Alliums are out- all uh 'em!
March 21, 2024 8:30 PM Subscribe
Wanted: dumpling/gyoza recipe that is delicious and definitely has no alliums. (Onion, garlic, leeks, etc.) (Also no egg and no soy)
We are an allium loving family, but we are hosting my sister who can't eat onion (and watches her allium intake.) It's not that she's low FODMAP, it's just she's noticed the onion triggers her migraines. (The kids are no-egg and/or no-soy)
So, we'd love to make gyoza (dumplings) while we are visiting all together, we've done a trial run with soy/egg free wrappers, and the next stage is allium- free insides.
This is fiendishly hard to google because while I know that scallion tops are low fodmap, we want to avoid all alliums.
The goal is to show love by making a fun meal that is 100% "safe" - not just taking onions out of her portion, or introducing a still-allium alternative that she has to second-guess.
Thanks!
We are an allium loving family, but we are hosting my sister who can't eat onion (and watches her allium intake.) It's not that she's low FODMAP, it's just she's noticed the onion triggers her migraines. (The kids are no-egg and/or no-soy)
So, we'd love to make gyoza (dumplings) while we are visiting all together, we've done a trial run with soy/egg free wrappers, and the next stage is allium- free insides.
This is fiendishly hard to google because while I know that scallion tops are low fodmap, we want to avoid all alliums.
The goal is to show love by making a fun meal that is 100% "safe" - not just taking onions out of her portion, or introducing a still-allium alternative that she has to second-guess.
Thanks!
Response by poster: Mmm, sounds delicious! However I forgot to mention my shrimp allergy.
Zucchini, salt and umami sound like good options, shiitake mushrooms an interesting avenue to explore!
posted by freethefeet at 12:24 AM on March 22 [1 favorite]
Zucchini, salt and umami sound like good options, shiitake mushrooms an interesting avenue to explore!
posted by freethefeet at 12:24 AM on March 22 [1 favorite]
You could use a pinch of hing/asafoetida for the taste, as is done in Jain cooking, but onions also add sweetness and juiciness to the filling.
For pork and cabbage dumplings, a little bit of shredded apple or applesauce might do the trick.
I agree that shiitake mushrooms would make a nice filling. I often put in a couple of rehydrated dried mushrooms in stuffings like that, because they give an extra umami punch. Instead of shrimp, minced chicken would go very well. I think you need some sort of protein, or you will get a texture problem, and unfortunately all vegan gyoza recipes I have ever seen have tofu or tempeh in them, so there is soy.
posted by mumimor at 1:45 AM on March 22
For pork and cabbage dumplings, a little bit of shredded apple or applesauce might do the trick.
I agree that shiitake mushrooms would make a nice filling. I often put in a couple of rehydrated dried mushrooms in stuffings like that, because they give an extra umami punch. Instead of shrimp, minced chicken would go very well. I think you need some sort of protein, or you will get a texture problem, and unfortunately all vegan gyoza recipes I have ever seen have tofu or tempeh in them, so there is soy.
posted by mumimor at 1:45 AM on March 22
Look into the concept of temple food, vegan and garlic/onion free from East Asian kitchens. There's free cookbooks O line but I can't link now. Add Mandu to your searches to catch Korean dumplings too.
posted by Iteki at 1:58 AM on March 22 [1 favorite]
posted by Iteki at 1:58 AM on March 22 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Hahaha, oh god, I was writing my comment and thought to myself “oh shrimp is such a common allergen, should I think of some alternatives if that’s also an issue?” And then I decided that since you were being so clear about your other restrictions that you definitely would have mentioned shellfish if it was an issue.
Anyhoo, if you guys can eat surimi or other kinds of fish cake/fish paste, which are often made of cod, I bet that would be a good sub for the shrimp. Also fresh white fish; I’ve had cod dumplings and they were pretty yummy but that was probably due to the copious amounts of garlic, whoops. Plain white fish is so neutral in flavor that it would absorb basically any other flavor and steam up light and delicate inside of a dumpling, and might be a good thing to experiment if fish is at all an option for you.
Ground chicken might also work but have a different type of texture, which might be a plus for you, of course. I love steamed buns with chicken and mushroom filling, the best ones have lots of ginger. Of course there is usually a backbone of scallion and garlic but I think universally chicken and mushrooms are a great combo and would be a yummy dumpling filling on their own. Add in shredded cabbage and carrots for juiciness and a roundness of flavor plus some nice color. Zucchini too if that appeals, though when it’s mixed with more aggressive flavors it fades in the background. Might make a great texture though.
You may be able to find a shellfish-free fish sauce that uses only anchovies, which would do a lot of heavy lifting for flavor in your experiments. I believe Red Boat, my preferred fish sauce, is one such condiment.
