Best Dumpling Filling Recipes

HOW TO MAKE GREAT DUMPLING FILLINGS

Steps:

• Place pork in a mixing bowl. Add scallions, ginger, 1/4 teaspoon salt, Sichuan pepper / five-spice, soy sauce, oyster sauce and sesame oil.
• Gradually add water to the meat while swirling in one direction until no more liquid can be seen.
• Add the remaining salt to the celery then leave to rest for 10 minutes. Squeeze out excess liquid then add to the meat. Mix well with coriander.
• Soak shiitake mushrooms in water (ideally overnight) then chop into small pieces (remove the stem).
• Place chicken in a mixing bowl. Add salt, Sichuan pepper / five-spice and soy sauce.
• Gradually add 5 tablespoons of the water in which the mushrooms have been soaked to the meat while swirling in one direction until no more liquid can be seen.
• Add chopped mushrooms and water chestnut. Place scallions on top of the mixture. Pour hot oil over then mix well.
• Heat up oil in a wok / frying pan. Pour in the egg when the oil smokes. Dish out as soon as there is no more liquid. Coarsely chop when it cools down.
• Add Chinese chive, wood ear mushroom, salt and sesame oil. Mix well.
• Blanch tofu in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and cut into small pieces.
• Briefly blanch pak choi then chop small. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt. Leave to rest for 10 minutes then squeeze out excess liquid.
• Heat up oil in a wok / frying pan. Add scallions, carrot and the remaining salt. Fry until soft.
• Put all the ingredients into a bowl then mix well.

PORK DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• To make the pork filling:
• If the pork is not finely ground, mince well with a knife. Place the pork in a large bowl and cover.
• Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add the cabbage; blanch until just wilted. Using a slotted spoon, remove cabbage to strainer set over a large bowl. Press down on cabbage to squeeze out all liquid. Transfer to cutting board; roughly dice.
• Meanwhile, place grated ginger in a small bowl; cover with water and let steep for a few minutes.
• Slice scallions lengthwise, then thinly slice. You should have a good mixture of white, light green, and dark green pieces. Add to the bowl with the pork.
• Place a strainer over the pork bowl; strain the ginger so that the juices are added to the bowl. Press down on ginger to squeeze out all juices. Discard ginger left in strainer.
• Add the soy sauce, cooking wine, sesame oil, salt, and pepper to the meat mixture. Stir in chopped cabbage until completely incorporated.
• To make the wrappers:
• Place the flour and salt in a large bowl. Slowly add water and mix with your hands. Knead the mixture until it forms a soft dough.
• Place the dough on a lightly floured counter and knead until very smooth. Divide dough into 50 small, equal pieces. Flatten each piece with your hand to form a thin, round pancake, approximately 3 inches in diameter. The center should be slightly thicker than the edges.
• To wrap the dumplings:
• Using a spoon or chopsticks, place one heaping tablespoon of dumpling filling in the center of the dumpling wrapper.
• Using your fingertip, wet the outer edge of the dumpling wrapper with water. Fold up the sides of the dumpling into a half-moon shape.
• While holding the dumpling lengthwise, curved side up, use your index finger and thumb to pinch the edges of the dough on one side of the dumpling into "pleats," pressing each pleat against the flat side of the dough to seal the dumpling as you go. Start at one corner of the dumpling and work your way to the center (making three to four "pleats"). Then work from the other corner to the center creating another three to four "pleats."
• Firmly press the pleated side of the wrapper against the flat side to be sure the dumpling is completely sealed. If there is to much filling and the dumpling cannot be sealed, remove the extra filling to prevent leakage during cooking.
• Line up the finished dumplings on a foil-lined cookie sheet to prevent them from sticking. You can freeze dumplings this way for up to one month.
• To cook:
• To cook the dumplings, gently lower them into a medium pot of boiling water and boil for approximately three to five minutes. They are done when the dumpling skins are translucent and the dumplings have been floating for about three minutes. Remove from pot carefully with a slotted spoon.
• Serve hot.
• For Dipping Sauce:
• Mix the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl and serve on the side.

VEGETABLE DUMPLINGS (VEGAN GYOZA / POTSTICKERS)

Steps:

• *Note: I highly recommend watching the recipe video!

PORK DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Combine cabbage and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Set aside for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add remaining filling ingredients to a bowl and mix well.
• Remove cabbage from the bowl and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Finely chop and add to pork and mix well.
• Lay out 3 dumpling wrappers and place 1 tablespoon filling in each. Lightly rub the edges of the dumpling with water.
• Fold the dumpling over the filling. Crimp the dumpling edges closed so it has pleats. Place on a parchment lined pan. Repeat with remaining filling.

CHINESE DUMPLINGS (POTSTICKERS) RECIPE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine all pork filling ingredients until well combined.
• You will need a clean workspace, wonton wrappers, prepared pork filling, a small bowl of water, and chopsticks.
• Begin by filling the wonton wrapper with about a tablespoons worth of pork filling. Wet your finger, and run along the edges of the wonton wrapper. This will help to seal it closed.
• If your wrapper is round, fold the wrapper over the filling to create a half-moon shape, pinching the edges to seal. If you wrapper is square, scroll up to view the step by step images of how I fold my dumplings into a little purse dumpling.
• Once you have filled the dumplings you can freeze them or eat them fresh.
• Place the dumplings in a single layer on a cookie sheet and freeze for about 30 minutes.
• Then place in a ziplock baggie, where they can be frozen for up to 3 months.
• Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to the skillet and place dumplings in an even layer. Fry for a few minutes until bottoms are golden.
• Add 1/3 cup of water and cover with a tight fitting lid. Cook until the water has boiled away and then uncover and reduce heat to medium or medium low.
• Let the dumplings cook for another 2 minutes then remove from heat and serve with soy sauce and thinly sliced green onions.
• Place dumplings in a steamer basket on a single layer of cabbage leaves or a piece of parchment paper and steam for about 8 minutes.
• Whisk together all ingredients and serve in a shallow bowl to dip your potstickers in! You can make this ahead and store it in the fridge for up to a week.

CHINESE PORK DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Combine 1/2 cup soy sauce, rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon chives, sesame seeds, and chile sauce in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Mix pork, garlic, egg, 2 tablespoons chives, soy sauce, sesame oil, and ginger in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Place a dumpling wrapper on a lightly floured work surface and spoon about 1 tablespoon of the filling in the middle. Wet the edge with a little water and crimp together forming small pleats to seal the dumpling. Repeat with remaining dumpling wrappers and filling.
• Heat 1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place 8 to 10 dumplings in the pan and cook until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Pour in 1 cup of water, cover and cook until the dumplings are tender and the pork is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Repeat for remaining dumplings. Serve with soy sauce mixture for dipping.