Aushak (afghani Green Onion Dumplings)

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 shallot, minced
• 2 onions, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 lb ground beef
• 2 1/2 teaspoons cilantro leaves, ground into paste
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
• 2 cups water, divided
• 5 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 leek, well cleaned halved minced
• 1 bunch green onion, chiffonade (reserve some for garnish)
• 1 jalapeno pepper, minced
• 1 garlic clove, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 (14 ounce) package wonton wrappers
• 1 (16 ounce) container yogurt (garnish)

Recipe

• 1 in a large skillet, melt butter over medium high heat. add bay leaf, onions, shallot, then garlic. saute for 3 minutes.
• 2 add beef to the onion mixture and brown until mostly cooked through and in small pieces. add coriander paste and ginger, stirring well, and let simmer a few minutes.
• 3 add water and the tomato paste then reduce to low heat. keep simmering until ready to plate.
• 4 put on a large pot of water to cook dumplings. while it is rising to a boil, clean and mince/chiffonade the leeks and green onions. reserve some green onions for garnish and combine the rest in a bowl with jalapeno, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. mix well.
• 5 lay out the wonton sheets. brush a little warm water around edges of each wrapper, portion out a teaspoon of filling per dumpling and then place another wrapper on top of each, excluding as much air as possible as you press tightly to seal. lay out on a baking sheet.
• 6 salt water when it has reached the boiling point then gently drop in dumplings. cook for about 2 minutes each and then remove and drain.
• 7 spoon a light swirl of sauce in the center of each plate then lay 2 or 3 dumplings on top. dress with sauce. season yogurt with salt and pepper. place a dollop on center of each plate over dumplings. garnish with green onions and eat.