Preparation

Filling  

Place a medium-fine strainer over a bowl and set aside. Rinse pickled radish and set aside.   

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic into the oil. When they are aromatic and have turned a golden color, add mushrooms in an even and thin layer and increase the heat to high. Allow the mushrooms to sweat and for the moisture to evaporate. This is best at a high heat and with an uncrowded pan. Once the moisture has evaporated, cook mushrooms until browned. If necessary, drain any excess liquid. Push the mushrooms to one side of the pan and add in the sugar. You want the sugar to melt and cook to a rich, almost reddish-amber brown color. When it reaches the right color, combine mushroom mixture with the caramelized sugar and immediately start stirring, reducing the heat to medium-low. Add the pickled radish, peanuts, pistachio, black and white pepper, and salt. Cook for another 2-3 minutes on medium low. You want the filling to absorb almost all the liquid and to become dry and sticky. Transfer the cooked filling to a platter or rimmed baking sheet, spreading the filling out in a thin layer to release steam, and allow to cool to room temperature.  

When the filling is cooled, form little balls about 1/3 ounce each. Place each ball on a sheet pan and then set into the freezer until ready to wrap with tapioca pearls.  

Encasing  

Pour the tapioca pearls into a small mixing bowl and cover with cold water. Let soak for 1 minute. Drain soaked pearls in a fine mesh strainer and allow pearls to drain for 20 minutes. Transfer pearls to a medium mixing bowl and use your hands and fingers to loosen and fluff the pearls as if fluffing rice. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap until ready to form dumplings.  

Wear gloves so that the tapioca does not stick to your hands. Put a thin layer of tapioca pearls in your hand and place a ball of filling on top of the pearl nest. Close the pearls around the filling. Fill in with more pearls where needed. Be careful not to crush the pearls. You want to be able to see each individual pearl in the final result. Freeze or cook immediately.  

Steaming  

Place a banana or cabbage leaf in the trays of the steamer. Layer in dumplings, making sure that they are not touching. Steam for 12-15 minutes. Garnish with fried crispy garlic and any herbs of choice and serve atop rounds of lettuce or other leafy green – we like little gem lettuce.