Handmade Dimsum 7 Recipe

Make dough

Put the all-purpose flour and 1/2 tsp salt in a large bowl. Slowly pour the boiling water into the flour while stirring with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms coarse lumps. Add the cold water and continue mixing until a shaggy dough forms.

Knead & rest

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 6–8 minutes until smooth and elastic. If dough is too sticky, dust lightly with flour. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Shape wrappers

Divide the rested dough into two pieces. Roll each into a log about 1.25 inches (3 cm) in diameter. Cut each log into 18–20 equal pieces (total about 36–40). Keep pieces covered. Flatten a piece with your palm, then roll with a small rolling pin into a 3.5–4 inch (9–10 cm) round, slightly thicker in the center and thinner at the edges. Dust finished wrappers with cornstarch to keep them from sticking.

Prepare filling

Place the ground pork and chopped shrimp in a large mixing bowl. Add grated ginger, minced garlic, sliced green onions, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, Shaoxing wine, white pepper, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp cornstarch and the half egg white. Mix vigorously in one direction for 1–2 minutes until the mixture becomes sticky and cohesive. This develops a springy texture in the filling.

Adjust seasoning

Taste a small spoonful of the raw filling by cooking it in a skillet until done (optional) and adjust seasoning as needed — more soy for saltiness, sugar or oyster sauce for umami. If the filling is too loose, add an extra 1/2 tsp cornstarch to bind.

Assemble dumplings

Place a wrapper on your palm. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of filling into the center (adjust to wrapper size; avoid overfilling). Moisten half the wrapper edge with a little water. Fold and pleat to seal (potsticker pleat, purse fold, or simple half-moon). Ensure no air pockets and a tight seal. Repeat until all wrappers and filling are used. Place finished dumplings on parchment-lined trays, lightly dusted with cornstarch, and keep covered with a damp towel to prevent drying.

Steam (classic dim sum)

Line a bamboo or metal steamer with parchment or cabbage leaves and lightly oil. Arrange dumplings with space between. Steam over boiling water for 8–10 minutes (for small to medium dumplings) until filling is cooked through and shrimp is opaque. Serve immediately.

Pan-fry (potstickers)

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tbsp neutral oil. Place dumplings in a single layer, flat side down. Fry until bottoms are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Carefully add 1/3 cup water (for a single batch of ~18), cover immediately, and reduce heat to medium-low. Steam for 5–6 minutes until water evaporates and wrappers are cooked. Uncover and cook another 1 minute to re-crisp bottoms. Serve hot.

Boil (shuijiao)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Gently drop dumplings in batches so they don’t stick. Stir gently to prevent sticking. When they float, continue cooking 2–3 minutes until filling is cooked. Remove with a slotted spoon and serve with sauce.

Combine 3 tbs soy sauce, 1 tbs black vinegar, 1/2 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp chili oil (optional), 1/2 tsp sugar and the sliced scallion or chili in a small bowl. Taste and adjust — add more vinegar for tang, soy for salt, or a touch of sugar to balance. Serve alongside hot dumplings.