*WEIGHT MAINTENANCE*
12 ounces napa cabbage leaves, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 pound ground pork
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger (using a zester)
1/4 cup minced green onions (white and green parts), plus ¼ cup finely minced, green parts only, for serving
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1½ tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce, plus more for serving
1 tablespoon rice wine
2 teaspoons sesame oil
5 to 6 medium zucchini (about 1½ inches in diameter)
Crushed red pepper flakes, for serving
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
In a food processor, add the cabbage and pulse until finely minced. Set aside on a large, thin kitchen towel in the sink.
Sprinkle with salt and let stand for 10 to 15 minutes.
Wrap the cabbage up in the towel and wring out excess moisture over the sink (should eliminate about ⅓ cup of moisture). Set the cabbage aside.
Meanwhile, wipe out the food processor and add in the pork, ginger, green onions, pepper, soy sauce, rice wine, and sesame oil and pulse to mix the ingredients well, being careful not to over-pulse. (You don’t want the mixture to become paste-like.)
Transfer to a large bowl and add the cabbage. Mix together with your hands to combine thoroughly. Set aside.
Using a mandoline, slice the zucchini into 1/16-inch-thick strips. Set 1 strip down and then set another one down on top of it to create a cross shape. Repeat with 2 more zucchini strips on an angle to create an 8-cornered star shape.
Spoon about 2 tablespoons of filling onto the center of the zucchini star. Bring the ends of the zucchini together, laying them over the filling.
Flip the dumpling over so the seam side is down.
Arrange on a baking sheet and repeat with remaining zucchini strips and dumpling filling, lining them up on the baking sheets as you go.
You should create 18 to 20 total dumplings.
Bake for 15 minutes, or until dumplings are firm and edges start to brown and crisp up.
Transfer the zucchini dumplings to serving platters, and sprinkle with green onions and red pepper flakes.
Serve with soy sauce.
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