Beyond Cannabutter: Infused Lunar New Year Dumplings

Dumplings are the most important—and the most popular—things to eat during Lunar New Year. The shape of the dumpling is similar to ancient Chinese silver ingots, so they symbolize wealth and treasure to usher in the months ahead.

Chinese pork dumplings will always hold a special place in my heart. Throughout my childhood, my mom and I would make dumplings once a week to snack on after school. I’ve adapted my family recipe below with a medicated sesame oil.

Don’t forget, the more pleats you work into your dumplings, the wealthier you’ll be. Happy New Year!

Medicated Toasted Sesame Oil

Start to Finish: 4 hours 20 minutes (active: 20 minutes)

Yields:  8 ounces

Approximate Dosage: 5mg THC per teaspoon

Ingredients

• 8 oz toasted sesame oil
• 1 oz cannabis trim or flowers (add more or less depending on your desired potency)

Directions

1. First you need to decarb your trim to activate the THC. You can decarb using the sous vide method, or you can wrap the trim in foil and place in the oven at 310ºF for 10-18 minutes. You know it’s ready when it starts smelling like a Christmas tree.
2. Set your sous vide water bath to 85ºC (185ºF).
3. Pour the sesame oil in a large canning jar and add the warm, decarbed trim. Seal the jar and place into the water bath to sous vide for 4 hours to fully infuse.
4. After 4 hours, gently remove jar from water bath and let cool.
5. Strain out the trim and discard.
6. Store the oil in a cool dark place.

Medicated Pork and Chive Dumplings

(Monica Lo/@sousweed for Leafly)

Start to Finish: 1 hour 5 minutes

Yield: 8 dumplings

Ingredients

• 1 ½ lb fatty ground pork
• ½ lb raw shrimp, chopped finely (optional)
• 1 Tbsp Shaoxing wine
• ¼ cup medicated sesame oil
• 1 ½ tsp ginger, finely grated
• ½ tsp rice vinegar
• 3 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp white pepper, ground
• ⅓ cup Chinese chives, finely chopped
• 45-50 round dumpling wrappers
• Scallions, to garnish
• Sesame seeds, to garnish
• Medicated sesame oil, to serve with
• Soy sauce, to serve with

Directions

1. Combine ground pork, shrimp, Shaoxing wine, medicated sesame oil, ginger, rice vinegar, soy sauce, salt, white pepper, and Chinese chives in a large mixing bowl and mix until uniform.
2. Place a slightly rounded teaspoon of meat filling into the center of a wrapper and moisten the edges with water. Fold the wrapper in half to form a crescent shape and press firmly to seal. (You can even pleat the edges for decorative and superstitious purposes!)
3. Repeat with the remaining filling and wrappers.
4. To boil: You can cook the dumplings in a large pot of simmering water until the pork is cooked, about 3-4 minutes.
5. To fry: Add some canola oil to a cast iron skillet and heat on medium-high. Add the dumplings and cover for 2 minutes to steam and cook through. Remove the cover and flip the dumplings. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until golden brown.
6. Serve dumplings with soy sauce mixed with medicated sesame oil for extra potency.
7. Enjoy!

*Note: The amount of cannabis oil specified in this recipe is a very loose suggestion; the actual amount you use should be modified based on the strength of your cannabis oil and the potency you desire. Dosing homemade edibles can be tricky (click here to learn why), so the best way to test for potency is to start with one portion of a serving, wait one to two hours, then make an informed decision on whether to consume more. Always dose carefully and listen to your body, and never drive under the influence of cannabis.

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Leafly Staff