Pork and Chives Dumpling Recipe (2024)

Why It Works

  • Using ground pork with a higher proportion of fat keeps the filling extra juicy.
  • You can customize the filling with any vegetable you like: Napa cabbage, chives, sh*takes, spinach, or ramps.

On a recent Sunday, I found myself in Robyn's house, boiling and frying dumplings, eating them piping-hot right as they came out of the pan, and feeling pretty darn satisfied with my lot in life. For dessert, there was mooncake, sweet and seedy with lotus paste. There might have been better dumplings out there, and better mooncakes, but surely not a better crowd of friends, all gathered in the living room eating plate after plate of fried dumplings.

Here's how you throw a dumpling party:

Buy lots of fatty ground pork and chives. Buy a bag of flour (that is, if you're making your own wrappers). Acquire friends who can roll dough and pleat dumplings. (Or, friends who can be taught such things.)Make dumplings. Fry dumplings. Provide libations,so that when you get backed up on the stove, people won't notice or won't mind.

Pork and Chives Dumpling Recipe (1)

I am not picky or particular about the vegetables that go into my dumplings. Napa cabbage, chives, sh*takes, spinach, ramps—it's all good! What I really care about is that the pork is fatty and juicy, and that the bottom of the dumpling is golden brown and crispy.

For a juicy, flavorful dumpling,you want fatty pork. The fattier, the better.So buy the fatty grind from a Chinese butcher, or have your butcher grind some fat along with the meat. That's what I did to make these dumplings. I live in East Harlem and buy my meat from a Mexican butcher shop.

"Quiero mas..... fat," I said, feeling pretty lame that four years of high school Spanish had not enabled me to learn the word for fat. I can ask you for another pencil, or tell you I have a red backpack, but the word for pork fat? My mind drew a blank.

She shook her head, sadly.

"No? No more fat?" I said.

A look of recognition. "Mas?" she said, and held up a chunk of back fat with just a streak of flesh.

"Yes, mas, mas!" I said.

We both looked relieved. Then one of the English-speaking butchers approached and cleared up the confusion right away.

You see, the butcher had somehow interpreted my request as that for extra lean meat, not extra fat. I don't know how this happened since I was making escalating motions with my hands and grabbing parts of my fleshy upper arm as further indication. Anyway, they were happy to oblige, tossing backfat into the grinder along with the fresh pork.

You could cook the dumplings in the pan by putting them in a skillet with water and oil.The water steams the dumplings,then evaporates, leaving the oil to brown the bottom of the dumplings. This is my preferred method for pan-frying dumplings for small to medium-sized batches—it yields a chewy-tender skin and almost crunchy crust. It's not hard, but it does take a certain knack to get the bottom perfectly golden-brown while cooking the tops of the wrappers all the way through.

A far easier method of cooking multiple batches of dumplings:par-boil the dumplings and then brown them in the pan. Water is the great equalizer. It ensures that no matter who pleated the dumpling, the scrunched-up part of the skin will cook all the way through. The skins lose something of their translucent tenderness if you do this, but it's a trade-off to consider if you are frying your dumplings by the hundreds. (For more on this, see Kenji's discussion of different dumpling cooking methodshere.)

Pork and Chives Dumpling Recipe (3)

One of my favorite things about throwing dumpling parties is watching people pleat dumplings, or better yet, learn how to pleat them. I am a fast pleat-er, but I have never had much patience for pleating. I would much rather be at the stove, schlepping steaming piles of dumplings from the boiling pot to the hot frying pan, frying batch after batch, letting the oil splatter onto my hands, my arms, my face, everywhere, than sit at a table all civil-like with friends pleating dumplings.

Pork and Chives Dumpling Recipe (4)

I'm not sure what that says about me and my affection for said friends. Maybe it doesn't say much at all, only that I like being alone, and I like my environs hot and frantic (sometimes).

October 2012

Recipe Details

Pork and Chives Dumpling Recipe

Prep30 mins

Cook10 mins

Active20 mins

Total40 mins

Serves6to 8 servings

Makes40 dumplings

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil

  • 1/2 pound(225g) Chinese chives, finely sliced (see notes)

  • 1/2 pound (225g) ground pork

  • 1 teaspoon (3g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt, or more to taste; for table salt, use half as much by volume or the same weight

  • 1 tablespoon (12g) sugar, or more to taste

  • 2 teaspoons Shaoxingrice wine

  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) pork stockor water

  • 1 teaspoon (5g) ginger, minced or grated

  • 40 round dumpling wrappers

Directions

  1. In a medium bowl, combine oil, chives, ground pork, salt, sugar, rice wine, pork stock or water, and ginger and mix together until thoroughly combined. To taste for seasoning, place a 1/2 teaspoon-sized amount of filling on a microwaveable plate and microwave until cooked, about 10 seconds. Taste, then adjust mixture with more salt or sugar. If not using immediately, cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you are ready to use, up to 24 hours.

    Pork and Chives Dumpling Recipe (5)

  2. Working one dumpling at a time, place approximately 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of each wrapper. Use your finger to spread a small amount of water around the inside edge of each wrapper. Seal wrappers by folding in half and, if desired, pleat one side 5 or 6 times, pinching the edges together as you go. Place sealed dumplings on a parchment-lined baking sheet, separating them to avoid sticking, and cover entire tray with a clean, damp dishtowel.

    Pork and Chives Dumpling Recipe (6)

  3. Line a bamboo steamer with wilted cabbage or lettuce leaves, or create aparchment liner. Place dumplings in steamer, leaving a small gap between each one, and place over a wok filled with simmering water. Steam until skins are translucent and filling is cooked through, 7 to 9 minutes. Serve immediately with dipping sauce of choice alongside.

