Try these fried venison dumplings wrapped in rice paper instead of traditional dough wrappers for a crispy finish
Crispy Rice Paper Venison Dumplings
30 Min
Prep Time
30 Min
Cook Time
3-9
Servings
Medium
Difficulty
Most fried dumplings are made from a starchy pasta-style dough wrapper. This tasty ground venison version features a rice paper wrapper for a lighter, crunchier texture that stays slightly chewy on the inside. It makes for a pleasing texture combination in the tasty dumplings.
You can find rice paper (spring roll wrappers) at Asian markets and most larger grocers, or you can order them online. Simply soak the wrappers in warm water for a few seconds to soften before use. Use a double layer of the delicate rice paper to stand up to the frying process and to provide extra crunch.
For serving, make a batch of this sweet and salty dipping sauce for your dumplings. Serve as a main course, a light snack, or as an appetizer. You can cook the filling ingredients up to a few days in advance to speed the process. Just store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to make the dumplings.
To add a bit of extra fat to help the aromatics along in the cooking process, I used an 80/20 blend of venison to beef fat for this recipe. You can use straight ground venison, but take care not to cook it to a point where the filling is dry. The flavors blend better with the bit of moisture the extra beef fat adds to the dish.
Ingredients
1 pack round rice paper
Oil for frying
Filling
1 pound ground venison
½ cup carrots minced
1 shallot, diced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 tablespoons green onion, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons fresh cilantro, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
4 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
½ teaspoon pepper
Dipping Sauce
4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons chili oil
1 tablespoon chili crisps
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 green onion, thinly sliced
Sesame seeds
Cooking Instructions
Start by finely chopping the green onion, carrots, and shallots.
Brown the venison, green onions, shallots, and carrots in a skillet.
Once the venison has cooked through, add remaining filling ingredients. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
While the filling cooks, whisk together the dipping sauce ingredients. Set aside.
To prepare the dumplings, remove one piece of rice paper and soak in warm water for 5-7 seconds or until completely soft. Shake off excess water and place the paper flat on your work surface. Spoon a rounded tablespoon of filling onto the center of the paper.
Fold over the top. Then fold over each side before bringing up the bottom to make a pouch around the filling. Prepare a second rice paper and place flat on your work surface. Place the dumpling, seam side down, onto second piece of rice paper. Repeat folding process to double wrap the dumpling with the seams being on opposite sides of the filling.
Place the dumpling on a parchment-paper-lined sheet pan. Repeat the process until all filling has been used.
Heat ¼-inch of vegetable oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, gently place a few of the dumplings into the pan with the outer seam facing down into the oil. Make sure your oil is at 350 degrees before placing the dumplings in. If the oil is too cool, the rice paper will melt and stick to the pan instead of getting crispy. Don't overcrowd the pan. If the dumplings touch, the rice paper will stick to its neighbor and tear.
Fry for 1-2 minutes per side or until the rice paper wrapper is crisp on all surfaces. Move the dumpling to a paper-lined sheet pan and repeat the process until all dumplings are cooked. Serve with dipping sauce.
