Dumpling Bake (Dump-and-Bake)

For the Sauce

• 3 cloves garlic, finely grated
• 2 teaspoons ginger, freshly grated
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened, smooth peanut butter (sub almond or sunflower butter for nut-free)
• 1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste (to taste — see note; start small for mild)
• 4 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce (or tamari)
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 (13.5-ounce) can lite coconut milk

Meatballs (use frozen, or make your own)

• 1 pound ground chicken (or pork)
• 1 teaspoon ginger, freshly grated
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 tablespoon tamari
• 2 green onions (white and green parts), finely chopped

Dumplings

• 1 (16- to 20-ounce) bag frozen dumplings (chicken, pork, or vegetarian)

To finish

• Sliced green onions
• Chili crisp, optional (omit to keep it mild)
• Steamed rice, for serving

Directions

• Preheat and prep: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease (or spray) a 9×13-inch baking dish.
• Make the sauce: In the baking dish, whisk together the garlic, ginger, peanut butter, curry paste, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, and coconut milk until smooth. Remove ⅓ cup of the sauce to a small bowl (it gets drizzled over the top before baking).
• Make the meatballs: In a medium bowl, mix the chicken, ginger, garlic, honey, tamari, and green onions until just combined.
• Arrange the frozen dumplings in a single layer in the baking dish — close together is fine, but don't stack them.
• Roll about 2 tablespoons of the meatball mixture into a ball (the mix is sticky, just do your best) and nestle between the dumplings. Repeat, about 15 meatballs total.
• Bake: Pour the reserved ⅓ cup sauce evenly over the tops. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the sauce bubbles around the edges.
• Remove the foil and bake 10 more minutes, until the dumplings are cooked through and the sauce has thickened.
• Finish: Sprinkle with green onions, and add chili crisp on top only if you like heat. Serve with steamed rice.

Dump-and-bake dinner from @realfoodwholelife. TO MAKE IT NOT SPICY: all the heat comes from the Thai red curry paste (and the optional chili crisp topping). Curry-paste heat varies a lot by brand, so for the kids either leave it out entirely or start with just a teaspoon, whisk, taste, and add more only if you want it. Skip the chili crisp. The sauce is still full of flavor from the garlic, ginger, peanut butter, soy, honey, and coconut milk.