My family doesn’t have allergies like yours but there are lots of grumbles about digestive issues and pickiness if there is copious use of onions, garlic, and especially scallions, so a lot of our family recipes have variations and tweaks around alliums. I’ve found that in a lot of recipes the trick isn’t to find an exact allium substitute but instead to make sure the rest of the dish is balanced, because often that’s what the alliums are bringing to the party. So you want to ensure there is subtle sweetness, and a good dose of savory umami or caramelized flavors, and a significant amount of saltiness. In applications with lots of raw alliums, like a raw garlic condiment or a heavy scallion garnish, you have to make sure something is a little bitter and spicy as well. So, for a dumpling filling, make sure you have umami, maybe from mushrooms or something browned or a fish sauce, have salt, maybe from plain salt or another condiment or a pickle, have sweetness, from naturally sweet veggies like carrots or adding a pinch of sugar or grated apple, spiciness from ginger and maybe chiles, and bitterness from some herbal or green vegetable component. Then no matter what you have a delicious dumpling, alliums be damned.
posted by Mizu at 1:59 AM on March 22 [2 favorites]
Anyhoo, if you guys can eat surimi or other kinds of fish cake/fish paste, which are often made of cod, I bet that would be a good sub for the shrimp. Also fresh white fish; I’ve had cod dumplings and they were pretty yummy but that was probably due to the copious amounts of garlic, whoops. Plain white fish is so neutral in flavor that it would absorb basically any other flavor and steam up light and delicate inside of a dumpling, and might be a good thing to experiment if fish is at all an option for you.
Ground chicken might also work but have a different type of texture, which might be a plus for you, of course. I love steamed buns with chicken and mushroom filling, the best ones have lots of ginger. Of course there is usually a backbone of scallion and garlic but I think universally chicken and mushrooms are a great combo and would be a yummy dumpling filling on their own. Add in shredded cabbage and carrots for juiciness and a roundness of flavor plus some nice color. Zucchini too if that appeals, though when it’s mixed with more aggressive flavors it fades in the background. Might make a great texture though.
You may be able to find a shellfish-free fish sauce that uses only anchovies, which would do a lot of heavy lifting for flavor in your experiments. I believe Red Boat, my preferred fish sauce, is one such condiment.
My family doesn’t have allergies like yours but there are lots of grumbles about digestive issues and pickiness if there is copious use of onions, garlic, and especially scallions, so a lot of our family recipes have variations and tweaks around alliums. I’ve found that in a lot of recipes the trick isn’t to find an exact allium substitute but instead to make sure the rest of the dish is balanced, because often that’s what the alliums are bringing to the party. So you want to ensure there is subtle sweetness, and a good dose of savory umami or caramelized flavors, and a significant amount of saltiness. In applications with lots of raw alliums, like a raw garlic condiment or a heavy scallion garnish, you have to make sure something is a little bitter and spicy as well. So, for a dumpling filling, make sure you have umami, maybe from mushrooms or something browned or a fish sauce, have salt, maybe from plain salt or another condiment or a pickle, have sweetness, from naturally sweet veggies like carrots or adding a pinch of sugar or grated apple, spiciness from ginger and maybe chiles, and bitterness from some herbal or green vegetable component. Then no matter what you have a delicious dumpling, alliums be damned.
posted by Mizu at 1:59 AM on March 22 [2 favorites]
pork and cabbage is a pretty standard mix. with ground ginger, shitake, sesame oil and a soy sauce alternative like aminos, it feels like a decent filling.
posted by monologish at 7:10 AM on March 22
posted by monologish at 7:10 AM on March 22
Response by poster: Update: successful dumplings were had- next time we'll make most ahead of time...
Pork and cabbage with grated zucchini and apple, ginger, coconut aminos, a little Vegemite and a little msg was successful.
posted by freethefeet at 5:27 AM on April 21 [1 favorite]
Pork and cabbage with grated zucchini and apple, ginger, coconut aminos, a little Vegemite and a little msg was successful.
posted by freethefeet at 5:27 AM on April 21 [1 favorite]
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Unfortunately I can’t seem to find an ingredient list for them anywhere. If I were to start trying to make a dupe I’d begin with grating the zucchini, lightly salting it and letting it drain most of its liquid. Probably some finely minced shiitake and ginger for depth of flavor, and minced shrimp. I don’t think the filling has shrimp paste. If you have a fish sauce that works for your different food allergens that would be a great way to get salt and umami into the filling without soy. I don’t have much experience with them but I think coconut aminos would also work nicely with the sweetness of the zucchini and shrimp. You’ll probably want a bit of a binder; something like corn starch or potato starch would work. Be really careful to seal the dumpling wrapper because zucchini is mostly water even after you’ve drained and squeezed it, and the juiciness of the dumplings is part of the appeal.
posted by Mizu at 8:51 PM on March 21