Dumplings
Chinese-style steamed or pan-fried dumplings (jiaozi) filled with seasoned pork and cabbage. The Lunar New Year tradition that's actually achievable at home. Use store-bought wrappers for sanity; make the filling from scratch for genuine flavor.
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
36 min
Servings
4
Calories
375 cal
🛠 Interactive Recipe Tools — Use them right here on this page
Smart Servings Scaler
- Dough1 batch
- Meat/Veg1
- Salt1 tsp
- Black Pepper½ tsp
- Cooking Oil1
- Garlic3 cloves
All quantities scaled automatically from 4 servings.
Ingredients
Makes 4 servings · Use the Servings Scaler above to adjust
- Dough1 batch
- Meat/Veg1
- Salt1 tsp
- Black Pepper0.5 tsp
- Cooking Oil1
- Garlic3 cloves
Instructions
- 1
Make the filling: in a bowl, combine 1 lb of ground pork (or chicken), 2 cups of finely chopped Napa cabbage (salted and squeezed dry — wet cabbage tears wrappers), 4 finely chopped scallions, 2 minced garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons grated ginger, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon white pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 beaten egg.
- 2
Mix vigorously in one direction with chopsticks for 2 minutes — this develops protein and creates the bouncy texture.
- 3
Take a dumpling wrapper, place 1 teaspoon of filling in the center. Brush the edge with water. Fold in half. Pleat the edge to seal (or just press flat with a fork — pleats are pretty but flat seals work).
- 4
Repeat with all wrappers — should make 40-50 dumplings. Place on a parchment-lined tray, not touching each other. You can freeze them at this point.
- 5
To cook: For steamed: line a bamboo or metal steamer with parchment with holes punched in it. Steam over simmering water for 8-10 minutes. For pan-fried (potstickers): heat 1 tablespoon oil in a nonstick pan, add dumplings in single layer, fry 2 minutes until bottoms are golden. Add ¼ cup water, cover, steam 5 minutes.
- 6
Serve with dipping sauce: 3 tablespoons soy sauce + 2 tablespoons rice vinegar + 1 teaspoon sesame oil + 1 grated garlic clove + chili oil to taste.
Watch how to make Dumplings
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💡 Expert Tips
- 1.Salt and squeeze the cabbage. Cabbage is mostly water. Salting draws it out; squeezing removes it. Skipping = soggy filling and torn wrappers.
- 2.Mix in one direction. This develops the protein structure that gives dumplings their bouncy texture.
- 3.Small filling amount. 1 teaspoon per dumpling. Overstuffing makes them burst during cooking.
- 4.Don't crowd when cooking. Dumplings need space to cook evenly. Multiple batches are better than one crowded batch.
🔬 Why It Works
Chinese dumplings are an exercise in simple ingredients with proper technique. The cabbage salt-and-squeeze removes water that would otherwise tear the wrappers. The one-direction mixing develops myosin proteins for the characteristic bouncy texture. The steaming or pan-frying creates two different beloved versions: tender steamed (Cantonese-style) or crispy-bottomed potstickers (Northern Chinese-style). Both work with the same filling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use wonton wrappers?▾
Can I freeze them?▾
Vegetarian filling?▾
Steamed vs pan-fried?▾
4.4
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Nutrition Facts
Per serving (recipe makes 4 servings)
* Percent Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values are estimates.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (recipe makes 4 servings)
* Percent Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values are estimates.
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