    Pork and Chives Dumpling Recipe (7)

Notes

Chinese chives can be found in most Chinese grocers. If unavailable, substitute a mixture of sliced regular chives and finely sliced scallions.

This recipe can be made using homemade dumpling wrappers. Simply sub in the pork and chives dumpling filling, as described above, and then start at Step 4 of the homemade dumpling wrapper recipe.

Read More

  • Chinese Fried Pork and Cabbage Dumplings With Homemade Wrappers (Guo Tie) Recipe
  • 17 Recipes for a Homemade Dumpling Feast
  • Beyond Potstickers: Around the World in Dumplings
Pork and Chives Dumpling Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to perfect dumplings? ›

Overworking the mixture, thus having heavy dumplings is a common mistake people make. Dumplings need very gentle handling, so mix only until the ingredients are just combined, and if your recipe involves rolling them out with extra flour, avoid using too much.

What are chive dumplings made of? ›

For the uninitiated, these are translucent, slightly chewy dumplings made of tapioca flour, filled with a mixture of Chinese chives, garlic, and often dried shrimp.

Do you cook meat before filling dumpling? ›

The answer is no. While you should always read the recipe you're using carefully and cook the filling if it instructs you to, the majority of the time, fillings should remain uncooked until you steam or boil your dumplings. Simply mix them together, fill them, and cook.

Can you use wonton wrappers to make dumplings? ›

Making your own dumplings is really easy when you use wonton wrappers. These dumplings are really simple and what we created for our wonton soup, but could easily find themselves in any number of delicious... soups. If you love them, try adding them to other soups.

What are the 3 components of dumplings? ›

What are dumplings made of? The dumpling dough is made of three main ingredients: flour, water and salt. But which flour you use depends on which dumpling you want to make.

Which flour is best for dumplings? ›

These dumplings start with all-purpose flour, which creates structure and holds the other ingredients together. Baking powder is a leavening agent, which means it releases gas that makes the dough expand. It's responsible for the dumplings' light and fluffy texture.

What's the difference between chives and Chinese chives? ›

Before they're picked and packaged to be sold, garlic chives—also known as Chinese chives—typically grow taller than common chives and have flatter leaves and white blossoms. They're aptly named because of their more potent, garlic-like flavor.

Why do you put cornstarch in dumplings? ›

The cornstarch will absorb excess water, which will then convert to steam, allowing the bottoms to form that crisp crust. After the dumplings have drained, place them, bottom-side down, on a plate covered with cornstarch. Then, into a hot skillet coated with enough oil to fry up a solid crust.

What are traditional dumplings made of? ›

Dumplings are made from a simple dough consisting of all-purpose flour, water, and salt. The shaped dumplings are either fried in a pan until golden brown or boiled in a soup. The fried version is usually served as an accompaniment to breakfast codfish.

What cut of pork is best for dumplings? ›

Some cuts that I like to use for pork: pork shoulder, pork butt, and pork belly. As for chicken, you can use chicken thigh or chicken breast, depending on your preference. Before you do this, its very important that you use a high quality and sharp knife!

Do you cook dumplings with the lid on or off? ›

Bring Water To Boil and Cover

Once your water comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium or medium-low. You want a gentle boil that won't disturb your dumplings as they steam. Make sure you cover them! This allows for as much steam as possible so that your dumplings can definitely get cooked.

Is pork or beef better for dumplings? ›

Making beef dumplings is a bit more challenging than pork dumplings. Ground beef is leaner than pork, and the filling tends to end up dry and tough.

What is the difference between potstickers and dumplings? ›

Potstickers are a type of dumpling that is pan-fried on one side, giving it a crispy texture. They are typically filled with meat and vegetables and served with a dipping sauce. Dumplings, on the other hand, can be boiled, steamed, or pan-fried and are usually filled with meat or vegetables.

What's the difference between wonton and dumpling dough? ›

Wrappers: Wonton wrappers are thinner, are usually square, and may contain egg. Dumpling wrappers are thicker, are usually round, and don't require egg. Filling: Dumplings can be filled or unfilled. Wontons always have a well-seasoned filling.

What's the difference between a Potsticker and a wonton? ›

In a nutshell, potstickers and wontons are types of dumplings. Potstickers are steam-fried, while wontons are boiled or deep-fried. When it comes to dough ingredients, potstickers or traditional dumplings generally use wheat flour and water. On the other hand, wontons use flour, egg, and water.

Why are my dumplings hard and not fluffy? ›

Don't Overwork the Dumpling Dough

Stir everything together until the wet and dry ingredients are combined and you don't see any more dry flour. The dough might look a little lumpy, but that's okay! Overworking the dough is one of the easiest ways to end up with tough dumplings.

Do you cook dumplings with lid on or lid off? ›

Once your water is boiling, let your dumplings cook in the steam for about ten minutes. Don't remove the lid as letting the steam escape will disrupt the cooking process and result in undercooked dumplings, so keep that lid on!

What keeps dumplings from falling apart? ›

The liquid should be at a low/moderate steady boil. If it's boiling too hard, the dumpling dough can fall apart. Simmering broth might not be hot enough to raise the dumpling dough. Remove or tilt the lid after they've cooked so the dumplings don't over-steam and get soggy and dense.

Why do my dumplings fall apart when I cook them? ›

Often they burst during cooking because they have too much filling for the amount of dough. Some doughs are too dry, so the dumplings won't stay sealed. Others can be too wet and sticky and end up tearing. If the filling isn't cohesive enough, it will tumble out when you bite into it.

References

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