Ingredients
Vegetables
- 3 lbs green leafy vegetable (like shepherd’s purse, baby bok choy, or napa cabbage)
Filling
- 1 ½ pounds ground pork (can substitute ground chicken or beef, as long as they aren’t too lean)
- 2/3 cup Shaoxing wine (or dry cooking sherry)
- ½ cup neutral oil (such as canola, vegetable, or avocado oil)
- 3 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- 2/3 cup water (plus more for assembly)
Dumplings
- 3 packages dumpling wrappers
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables: Wash your vegetables thoroughly and blanch them in a pot of boiling water for 1 minute if using delicate leaves like shepherd’s purse, or 2 minutes for thicker vegetables such as napa cabbage or baby bok choy. Once blanched, immediately cool the vegetables by transferring them to an ice bath or rinsing them under cold running water. Then thoroughly squeeze out all the water and chop the vegetables very finely to prepare the filling.
- Make the filling: In a large bowl, combine the chopped vegetables with ground pork, Shaoxing wine, neutral oil, sesame oil, salt, soy sauce, white pepper, and water. Mix vigorously for 6-8 minutes or up to 10 minutes to create a well-blended, paste-like filling that is moist and flavorful.
- Wrap the dumplings: Dampen the edges of each dumpling wrapper with water. Place slightly less than a tablespoon of filling in the center of each wrapper. Fold the wrapper in half and pinch the top edges together, then create two folds on each side to shape the dumpling into a fan-like design. Make sure the dumplings are completely sealed to prevent filling leakage during cooking.
- Taste test and store: Boil a few dumplings to taste test the seasoning and adjust if necessary. Then finish assembling the dumplings, placing them on a parchment-lined baking sheet ensuring they are not touching to prevent sticking.
- Freeze the dumplings (optional): Wrap the baking sheets tightly with plastic wrap and freeze overnight. Once frozen, transfer the dumplings to freezer bags and store them in the freezer for later use.
- Boil dumplings: Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, add dumplings, and bring back to a boil. Simmer for 6-8 minutes, with shorter cooking times for fresh dumplings and longer for frozen ones until fully cooked.
- Pan-fry dumplings: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Place dumplings flat side down and fry for 2 minutes until bottoms are golden. Add a thin layer of water to the pan, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low to steam the dumplings until water evaporates. Uncover and increase heat to medium-high, frying a few more minutes to crisp the bottoms.
- Steam dumplings: Arrange dumplings in a steamer basket lined with damp cheesecloth, perforated parchment paper, or thin cabbage leaves to prevent sticking. Bring water to a simmer in the steamer and steam the dumplings over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes, adjusting time based on whether dumplings are fresh or frozen.
Notes
- Blanching times vary based on the vegetable’s toughness; be careful not to overcook leaves.
- Mixing the filling thoroughly is essential for a juicy and cohesive texture.
- Ensure dumplings are well sealed to prevent filling from leaking during cooking.
- Dumplings can be frozen, making meal prep convenient and flexible.
- Adjust seasoning after boiling a few test dumplings to suit your taste.
- Use parchment paper or cabbage leaves when steaming to prevent sticking.
- Choose cooking method (boiling, pan-frying, or steaming) based on your preferred texture.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Category: Dumplings
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Chinese