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Chinese Dumplings

Written By: The Old Farmer’s Almanac Editors The Almanac Editors and Staff
Yield
3 dozen dumplings
Category
Meat
Course
Appetizers
Preparation Method
Saute
Steam
Sources
Yankee Magazine

Chinese dumplings (or jiaozi) are a traditional food enjoyed around Chinese New Year, symbolizing good luck and wealth. The classic Chinese dumpling is filled with a pork and garlic chive base to which cabbage and scallions are added. We’ve also included a delicious soy dipping sauce recipe.

The traditional dumpling shape resembles gold shoe-shaped ingots, an early form of Chinese currency. Families wrap them up and eat them as the clock strikes midnight. Chinese dumplings may be cooked in a variety of ways — most traditionally boiled (shuijiao, which literally means “water dumpling”), but also steamed (zhengjiao) and pan-fried (guotie, commonly known as “pot stickers”).

Whether you are Chinese or not, these dumplings are a classic comfort food that everyone enjoys! And who couldn’t use some good luck?

Ingredients
4 leaves napa cabbage, finely chopped
5 garlic chives, finely chopped (substitute scallions or chives)
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger (1-inch piece)
1 pound ground pork
3/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon ground-garlic and chili sauce (such as Sriracha brand)
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
8 cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
1 package round dumpling wrappers (substitute square wonton wrappers)
6 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
Soy Dipping Sauce

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, combine the first 10 ingredients. With a dumpling wrapper flat in one hand, place about a tablespoon of filling in the middle in an oblong lump. There should be enough margin left along the wrapper to close it without spilling the filling, but don’t “underfill.”
  2. Wet your finger and smear a little moisture along the outer edge of the wrapper; then fold the wrapper edges up into a taco shape and pinch the edges together at the top (in the middle) so that they’re stuck together (don’t let the pork filling get caught between). Create a pleat just to the right (or left) of the center pinch. Flatten the pleat next to the middle pinch point and squeeze the dough together.
  3. Continue to the end of the dumpling; you should have two or three pleats from middle to end. At the end, you should have a small opening. Pinch the end of the loop in toward the center of the dumpling and squeeze together. Return to the middle pinch point and make pleats on the same side of the wrapper but in the opposite direction. At the end, pinch in the loop and squeeze the dough sealed.
  4. Repeat with the rest of the wrappers. It’s okay if your dumplings don’t look perfect; getting the coordination and rhythm will take some time. The important thing is to seal them.
  5. Heat a large saute pan to very high. Add about 2 tablespoons peanut oil. Add up to 12 dumplings to the pan (don’t overcrowd) and brown well on both sides. Add 1/4 cup water; then cover and let steam about 3 minutes. Add another 1/4 cup water; then cover and let steam about 3 minutes longer. Remove to a plate and continue cooking the remaining dumplings in batches. 
  6. Serve with Soy Dipping Sauce.

 

Soy Dipping Sauce

Ingredients
1 cup light soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 scallion, finely sliced

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, combine all ingredients.

About The Author
The Old Farmer’s Almanac Editors

The Old Farmer’s Almanac Editors

The Almanac Editors and Staff

Under the guiding hand of its first editor, Robert B. Thomas, the premiere issue of The Old Farmer’s Almanac was published in 1792 during George Washington’s first term as president.Today, the Almanac...
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Comments

Allyssa Tue, 02/01/2022 - 07:45

This recipe is way too difficult. And napa cabbage holds too much water. Use regular green cabbage instead. To one pound ground pork, add one head finely chopped green cabbage add a dash of water and mix. You can also add a few drops of fish sauce. You can find both this and the pre-made wraps at your local Asian store. There are many good videos online explaning how to make these. They are delicious!!! Enjoy! For vegetarian dumplings innards: scramble about seven eggs preferably in sesame oil to go with your chopped cabbage, add one carrot shredded. Few drops fish sauce can be added.

Lisa ClarkWed, 02/10/2021 - 10:59

Do I just replace the amount of cabbage for the pork to make it meatless? Is there any other suggestion to make it without meat?

Kathleen A Crochet-StursaSat, 01/25/2020 - 11:43

My Chinese friends from Taiwan use a half and half combination of Pork and ground Shrimp - it's DIVINE

Bobby BarnesMon, 12/21/2009 - 20:24

I Love these dumplings I live in China right now eat them almost every other day Love em