Mimi’s Pork Dumplings
The world’s best pan-fried pork dumplings!
I am SO happy that @feedmi_ came over to give me a dumpling masterclass. I’ve always wanted to learn how to make dumplings and she was such an incredible teacher.
Honestly, I was surprised these weren’t as challenging as I anticipated. It definitely takes a few tries for the wrapping of the dumpling, but you get into the swing of things really quickly and then it’s just super FUN. My husband and I had a date night a few nights later and made them together (had to practise them again quickly after Mimi left) and it was a blast. We decided this is going to be a fun tradition for our family moving forward!
Prep for the Dumplings:
Super helpful to have all of your prep ready to go so you can add everything into a bowl and mix. It helps me stay neat and organized throughout the cooking process and I highly recommend.
For the cabbage you can use Napa cabbage or green cabbage and for the mushrooms you can use portobello or shiitake.
Mimi said you could play around with different proteins here! Maybe chopped shrimp, or pork/shrimp combination - options are endless. Once you add all of the ingredients into a big bowl, give it a really good mix and we’re on our way.
Wrapping the Dumplings
Grab two damp cloths - one will be used to cover the dumpling wrappers, and the other will be used to cover the folded and ready-to-go dumplings until we fry.
Take one dumpling wrapper from under the damp cloth and set on your working surface. Have a bowl of water nearby so you can dip your finger in the water and wet the outer edges of the wrapper. This is going to help seal the dumpling together. Add an oval-shaped spoonful of pork (you don’t want this too big or else it will be tricky to seal the dumpling) to the middle of the wrapper and then seal it in the centre (almost like a taco).
Make three pleats towards the centre of the wrapper on both sides. To seal the corners, we’re going to push them in and pinch to seal. Make sure to pinch the whole top of the dumpling so it’s properly sealed. Note that the pleats are all on one side of the dumpling and the other side will be flat!
Mimi suggested an easier method if you just want to seal the dumplings together (totally fine, because the above method take some practise!) - you can fold in half and pinch to seal.
Keep the formed dumplings under that second damp cloth until we’re ready to fry!
Storing the Dumplings
At this point you can fry them right away or stock them away in the freezer! If you’re going to freeze them, lay them flat (without touching) and let them freeze for a few hours. Then transfer to a bag or airtight container (they won’t stick together) and then back in the freezer.
Pan Frying the Dumplings
Over medium-high heat, add a drizzle of oil and then sear the dumplings for about 2 minutes until they get nice and golden on the bottom. Add a splash of water (until it just covers the bottom of the pan) and then cover to steam for about 5 minutes, or until the water has evaporated.
The dumpling sauce is a combination of soy sauce, chili oil, black vinegar, chopped garlic and green onions. We garnished with more green onions and sesame seeds on top and all set! These are now an absolute staple in this household.
Ingredients:
DUMPLINGS:
1 lb pre-made frozen circular dumpling wrapper
1 lb ground pork
2 shiitake or portobello mushrooms
1 cup napa or green cabbage
6 garlic cloves
2 inch piece of ginger
⅕ onion
3 green onions
2 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs mushroom or chicken bouillon
½ tbs black pepper
½ tbs sesame oil
1 tsp sesame seeds
DUMPLING SAUCE:
2 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs chili oil
1 tsp black vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 green onion (green part only)
Preparation:
MAKE FILLING:
finely chop mushrooms, cabbage, garlic, ginger, onion, & green onions
in a large mixing bowl, combine ground pork and finely chopped veggies (save 1 green onion to garnish at the end)
season with soy sauce, bouillon, black pepper, & sesame oil
mix everything together until combined
optional: pan fry a small piece of the pork mixture, taste test, and adjust seasonings if needed
FOLD DUMPLINGS:
defrost pre-made dumpling wrappers
place wet paper towel over dumpling wrappers to keep it from drying out while you're folding
add a small spoonful of the filling and place in the center of wrapper dough
mold the meat filling into an oval shape
wet the outer edges of the dough with water
fold wrapper in half
on the frontside of the wrapper, make 3 pleats towards the center on each left and right side (the backside will be flat with no pleats)
push the ends in to seal corners
pinch tops to seal
cover folded dumplings with a wet paper towel to keep it from drying out
To freeze, place dumplings flat on a sheet so they don't touch and stick to each other. Place in freezer until hard then transfer to container or bag to save freezer space.
EASIER FOLD METHOD:
add a small spoonful of the filling and place in the center of wrapper dough
mold the meat into an oval shape
fold wrapper in half
pinch edges to seal
COOK DUMPLINGS:
add a drizzle of oil to a pan
pan-sear dumplings on medium-high heat for 2 minutes until golden brown
add just enough water to cover the pan
steam covered for 5 minutes until water is gone
SERVE:
top dumplings with sesame seeds and the remaining green onions
mix together all dumpling sauce ingredients, adjust to liking, serve, & enjoy!
