Easy pork and cabbage dumplings, a recipe filled with juicy minced pork and finely shredded cabbage. Pan steaming the dumplings allows them to form a crispy bottom and a soft, chewy texture similar to gyoza. They have more ‘bite’ than you would get with using just a steamer basket.
No Rules!
There are no rules to dumpling making, it’s about being creative with your fillings (or just using what you have in the refrigerator). Playing around with the folding, don’t worry if you make mistakes, they will still be delicious. Plus, you can always sneak the delectable disasters into your mouth before you plate them up!
Test different cooking methods… steam them, boil them, or pan steam them (my personal favourite) like I tend to do.
Next, stare whimsically into the abyss of your fridge to see what you can add to the filling and use it up – within reason of course! 🙂 If you have kids, let them have fun with the folding, they will only get better as they get older. I let my kids loose on the dumplings when they were young and now they are sudo dumpling masters. It’s a win win I say!
Storing the wrappers
To satisfy my regular dumpling cravings, I keep a stash of packaged dumpling wrappers in the freezer. Dumpling wrappers have a dusting of cornstarch, which stops them sticking together. This also helps them to thaw out easily in the fridge overnight – or if you you need them ‘now’, just zap them quickly for 1 minute in the microwave.
If dexterity is not your friend, maybe you can try these dumpling presses , I haven’t tried them myself, but they look helpful in pushing out a batch of dumplings.
You may also like to try my Chicken Dumplings with a crispy net.
Pork & Cabbage Dumplings
Ingredients
Filling
- 150 g savoy or chinese cabbage finely diced
- 300 g pork mince
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 Tb Mirin or other asian cooking wine
- 1 Tb soy sauce
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- salt & pepper to taste
Other
- 300 g packet shanghai dumpling wrappers circular shape
- vegetable oil to grease a non-stick frypan pan must have a lid
- 3/4 cup hot tap water or more
Instructions
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Mix all the filling ingredients together in a bowl. Drizzle a non-stick fry pan with oil.
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For simple winged dumplings: Place a teaspoon of filling into the centre a dumpling wrapper and dab the edges of the wrapper with water. Pinch two opposite edges of the wrapper together. This will leave an opening on both sides. Using a finger, carefully push up one of the open edges and pinch it into two 'wings'. Repeat on the other side.
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For large round dumplings: You'll need two wrappers. Place 1 tablespoon of filling into the centre a dumpling wrapper and wet the edges. place another wrapper on top and seal them together being careful to not trap any air inside. Wet the edges and pleat them upwards.
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Arrange dumplings directly into the cold pan.
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When a batch is ready to steam cook, gently pour in the water over the dumplings so they end up sitting in about 5mm of water.
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Cover and bring to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to a simmer.
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Cook until almost all the water has evaporated, then remove the lid. Cook with the lid off until all the water is gone and the pan is dry, this allows the bottoms of the dumplings to crisp up.
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Serve dumplings with a dipping sauce of fresh sliced chillies and soy sauce.
[…] to see the net form as the liquid evaporates. Similar to the regular pan steam method used in these Pork and Cabbage dumplings, the water is first mixed with starch or flour so as the water evaporates, a lacey tuile develops […]