Chinese Pork Dumplings

Hello and welcome to Sunday Supper! Today’s recipe is a perfect Sunday recipe to get the family involved. Chinese Pork Dumplings are one of my most favorite things and I had never made them with homemade dumpling dough. I always bought the wrappers from the supermarket. Well, let me just say that making the dough is the best way to go. The wonton wrappers from the supermarket do not even compare to the soft, chewy texture of homemade dough. And the dough is so simple. Just flour and water. Let’s get right to it!

Dumpling Dough

This recipe is by America’s Test Kitchen and it could not be any easier. Weigh the flour for the dough, we are looking for 12.5 ounces of all purpose flour. We want to weigh the flour for a more accurate measurement. The only other ingredient will be boiling water. I have an electric kettle and I set the temperature for 212 degrees F. Add the flour to the bowl of a food processor. When the water is boiling, measure out 1 cup of hot water.

With the food processor running, steadily pour the boiling water in through the top spout. Let the processor run, mixing the dough until it forms a ball and the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

Turn the dough out on a flat surface and knead for 2-3 minutes to get a smooth dough ball. The dough is pliable and not sticky, so you shouldn’t need to flour the surface. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let sit for 30 minutes.

While the dough is resting we can make the filling.

Pork and Cabbage Filling

Wipe out the food processor bowl and blade to remove any dough. Add 5 cups of Napa cabbage, sliced in strips, to the bowl. Pulse the cabbage about 8 times, until the cabbage is finely chopped. Transfer the cabbage to a medium bowl and stir in 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Let the cabbage and salt sit for 10 minutes. We want the salt to draw moisture out of the cabbage.

Now, add the ground pork to the bowl of the food processor. Then add soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine, hoisin sauce, ginger, white pepper and 1 teaspoon kosher salt to the pork. Pulse the pork with the seasonings about 10 times.

Use your hands to squeeze handfuls of the cabbage, squeezing out as much water as possible. Scatter the squeezed handfuls of cabbage over the pork mixture. Add the sliced scallions to the pork and cabbage. Now pulse the mix until the cabbage and onions are evenly mixed into the pork mixture, about 8 pulses.

Transfer the filling mixture to a bowl, cover and refrigerate until we are ready to fill the dumplings.

Cutting the Dumpling Dough

By now the dough should have rested for 30 minutes. Line 2 sheet trays with parchment and lightly dust the parchment with flour. Set the sheet trays aside. Unwrap the dough and (still on an unfloured surface) roll the ball into a cylinder shape 12-inches long. Use a bench scraper to cut the dough into 4 equal pieces. I like to use my measuring tape as a guide.

Set three of the four dough pieces aside and cover them with plastic wrap to keep them from drying out and developing a skin. Roll that one piece of dough into a cylinder 8-inches long. Use the bench scraper to cut that cylinder in half. Then, cut each half into 5 equal pieces. So we have ten little pieces of dough.

Shaping the Dumpling Wrappers

Now, lightly flour your work surface and flatten each of the ten dough pieces with your hand. Once the ten pieces are flattened, set them aside and cover them with a damp towel.

Working one flattened piece at a time, roll the flattened piece into a 3.5-inch circular shape. Place the rolled dumpling wrapper under the damp towel making sure the rolled discs are not overlapping. Repeat with the remaining 9 flattened pieces.

Now, repeat this whole process with the remaining three pieces from the 12-inch cylinder we cut. OR, you can do what I did and repeat the process with one more of those original pieces so that we are working with 20 dumpling wrappers.

For the remaining 2 pieces of that original 12-inch cylinder, I will repeat this whole process with those after I cook these 20 dumplings and that second batch of 20 dumplings will go into the freezer after they are formed. This strategy cut down on the amount space I needed to keep 40 rolled wrapper discs covered with damp towel on the counter. Working with 20 at a time was perfect for two people, and was much more manageable – and I have 20 homemade dumplings in the freezer ready to go next time I want dumplings.

If you want to go this route, take 2 pieces of that original 12-inch cylinder, wrap them in plastic wrap and set them aside.

Filling the Chinese Pork Dumplings

Take the pork mixture out of the fridge and use a silicone spatula to make a cross in the top of the mixture. Then scoop out one quadrant and transfer that quadrant of filling to a separate small bowl. Re-cover the remaining filling and place it back in the fridge. We will make 10 dumplings at a time.

