Water Dumplings Recipes

MOM'S SIMPLE DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Cut in the shortening with a knife or pastry blender until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir the milk into the flour mixture until moistened. Dough will be pretty lumpy, but be sure to not over mix it!
• Drop dough by large spoonfuls onto any boiling stew. The dumplings should rest on top of vegetables and meat; it's okay if they stick out of the top a bit. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes; cover and cook another 10 minutes.

DUMPLINGS WITH A CRISPY SKIRT

Steps:

• Soak the mushrooms in a medium bowl with 3 cups cool water. Stir to moisten the entire surface of the mushrooms. Set aside at room temperature for at least 3 hours and up to 4 hours.
• When the mushrooms are nearly rehydrated, toss the cabbage with 1 tablespoon salt in a medium bowl and let sit until liquid pools at the bottom, about 15 minutes. Squeeze out as much water as possible from the cabbage in between two hands and transfer the cabbage to a large bowl. Add the pork, 1/2 cup of the mushroom soaking water, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, sugar, white pepper and 1 teaspoon salt. Mix only in one direction using chopsticks until the pork-and-cabbage mixture starts to become sticky. Stir in 3 tablespoons of the neutral oil until evenly mixed.
• Remove and discard the stems from the mushrooms. Finely chop the mushrooms and add to the pork filling. Stir until combined.
• Set up a dumpling wrapping station with the following: a small bowl of cold water for sealing, the pork-and-cabbage filling, gyoza wrappers kept in the package and a large plate or baking sheet lined with plastic wrap to prevent the dumplings from sticking.
• Place one gyoza wrapper in your palm, add 1 tablespoon of the filling to the center, then lightly dab the perimeter of the wrapper with cold water (I use my index finger). Fold into a half-moon shape and seal the midpoint, leaving the sides open. Make 2 pleats starting from the left side of the half-moon folding towards the midpoint then firmly press the pleated side to seal. Repeat the pleating on the right side. Firmly press to seal the dumpling and thin out the edge of the wrapper slightly. Place the finished dumplings on the prepared plate. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling (see Cook's Note).
• Whisk together 1/2 cup cold water, 1 teaspoon of the cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon of the flour and 1/4 teaspoon of the white vinegar in a small bowl until the slurry is smooth and free of lumps.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons neutral oil in a large nonstick skillet (about 11-inch) over medium-high heat until shimmering. Arrange 10 dumplings in a concentric circle or flower pattern (place the pointy end of each dumpling in the center of the skillet with the pleated side of the next dumpling facing the flat side of the previous one). Fry until the bottoms are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Stir the slurry before pouring into the skillet, cover with a lid, and cook over medium heat until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Uncover and cook over medium heat, moving the skillet as needed for even browning, until the skirt looks dry, crisp and golden brown. Remove from the heat, place a large dinner plate over the skillet and carefully invert the dumplings onto the plate with the skirt-side up. Serve immediately with Chinese black vinegar, for dipping.
• Repeat making the slurry and frying the remaining dumplings or freeze the dumplings on the plastic wrap-lined plate until frozen, then transfer the frozen dumplings to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

WATER DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients except egg and egg roll skins in electric mixer. Blend evenly. Refrigerate for 4 hours. Cut egg rolls into a circle shape. Place 2 teaspoons of filling in the center of the skin. Brush egg around the outside edge of the skin. Fold into half-moon shape and press together tightly. Cook dumplings in 3 quarts boiling water for 7 minutes. Serve.

DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Stir together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in medium size bowl. Cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in milk to make a soft dough.
• Drop by spoonfuls into boiling stew. Cover and simmer 15 minutes without lifting lid. Serve.
• To make parsley dumplings, add 1 tablespoon parsley flakes to the dry ingredients.

