Pork Dumplings! Have I already told you how much my family and I LOVE dumplings? Even my 5-year old girl is fond of them. There is something so satisfying about biting ino these savory little pillows, that delicate dough, that burst of steam that can almost burn you if you’re not careful and then…that delicious ball of stuffing exploding with flavors. They’re also so versatile, you can steam or boil them and they’re perfect for a quick Wonton Soup! But my favorite is pan-fried, and when prepared this way, they’re called potstickers. You pan-fry them until brown on one side then cover with water and cook until all the water is absorbed, remove the lid and continue cooking about 2 minutes until they’re crisp on the bottom! Easy, no?
When I make dumplings, I always make a huge batch so I can freeze them. I won’t lie, it does take some time to make which is why it is worth it to make a big batch. Just put a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet and arrange the dumplings side by side and freeze for about 1 to 2 hours. You can then transfer them to a freezer friendly large Ziploc bag. You know what the beauty of it all is? They can be pan-fried, steamed or boiled DIRECTLY from the freezer! Just don’t forget to increase the cooking time by about 4 minutes.
I don’t bother making the dough from scratch, I like to buy the round dumpling wrappers, they’re easy to find in the refrigerated section of any Asian store and they’re easy to work with. I also add Napa Cabbage, it adds a nice texture. Before mixing the cabbage to the other ingredients, it’s important to toss the cabbage with salt in a colander and let stand for about 30 minutes to shed moisture. Then, just wring out in a clean kitchen towel to extract as much water as you can.
Wrapping them takes a little practice but you’ll be an expert in no time. Don’t be tempted to put too much stuffing in or they will be very difficult to close. Have a little bowl of water ready for when you start wrapping. Put your finger in the water and run it around the hedge of the wrap. Start with just about 1 to 1 1/2 tsp of stuffing, place it in the middle and fold it. Pinch the hedges to make sure it’s completely sealed. Then just fold the hedge by overlapping it and pinching it at the same time. Don’t worry if they’re not perfect at first, they’re still going to be delicious, and you’ll find that you will get faster as you go!
- DUMPLINGS
- 2 cups Napa Cabbage, finely sliced
- 2 tsp. Kosher salt
- 454 g ground pork
- 2 tbs. ginger, grated
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 tbsp. Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
- 1 tbs. sesame oil
- Black pepper to taste
- SOY DIPPING SAUCE
- 3½ tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 tbs. rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp. ginger, grated
- 2 tsp. mirin
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- MAKING THE DUMPLINGS
- Place a colander in the sink and put your napa cabbage in it. Sprinkle with Kosher salt. Let stand for about 30 minutes.
- Place the cabbage in the middle of a clean kitchen towel. Roll it and then wring out to extract as much water as you can.
- In a large bowl, combine the cabbage with the rest of the ingredients. Mix well with your hands. Season with ground pepper (don't salt, the soy sauce is doing that job!).
- Place a bowl of water next to your working station. Take out one wrapper and cover the rest with a damp cloth.
- Place about 2 tsp. of your stuffing in the middle of a wrapper. Dip your finger in the water and run it around your wrapper. Fold and seal the hedges, then fold/pinch the hedge from one side to the other. Don't worry if it's not perfect, it will come, the important thing is to make sure it is tightly sealed.
- Let rest on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper until you're ready to cook them.
- * See freezer note below.
- COOKING THE DUMPLINGS
- Pour 2 tbs. of neutral oil like canola or peanut oil in a pan over medium high heat.
- Once hot, place your dumplings, flat side down. Don't overcrowd your pan. Cook until the bottom is golden brown, about 2 minutes .
- Pour ⅓ cup of water in your pan. Be careful, the liquid might splatter. Cover your pan.
- Cook for about 4 minutes, until the water has been absorbed.
- Remove the lid, continue coking for about 2 minutes so the bottoms crisp-up.
- You're ready to serve! Plate them and serve along the Soy dipping sauce.
- SOY DIPPING SAUCE
- Combine all the ingredients and mix well.
- * These dumplings are really freezer-friendly. Once wrapped, you can place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place them in the freezer for about 1 hour and then transfer to a large freezer Ziploc bag. Don't cook them first, you can pan fry, steam or boil them right from the freezer!
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