Now, take one wrapper from under the damp towel and place 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of the wrapper.

Fold the bottom up over the filling to meet the top side of the wrapper, like a taco. Press about one inch in the center of the wrapper together to make a seam, leaving the sides open.

To make a pleat, take the corner of the wrapper farthest from you and fold toward the center seam. Then press the pleat and the corner closed. Repeat with the other corner.

Place the filled and folded dumplings on the prepared sheet tray (no need to cover them on the sheet tray). Repeat with the 19 remaining wrappers. Using another quadrant of filling for the second batch of 10 dumplings.

Pan Frying the Dumplings

I used an enameled cast iron skillet for pan frying these dumplings. It worked out fine, but if you’re worried about them sticking, definitely use a nonstick pan. We want a 12-inch pan with a lid. Pour 1 tablespoon of vegetable or grapeseed oil into the pan and use a brush to spread the oil, completely covering the bottom of the pan.

Place as many dumplings as you’re comfortable frying in the pan. I fit 12 in my pan. Turn the heat up to medium. Fry just until the bottoms develop some browning, about 3 minutes.

Now, slide the pan off heat and add 1/2 cup of water. Slide the pan back over the heat and bring the water to a boil. Then cover, reduce the temp to medium-low. Steam the dumplings for 6 minutes.

Then, uncover and increase heat to medium-high to let the remaining water cook off and for the bottoms to crisp up. Use a silicone fish spatula to transfer dumplings to a platter, be sure to keep them on their sides to keep the bottoms crispy.

To fry the second batch, let the pan cool for about 10 minutes and clean out the pan. Repeat the frying process with the second batch.

Chinese Pork Dumplings

Serve with small, separate bowls of soy sauce, black vinegar and chili oil for dipping. I like to make a sauce of 1/4 cup soy sauce mixed with 2 tablespoons black vinegar and 1 teaspoon of chili oil.

Alex and I snacked on these 20 dumplings while I went about rolling, cutting, filling and folding the remaining dumpling dough. Just like before, I placed them on a parchment-lined sheet tray dusted with flour. Then I took the 20 uncooked dumplings and placed the whole sheet tray in the freezer for about 2 hours. Then I transferred them to a zipper lock bag to freeze for up to one month.

To cook Chinese Pork Dumplings from frozen, increase the water for steaming to 2/3 cup and increase the covered steaming time to 8 minutes.

As I mentioned at the top, the homemade dough makes all the difference with these dumplings. The cutting and rolling takes a little time and it might seem tedious, but it’s so worth it. And if you set out from the start to only cook 20 dumplings and freeze the other 20, it’s not only less daunting, but you can have a delicious dumpling break in between batches. Definitely add this recipe to your list of fun cooking projects. These Chinese Pork Dumplings are worth every ounce of time and effort! Take care and be well, xo Kelly

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Chinese Pork Dumplings

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Dinner, Main Course, Appetizer, Side Dish – Chinese

By America's Test Kitchen – Serves: Makes 40 Dumplings

Prep Time: ~2 Hours – Cooking Time: ~50 Minutes (in batches) – Total Time: ~3-4 Hours

Chinese Pork Dumplings filled with savory pork and cabbage, wrapped in the simplest homemade dough imaginable. Fried and steamed to perfection.

Ingredients

• Dumpling Dough
• 2.5 cups (12 1/2 ounces) All-Purpose Flour
• 1 cup Boiling Water
• Filling
• 5 cups 1-inch Napa cabbage pieces
• Kosher Salt
• 12 oz. Ground Pork
• 1.5 tbsp. Soy Sauce
• 1.5 tbsp. Toasted Sesame Oil
• 1 tbsp. Vegetable Oil
• 1 tbsp. Chinese Rice wine or Dry Sherry
• 1 tbsp. Hoisin Sauce
• 1 tbsp. Grated Fresh Ginger
• 1/4 tsp. Ground White Pepper
• 4 Scallions, chopped fine
• Frying
• 1 tbsp. Vegetable Oil for frying each batch
• 1/2 cup Water, for steaming each batch
• Dipping Sauce
• 2 tbsp. Black or Rice Vinegar
• 1/4 cup Soy Sauce
• 1 tsp. Chili Oil

Instructions

Dumpling Dough

1

Add the flour to the bowl of a food processor.