HOMEMADE DUMPLINGS RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, and the warm water and mix until well-combined.
• Roll out dough on a floured surface and knead until smooth.
• Divide the dough into 4 equal parts.
• Roll out 1 piece of dough into a thin log and divide into 6 or 8 pieces, depending on the size of dumplings you want. Repeat with the remaining dough portions.
• Lightly flour the dough pieces and roll out 1 piece into a thin circle roughly 4-inches (10 cm) in diameter.
• Keep the dumpling wrappers separated with a small piece of parchment paper and repeat with the remaining dough.
• Combine the cabbage, green onions, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and sesame oil in a medium bowl and mix until well-incorporated.
• For the pork filling, combine the ground pork with the remaining teaspoon of salt, the pepper and 1 cup (125g) of the cabbage mixture and stir until well-incorporated.
• For the veggie filling, combine the mushrooms and carrot and microwave for 3 minutes, until soft. Add 1 cup (125g) of the cabbage mixture and stir until well-incorporated.
• For the shrimp filling, combine the shrimp with 1 cup (125g) of the cabbage mixture and stir until well-incorporated.
• To assemble the dumplings, add roughly 1 heaping tablespoon of filling to the center of a dumpling wrapper. With your finger, lightly coat half of the outside of the wrapper with water. Fold the moistened half of the wrapper over the filling and, using your fingers, pleat the edges to seal. Repeat with the remaining fillings and wrappers.
• Heat the oil over medium high in a large skillet and add a few dumplings, cooking them in batches. Once the bottoms of the dumplings start to brown, add a splash of water and cover with a lid. Steam for about 5 minutes, or until the dumplings are cooked and the water has evaporated. Transfer the cooked dumplings to a paper towel-lined plate to remove any excess moisture or grease.
• In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and pepper flakes and stir to combine. Serve the dumplings immediately with the dipping sauce.
• Enjoy!

HOT WATER DOUGH (FOR HOMEMADE DUMPLING WRAPPERS)

Steps:

• In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment, combine the flour, salt and two-thirds of the boiling water. Mix on medium speed while slowly adding the remaining water until well mixed and a ball is formed and the dough is not too hot to handle, 3 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle with a little flour if it gets too wet.
• On a floured surface, knead the dough until it becomes a smooth, elastic ball. Place back in the bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rest for at least 1 hour.
• Working on a floured surface with floured hands, roll out the dough to form a long 'noodle', 1-inch in diameter. Cut 1/2-inch pieces and turn them over so the cut sides are facing up. Flatten with your palm and roll out thin using a rolling pin. The dumpling wrapper should end up about 3 inches in diameter.
• To make the dumplings: Place a small mound of your choice of filling in the middle of the wrapper. (Be very careful not to touch the edges with the filling as this will impede proper sealing of the dumplings. Nothing is worse than dumplings breaking during cooking.) Lightly brush the top half edge with water and fold the wrapper in half to form a half moon shape. Starting on one end fold/pinch the wrapper tightly together. Proceed with this fold/pinch method until the dumpling is completely sealed. There will be approximately 7 to 10 folds per dumpling. Rest the dumplings with the folded edges straight up, then cook as desired.

DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Whilst your stew is bubbling, make the dumplings. Weigh the flour into a bowl and add ½ tsp salt. Stir through the suet and parsley, if using. Make a well in the centre and add 3 tbsp cold water, mix to a dough, adding more water until the dough is firm but pliable. Divide into eight equal pieces and roll in a little more flour into balls. Chill until needed.
• When the stew has about 30 mins to go, arrange the dumplings on top and cover with a lid. With the oven at 160C/140C fan/gas 3, cook the stew and dumplings for 20 mins, then remove the lid and cook for another 10 mins until they're brown and puffed up.

GRANDMA'S DUMPLINGS FROM SCRATCH: 100+ YEAR OLD RECIPE

Steps:

• Mix the first 6 ingredients together until combined. Slowly add the water until you form a dough. You may have to add more or less water to form the ball.
• Roll out the dumpling dough on a floured surface thin and cut into bite size pieces.
• Drop them one at a time into simmering chicken/broth. She would always drop a few then wait a bit, then drop a few more. She said this kept them from sticking together in the end. After they are all added, give a gentle stir (once or twice around the pot, then leave it alone).
• Let the dumplings simmer in the chicken/broth mixture until they float to the top (about 15 minutes or so). I have let them simmer a longer, and that's fine. She would taste the broth one last time after the dumplings were done for seasoning before we got to eat them!

