Pork and Chive Dumplings

These pork and chive dumplings (韭菜猪肉饺子) are classic Chinese dumplings filled with ground pork and Asian chives. The fillings are super juicy and flavorful and tastes great both boiled or pan fried. Our recipe will show you 2 ways to fold these dumplings and both the boiled and pan fried method with step by step photos.

Pork and chive dumplings have got to be my ultimate favorite dumplings! These dumplings makes for great pan fried dumplings and even better boiled dumplings.

The filling is super juicy, flavorful, and full of that garlicky chive flavor, which is exactly what these dumplings are known for. You can easily eat a dozen of these chive dumplings on your own, but personally I like to eat it like dim sum. I like to make a hole in the dumpling wrapper and pour some Chinese black vinegar into the dumpling to help balance the fattiness.

Kyong loves to eat any and all dumplings with some of our homemade Chinese chili oil. So feel free to choose what kind of dipping sauce you prefer. If you like a more classic dumpling dipping sauce, check it out on our pan fried pork dumplings recipe.

If you're looking for more dumpling recipes, you might be interested in our Korean steamed mandu recipe. It's a classic, and you can turn the leftover mandu into tteok mandu guk!

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• How to make the dumpling filling
• Dumpling fold #1 (best for boiling)
• Dumpling fold #2 (best for pan frying)
• How to boil the pork and chive dumplings
• Pan frying the dumplings
• Recipe tips
• Storage
• FAQ
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Feedback

Ingredients

Please scroll down to the recipe card for the ingredient quantities!

• Asian chives - Also known as Chinese chives or garlic chives. You can find it at most Asian markets. They are usually much thicker and longer than regular chives and are quite pungent. It's a must have for this type of dumplings.
• Ground pork - We recommend using ground pork with at least 30 percent fat. This way the dumpling fillings will be extra flavorful, juicy, and tender. If the pork doesn't have enough fat, you'll notice that the filling will have a rougher, drier texture.
• Water - This is add extra moisture to the filling. The ground pork will absorb it and keep the filling moist.

• Soy sauce - We used light sodium soy sauce. If you are using regular soy sauce, use a bit less and season to taste.
• Oyster sauce - It is common to add shrimps or prawns to pork dumplings to increase the savory sweetness of the filling. Oyster sauce does the same thing here.
• Shaoxing rice wine - Just a little shaoxing rice wine will help get rid of the unwanted porky-ness in the filling and make the filling more fragrant.
• Ginger - Fresh ginger also helps to cut out any unwanted porky-ness in the filling and adds more flavor and fragrance.
• Sesame oil - Just a little toasted sesame oil will add extra flavor, fragrance, and a subtle toasted, nutty flavor.
• Egg - To help bind the filling.
• Oil - For coating the Asian chives. This make the chives taste better and helps to keep its green color. Any neutral oil will do.
• Dumpling wrappers - Any round dumpling wrappers will do. Our favorite is the Twin Marquis brand. These wrappers usually come frozen. We find them best defrosted 2 to 3 days in advance so that the edges get enough time to get hydrated.

How to make the dumpling filling

1. Prepare the chives: Thoroughly rinse and wash the Asian chives a few times, especially near the thick stem areas, to get rid of any dirt. Shake the chives to remove as much water as possible. Then, dry the chives further with clean towels or let them air dry.

2. Cut the chives: Once the chives are dried, cut off about 1½ to 2 inches of the thick, woody ends of the chives. Then, thinly slice them to no more than ¼ inch thick.

3. Coat the chives with oil: Place the chives in a mixing bowl, and add the 2 tablespoons of oil. Stir and mix well, until the chives are evenly and well coated with oil. Set aside until needed.

4. Mix the ground pork with water: In a large mixing bowl, add the ground pork and water. Mix well until the water has been absorbed.

5. Season and finish the filling: Next, add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, shaoxing rice wine, ginger, sesame oil, and egg. Mix until everything is evenly combined. Then, in one direction, vigorously stir until the pork looks kind of paste-like. Add the prepared chives and mix until evenly incorporated.

Dumpling fold #1 (best for boiling)

1. Wet the entire edge of the wrapper and place about 1 to 2 tablespoons of filling in the center. It might be easier for you to have less filling when you first practice this fold.

2. Bring the bottom edge of the wrapper up and pinch the middle.

3. Cup the dumpling between your hands and push the front side of the wrapper towards the middle. Pinch down firmly with your forefingers and thumbs to seal the dumplings.

