Pork Soup Dumplings (4pcs） Recipe
Recipe information
Make Pork Soup Dumplings (4pcs） in just 4h . Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
Dough
Pork Filling
Soup (Aspic) - makes enough for 4 dumplings
Assembly & Serving
Soup (Aspic) - make first, cool and refrigerate
1. Simmer stock
Place pork skin/hock (or chicken carcass) in a small pot with 2 cups cold water, ginger slices, and scallion pieces. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Skim any scum for 5 minutes, then simmer gently for 45 minutes to 1 hour to extract collagen and flavor.
2. Strain and season
Strain the broth through a fine mesh into a bowl. Discard solids. Taste and add 1/2 tsp salt. If your strained broth is already rich and gelatinous after cooling, you can skip gelatin. If using store-bought broth or you want a firmer aspic, sprinkle 1 tsp unflavored gelatin over 1-2 tbsp cold water to bloom for 5 minutes, then stir into hot broth to dissolve.
3. Chill until set
Pour the warm broth into a shallow container to a depth of about 1/4–1/2 inch (enough so that each dumpling will get ~1 tbsp when diced). Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate uncovered until fully set, at least 3 hours. Chill until firm enough to dice into small cubes.
4. Dice aspic
Once set, remove aspic from refrigerator and cut into small 1/4-inch cubes. Keep refrigerated until ready to fold into filling.
Dough
5. Mix dough
Place 1 cup all-purpose flour and 1/4 tsp salt in a bowl. Pour 1/2 cup boiling water into the flour while stirring with a fork or chopsticks until shaggy. Add 1 tsp vegetable oil and up to 1/4 cup cold water gradually until the dough comes together and is slightly tacky but not sticky.
6. Knead and rest
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 4–5 minutes until smooth. Form into a ball, coat lightly with oil, cover with plastic wrap or a bowl, and rest at room temperature for 20–30 minutes to relax the gluten.
7. Divide and roll wrappers
After resting, divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a small ball, then use a rolling pin to press and roll each ball into a thin round wrapper about 3 inches (7–8 cm) diameter. Thinner at edges, slightly thicker in center. Dust with a little flour to prevent sticking and cover with a damp towel while assembling.
Pork Filling
8. Prepare aromatics
Separate the scallion whites and greens. Finely chop the whites (about 1 tbs) and reserve greens for garnish. Finely grate 1 tsp fresh ginger.
9. Season pork
Place 1/2 cup ground pork in a bowl. Add 1 tsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp Shaoxing wine, 1/2 tsp sesame oil, 1/4 tsp sugar, 1/8 tsp white pepper, 1/8 tsp salt, the finely chopped scallion whites (about 1 tbs), and grated ginger. Mix thoroughly with a spoon or chopsticks in one direction until the mixture becomes sticky and cohesive, about 30–60 seconds.
10. Fold in aspic
Gently fold in the chilled aspic cubes to the seasoned pork filling. Use enough aspic so each dumpling will contain about 1–1.5 tbsp of aspic in total (reserve some if overstuffed). Keep filling cold; refrigerate briefly if it softens.
Assembly & Steaming
11. Fill wrappers
Lightly oil your palms to prevent sticking. Place one wrapper on your palm or a work surface. Put about 1 tbsp of pork-aspic filling in the center (enough to mound slightly).
12. Pleat and seal
Using your thumb and index finger, fold pleats around the filling to seal the dumpling, forming a small purse with the top pinched tightly. Aim for 12 small pleats or whatever is comfortable — the seal must be tight to keep soup inside. Wipe any excess filling from the rim to ensure a good seal.
13. Prepare steamer
Line a bamboo or metal steamer with parchment paper perforated with small holes or with cabbage leaves to prevent sticking. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and place the steamer over it.
14. Steam dumplings
Place up to 4 dumplings in the steamer with space between them. Steam over high heat for 8–10 minutes until wrappers appear slightly translucent and pork is cooked through (internal temperature ~165°F / 74°C). Keep the lid covered to maintain steam.
15. Rest briefly
Turn off heat and let dumplings sit in the closed steamer for 1 minute to settle; this helps the soup redistribute inside.
16. Serve
Carefully transfer dumplings to a serving plate. Serve hot with a small bowl of rice or black vinegar mixed with sliced ginger for dipping. Garnish with reserved scallion greens if desired.
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