VIETNAMESE TAPIOCA WATER DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• To make the scallion oil, heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot enough to sizzle a scallion ring upon contact, add the scallions and stir immediately to evenly cook. When the scallions have collapsed and are soft, about 30 seconds, transfer to a small heatproof bowl, and set aside to cool completely.
• To make the filling, add the oil to the hot skillet. Add the shallot and cook, stirring constantly, for about 45 seconds, or until fragrant and beginning to brown. Add the pork, stirring and mashing it into small pieces, and cook for about 1 minute, or until it is no longer pink. Add the shrimp, salt, sugar, pepper, and fish sauce. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 4 minutes, or until the flavors have concentrated, there is little liquid left , and the mixture is lightly sizzling. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool completely. You should have about 1 cup. (The scallion oil and filling can be prepared up to 2 days in advance and brought to room temperature before using.)
• To make the sauce, combine the sugar, fish sauce, vinegar, and shrimp shell stock in a small bowl. Stir to dissolve the sugar, taste, and make any flavor adjustments. Add the chiles and set aside until serving time.
• To make the dough, combine the tapioca starch, wheat starch, and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the water. Stir until the water has been absorbed and the mixture is lumpy. Add the 2 tablespoons oil and work it in before pressing the ingredients together into a rough ball. Knead for 1 to 2 minutes on an unfloured work surface, until the dough is snowy white, smooth, and very malleable. Cut into 4 pieces and put in a zip-top plastic bag and seal well. Set aside for 5 minutes to rest before using. This dough can be prepared up to 6 hours in advance and kept at room temperature in the bag.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Working with 1 piece of dough at a time to form the wrappers, roll it on an unfloured work surface into an 8-inch log. (If the dough cracks when rolled, a sign of dryness, very lightly oil your hands and knead it into the dough.) Cut the log into 8 pieces. Follow the instructions on "Forming Wrappers from Wheat Starch Dough" (page 133) to shape thick circles that are about 2 3/4 inches in diameter.
• Once a batch of wrappers is finished, assemble some dumplings. For each dumpling, hold a wrapper in a slightly cupped hand. Position about 1 1/2 teaspoons of filling slightly off-center toward the upper half of the wrapper, gently pressing down to compact and keeping about 1/2 to 3/4 inch of wrapper clear on all sides. Bring up the edge and seal to make a half-moon (see page 26 for details on this shape). Seal well by pressing the rim to meld the edges into one. Set the finished dumpling on the prepared baking sheet. Make more dumplings from the remaining wrappers, set them on the baking sheet spaced apart slightly, and cover them with plastic wrap to prevent drying. Continue making wrappers and assembling dumplings. The dumplings can sit for about 1 hour before cooking but cannot be refrigerated.
• To cook, fill a large pot two-thirds full with water and bring to a boil. Add the dumplings in batches of 8 to 12; they should float right up to the surface. After the water returns to a boil (cover the pot if it is a slow go), adjust the heat to gently boil the dumplings for 6 minutes, flipping them midway. They are done when glossy and the rims look mostly clear. Meanwhile, partially fill a bowl with warm water and set near the stove. Spread about one-third of the scallion oil garnish on 2 serving plates and set nearby. Use a slotted spoon to scoop up the cooked dumplings, pausing at the top to allow excess water to fall back into the pot. Deposit them in the water bowl and let them sit in the water for about 30 seconds; this removes excess starch. Transfer them to the serving plates. Cover with an aluminum foil tent or inverted bowl while you cook the remaining dumplings.
• These dumplings are best warm, but are fine at room temperature. Top them with the remaining scallion oil, then present with the sauce. Enjoy with a spoon and fork or chopsticks.

EGG DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Bring 2 1/2 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add 3 1/2 teaspoons salt.
• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, and eggs. Add 2/3 cup water and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Using your hand, mix to form a dough. Divide the dough into quarters.
• Place one quarter of the dough on a small, dampened cutting board, flattening to 1/2-inch thick. Dip a paring knife into the boiling water, and cut the dough into 1-by-1/2-inch pieces directly into the boiling water. Repeat process with remaining dough. If the knife begins to stick to the dough, dip it into the boiling water.
• As dumplings are cooking, stir water occasionally to prevent sticking. When dumplings rise to the surface, use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a colander to drain. Place in a medium and drizzle with remaining tablespoon oil, and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

HOMEMADE DUMPLING WRAPPERS

Steps:

• Place the flour in a large bowl and set the bowl on a damp kitchen towel so it won't slip. Add the hot water in a steady stream while stirring with chopsticks or a fork. Stir until all the flour is hydrated and the mixture becomes shaggy. Let stand until cool enough to handle, 2 to 5 minutes.
• Use your hands to gather and knead the shaggy mass into a ball in the bowl. Turn out onto a work surface and knead until slightly elastic, 5 to 10 minutes. The dough should be tacky but not sticky, and it won't look completely smooth. If it sticks to the surface, flour the work surface lightly and continue kneading. Knead into a ball and cover loosely with a clean damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Let stand for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.
• Divide the dough in half. Roll one piece to a 1/16-inch thickness. You shouldn't need to flour the surface while rolling, but do so if the dough is sticking. Once the dough is thin enough, lift it off the surface, flour the surface lightly, and place the dough back down. Cut out 3 1/2-inch rounds as close together as possible, then gather the scraps and cover the rounds with the damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Repeat with the remaining dough and knead those scraps with the first batch of scraps, then let rest for 5 minutes before rerolling and cutting. (See Note for a more traditional way to roll the wrappers.) Use the wrappers immediately for dumplings, such as chile crisp dumplings.