Pan-Fried Pork Dumplings (猪肉煎饺)

Ingredient substitution:

• Asian chives - These chives are also known as garlic chives. They have a very fragrant smell and taste like garlic. Although they are a major flavor profile in this recipe, you can totally omit them if they are not available in your area. Instead, substitute them with regular sliced green onions.

• Ground pork - Sometimes ground pork can be out of stock at our grocery stores. For those occasions, we like to pick up a slab or pork belly and some lean pork chop instead. We chop up 2 parts pork belly to 1 part lean pork chop to make our own ground pork. You could use a meat grinder instead of chopping by hand.

• Shaoxing rice wine - A great ingredient to add flavor and aroma, especial for pork dishes. This is usually located at or around the soy sauce aisle, but if you can't find it you could substitute it for 1 part water to 1 part dry/ cooking sherry. You could also omit it all together.

Expert Tips:

1. Use ground pork with at least 20% fat. Having enough fat in the ground pork is essential for juicy, tender dumpling filling. It'll also give more flavors to the vegetables, making the dumpling more fragrant. If your grocery stores only carry leaner ground pork, you can grind/ food process some fatty pork belly (without the skin) and add it to your ground pork.

2. Add a small amount of water to the filling. This is a MUST tip from my mom. When the water is added with some vigorous mixing, the ground pork will absorb the water and release it when it's cooked. This results in juicy dumplings, even if you ground pork is on the leaner side. You could also use stock or broth instead.

3. Let the dumpling wrapper warm up before using. If you are using pre-made dumpling wrapper, do let the wrapper completely thaw and warm up slightly on your kitchen counter before using. This will allow the dough to become more pliable and easier to pleat. Without our go-to wrapper band, we usually let ours dumpling wrappers sit out for about 30 minutes.

4. Keep the dumplings covered. It is crucial that you keep both the finished dumplings and the dumpling wrappers covered to prevent the dumpling skin from drying and hardening. Dried dumpling wrappers will crack and break when used, and when cooked, the texture will be a little bit tougher and chewier.

How to store and freeze dumplings

Any cooked dumplings can be stored in the fridge and reheated up to 3 days for best flavor and texture. Just make sure to properly wrap them or store them in airtight containers.

For any uncooked dumplings, they freezer amazingly! You can cook them straight from the freezer, no need to defrost. Just increase the cooking time for a few minutes.

To freeze uncooked dumplings:

1. Line a sheet pan or freezer safe plateware with plastic wrap or parchment paper. Arrange the dumplings on the sheet pan without touching each other.
2. Freeze the dumplings for 1-2 hours, or until they are completely frozen.
3. Transfer the dumplings into resealable bags or airtight containers.
4. Freeze up to 2 months for best flavor and texture.

Step by step dumpling pleating method:

This method pleats the dumpling form one direction to the other, also known as the one directional pleat. It's very beginner friendly, and one of our favorite pleating methods!

1. Place about 1 tablespoon of filling on the center of the wrapper and lightly dab some water along the edges of the entire wrapper. *As you get more practice pleating dumplings, you can add more filling to your dumpling.*

2. Fold the wrapper in half like a taco and pinch one end of the wrapper to seal. That is where you will start pleating. Using your forefingers, make a backward "s," then pinch and seal. Repeat this motion all the way across the dumpling. Some people prefer using their thumbs instead, so feel free to find what's comfortable for you.

3. At the end of the pleat, simply pinch the wrapper together to seal the dumpling. Try to leave spaces in the dumpling to prevent air bubbles. Air bubbles will expand when the dumplings are cooking and can break the seal.

4. Lastly, as a precaution, I like to go back over the pleats and give the folds an extra pinch to make sure the filling is sealed. This will prevent our juicy filling from leaking and losing flavor.

Alternative cooking methods:

• Steamed: Arrange the dumplings in a steam basket, lined with either cabbage leaves or perforated parchment circles. Place the basket over boiling water and steam the dumplings for about 8 minutes, or until the interior is hot.

• Boiled: Gently drop the dumplings into a pot of boiling water (over medium high heat) and give it a couple of stirs. Bring the water back up to a boil and the dumplings float to the top. Add ½ cup of cold water to the dumplings and bring it back to a boil. Repeat this step 2-3 more times or until the dumplings are completely cooked. It usually only takes us 6-8 minutes to cook the dumplings.

• Deep fried: In a deep fryer or frying pan with about 3 inches of frying oil, heat oil to 350°F. Carefully drop the dumplings into the oil and fry for 3-4 minutes, or until the outside is golden brown and the filling is cooked.

FAQs