a rimmed baking tray, cover tightly with aluminium foil, and bake at 300°F / 150°C (160°C fan-forced) for 30 minutes.3 pounds ground pork belly
- Remove the foil, pour the beer (12 oz / 355ml) over the pork, and bake uncovered for another 20 minutes until the liquid has reduced by half and the pork is deeply browned.1 bottle beer
- Let the pork cool for 10 minutes, then transfer to a food processor and pulse 5-6 times until coarsely shredded — you want texture, not a paste. Set aside.
Bacon Jam Instructions
- Chop the bacon into bits and add to pan on medium heat.12 oz bacon
- When the bacon is crispy, remove it, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.12 oz bacon
- Add the diced onions and chopped pears to the rendered bacon fat and cook over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and the pears are soft.2 medium red onion, 2 medium pears
- Add the bacon and cook for another 15 minutes on low heat.12 oz bacon
- Transfer the onion-pear mixture and crispy bacon to a food processor and pulse 4-5 times until you have a chunky jam consistency — don't over-process.12 oz bacon, 2 medium red onion, 2 medium pears
- Stir in cayenne pepper to taste. If the pears are tart, add sugar 1 teaspoon at a time until the jam has a balanced sweet-savoury flavour.1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 2 tablespoons sugar
Assembly Instructions
- Roll out dough in a rectangular shape on a lightly floured surface.3 cups all purpose flour (plain flour Australia and UK)
- Cut the dough into 4-inch (10cm) squares. Place a heaped tablespoon of pork filling in the centre of each square.
- Fold each square diagonally to form a triangle, pressing out any air pockets. Press the edges firmly with the tines of a fork to seal.
- Heat 1 tablespoon (15ml) of vegetable oil in a non-stick skillet over high heat. Place dumplings flat-side down and sear without moving for 2-3 minutes until the bottoms are deep golden brown. Add 3-4 tablespoons (45-60ml) of water to the pan — it will sizzle and steam immediately.2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Immediately cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid, reduce heat to medium, and steam for 4-5 minutes until the dough is cooked through and the water has fully evaporated. Remove the lid and let any remaining moisture cook off for 30 seconds. Transfer dumplings to a plate.
- Serve the pork-filled dasheen dumplings with the bacon jam.
- Add toasted sesame seeds and chopped chives as garnish.2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, 2 tablespoons chives
Notes
Storage: Cooked dumplings keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The pear bacon jam keeps separately in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Freezing: Freeze uncooked dumplings on a parchment-lined baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Cook from frozen using the same sear-and-steam method, adding 2-3 extra minutes of covered steaming.
Make-Ahead: The pork filling can be braised and pulsed a day ahead and refrigerated. Make the dough fresh on the day as it dries out.
Reheating: Reheat cooked dumplings in a dry non-stick pan over medium heat with the lid on for 4-5 minutes — this re-crisps the bottom far better than a microwave, which makes the dough rubbery.
Pro Tip: When searing, resist the urge to move the dumplings — let them sit undisturbed for 2-3 minutes to develop a deep golden crust before adding the water for steaming.
Total Time Note: The 2 hour 30 minute total time reflects 45 minutes of active prep plus 1 hour 45 minutes of cooking. There is also 1 hour of inactive dough resting time not included in the total.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 1791kcalCarbohydrates: 69gProtein: 37gFat: 150gSaturated Fat: 52gPolyunsaturated Fat: 20gMonounsaturated Fat: 68gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 201mgSodium: 845mgPotassium: 795mgFiber: 5gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 575IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 79mgIron: 6mg
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