Steamed Dumpling Recipe

Prepare cabbage

Place the finely chopped napa cabbage in a bowl, sprinkle with a pinch of salt (about 1/8 tsp), toss and let sit 5 minutes. Squeeze out excess liquid firmly with your hands or in a clean kitchen towel until mostly dry. This prevents soggy filling.

Mix filling

In a medium bowl combine the ground meat (or filling), drained cabbage, chopped green onions, grated ginger, minced garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, Shaoxing wine, salt, white pepper and cornstarch. Mix thoroughly with a spoon or by hand until the mixture is slightly sticky and well combined, about 1–2 minutes. Cover and refrigerate while you prepare wrappers (or use immediately).

Prepare steamer

Bring a pot or wok of water to a simmer (not rolling boil). If using a bamboo or metal steamer, line the steamer basket with a perforated parchment round or a napa cabbage leaf and lightly brush with 1 tsp vegetable oil to prevent sticking.

Fill wrappers

Place one dumpling wrapper on a clean work surface. Keep the remaining wrappers covered with a damp towel to prevent drying. Spoon about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of filling into the center of the wrapper (enough for 1 dumpling).

Seal dumplings

Dip your finger in water and moisten the wrapper edge (about 2 tsp water divided among wrappers). Fold the wrapper over the filling to form a half-moon and press edges to seal, removing air. For a pleated finish, make 4–6 small pleats on one side while pressing to the opposite edge. Ensure each dumpling is well sealed. Repeat until you have 6 dumplings.

Steam dumplings

Place dumplings into the prepared steamer basket leaving space between them so they don't touch. Cover and steam over simmering water for 8–10 minutes for pork (or 6–8 minutes for chicken/vegetarian) until filling reaches safe temperature (pork 70°C/160°F) and wrappers are tender and slightly translucent. Avoid boiling water — maintain a steady simmer.

Finish

Carefully remove the steamer from the pot. Let dumplings rest 1 minute, then use tongs or a spatula to transfer to a serving plate. If desired, brush with a few drops of sesame oil for shine and flavor.

Whisk together 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1/2 tsp sesame oil, 1/2 tsp chili oil (or a pinch of chili flakes), 1/4 tsp sugar (optional) and the sliced green onion in a small bowl. Taste and adjust — add more vinegar for tang, more soy for saltiness, or more chili for heat. Serve alongside steaming dumplings.