2

With the food processor running, steadily pour the boiling water in through the top spout. Let the processor run, mixing the dough until it forms a ball and the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

3

Turn the dough out on a flat surface and knead for 2-3 minutes to get a smooth dough ball. The dough is pliable and not sticky, so you shouldn't need to flour the surface. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let sit for 30 minutes.

4

While the dough is resting we can make the filling.

Pork and Cabbage Filling

5

Wipe out the food processor bowl and blade to remove any dough. Add 5 cups of Napa cabbage, sliced in strips, to the bowl. Pulse the cabbage about 8 times, until the cabbage is finely chopped. Transfer the cabbage to a medium bowl and stir in 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Let the cabbage and salt sit for 10 minutes.

6

Now, add the ground pork to the bowl of the food processor. Then add soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine, hoisin sauce, ginger, white pepper and 1 teaspoon kosher salt to the pork. Pulse the pork with the seasonings about 10 times.

7

Use your hands to squeeze handfuls of the cabbage, squeezing out as much water as possible. Scatter the squeezed handfuls of cabbage over the pork mixture. Now add the sliced scallions to pork and cabbage. Now pulse the mix until the cabbage and onions are evening mixed into the pork mixture, about 8 pulses.

8

Transfer the filling mixture to a bowl, cover and refrigerate until we are ready to fill the dumplings.

Cutting and Forming the Dumpling Wrappers

9

Line 2 sheet trays with parchment and lightly dust the parchment with flour. Set the sheet trays aside. Unwrap the dough and (still on an unfloured surface) roll the ball into a cylinder shape 12-inches long. Use a bench scraper to cut the dough into 4 equal pieces.

10

Set three of the four dough pieces aside and cover them with plastic wrap to keep them from drying out and developing a skin. Roll that one piece of dough into a cylinder 8-inches long. Use the bench scraper to cut that cylinder in half. Then, cut each half into 5 equal pieces. So we have ten little pieces of dough.

11

Now, lightly flour your work surface and flatten each of the ten dough pieces with your hand. Once the ten pieces are flattened, set them aside and cover them with a damp towel.

12

Working one flattened piece at a time, roll the flattened piece into a 3.5-inch circular shape. Place the rolled dumpling wrapper under the damp towel making sure the rolled discs are not overlapping. Repeat with the remaining 9 flattened pieces.

13

Now, repeat this whole process with the remaining three pieces from the 12-inch cylinder we cut.

Filling and Folding the Dumplings

14

Take the pork mixture out of the fridge and use a silicone spatula to make a cross in the top of the mixture. Then scoop out on quadrant and transfer that quadrant of filling to a separate small bowl. Re-cover the remaining filling and place it back in the fridge.

15

Now, take one wrapper from under the damp towel and place 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of the wrapper.

16

Fold the bottom up over the filling to meet the top side of the wrapper, like a taco. Press about one inch in the center of the wrapper together to make a seam, leaving the sides open.

17

To make a pleat, take the corner of the wrapper farthest from you and fold toward the center seam. Then press the pleat and the corner closed. Repeat with the other corner.

18

Place the filled and folded dumplings on the prepared sheet tray (no need to cover them on the sheet tray). Repeat with the remaining wrappers.

Pan Frying the Dumplings

19

Pour 1 tablespoon of vegetable or grapeseed oil into the pan and use a brush to spread the oil, completely covering the bottom of the pan.

20

Place as many dumplings as you're comfortable frying in the pan. I fit 12 in my pan. Turn the heat up to medium. Fry just until the bottoms develop some browning, about 3 minutes.

21

Now, slide the pan off heat and add 1/2 cup of water. Slide the pan back over the heat and bring the water to a boil. Then cover, reduce the temp to medium-low. Steam the dumplings for 6 minutes.

22

Then, uncover and increase heat to medium-high to let the remaining water cook off and for the bottoms to crisp up. Use a silicone fish spatula to transfer dumplings to a platter, be sure to keep them on their sides to keep the bottoms crispy.

23

To fry the next batch, let the pan cool for about 10 minutes and clean out the pan. Repeat the frying process with the next batch.

To Serve

24

Serve with separate, small bowls of soy sauce, black vinegar and chili oil for dipping. To make a sauce, mix 1/4 cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons black vinegar and 1 teaspoon of chili oil.

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