🌟 Pro tip: If need be, overlap your forefingers when pinching so that you can apply more pressure around the ends of the dumpling.

4. You can go back over and pinch the edge of the wrapper to ensure the dumpling is completely sealed.

Dumpling fold #2 (best for pan frying)

1. Wet the entire edge of the wrapper and place about 1 to 2 tablespoons of filling in the center. It might be easier for you to use less filling when you first practice this fold.

2. Fold the dumpling wrapper in half, like a taco shell. Starting from one end of the dumpling, firmly pinch together the wrapper to start the fold.

3. Choose the side you're most comfortable with (front or back) and start folding the wrapper like a zig-zag with one hand and pinching the fold with the other to form your first crimp. Repeat this motion until you get to the other end of the dumpling. The more crimps you have, the smaller and tighter the dumpling will be.

🌟 Pro tip: When you get about ¾ of the way and dumpling filling seems to be pushing out, you can either take some out or use your thumb to push the filling back in while folding. This will give you the most full-looking dumpling, but may take some practice.

4. When you get to the end of the dumpling, make another crimp to seal the dumpling or simply pinch together the wrapper to seal.

5. You can go back and reinforce your crimps by pinching together the entire edge of the wrapper. This will ensure your dumpling is completely sealed.

How to boil the pork and chive dumplings

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the dumplings into the boiling water. Immediately stir the dumplings gently to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

🌟 Pro tip: Stir from the side of the pot towards the center and preferably with a spoon. This way. there's much less chances of accidentally stabbing a dumpling and breaking it.

2. Bring the water back to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium. Add about ½ cup of cold water to the pot and bring the water back to a boil. Repeat this 2 more times, then remove the dumplings.

📝 Note: It is a great sign if you see the dumplings puffing up as they are cooking!

3. Enjoy the dumplings while hot, on their own or with some black vinegar and/or chili oil.

Pan frying the dumplings

1. Mix together ½ cup of water and 2 teaspoons of all-purpose flour until well combined. Set aside. *For pan frying with the skirt, skip the flour*

2. In a large nonstick pan over medium high heat, add 2 tablespoons of oil. Arrange the dumplings in the pan (about 10 to 13 per batch) and pan fry the bottoms until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes.

🌟 Pro tip: If you prefer a lacier look to your dumpling skirt, use a bit more oil. The oil will fry the starch, giving the skirt a lacy appearance. Also, the amount of dumplings you have in a pan can affect how the skirt looks. Having less dumplings means more space for the skirt to show.

3. Give the water and flour mixture a good mix and pour it around the pan. Reduce the heat to medium and cover the pan. Let the dumplings steam for 5 to 6 minutes.

4. Then, uncover the pan and keep cooking until the remaining water evaporates and the bottom "skirt" turns golden brown and crispy. If some parts of your skirt is pale, adjust the pan so that the paler parts gets the heat.

5. Remove from heat and place a plate on the dumplings. Carefully hold the plate and flip the pan. Enjoy the dumplings hot, on their own or with some chili oil.

🌟 Pro tip: If there are excess leftover oil, use a tissue to soak it up before flipping to prevent burning yourself! Also, a plate that fits right on the dumplings will be better for flipping. This way your dumplings won't "fall" when you flip the pan.

Recipe tips

• If the ground pork has less than 30 percent fat, you can add a couple tablespoons of neutral oil to supplement. This will keep the filling tasting juicier and more tender, but it's best if the ground pork has sufficient fat.
• Dry the chives well to prevent adding too much extra water into the filling, diluting the flavor. It'll also help the chives to get coated with oil later.
• Feel free to taste and adjust the flavor of the filling. Just take a small amount, flatten it and cook it on a pan or microwave it until the sample until full cooked for a quick taste test. You'll always want to season the fillings a bit more than you'd like to compensate for the dumpling wrappers.

Storage

These dumplings are great for making ahead and freezing for later! Just wrap and assemble the dumplings on a sheet pan or plate lined with cling film. Make sure to keep some space between each and freeze them until completely frozen. Store them in airtight containers or freezer bags. Cook as desired.

For already cooked dumplings, they are best enjoyed right after cooking. The juice from the filling will get absorbed into the wrapper as they sit. Also, pan fried ones won't be as crispy afterwards either.

FAQ

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