Fried Dumplings (8) Recipe

Prepare the cabbage

Place the chopped cabbage in a bowl, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, toss, and let sit 5 minutes. Squeeze out excess liquid firmly with your hands or a towel. Measure out 1 cup of the drained cabbage for the filling.

Make the filling

In a mixing bowl combine the ground pork, drained cabbage, sliced green onions, grated ginger, minced garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly until the mixture is sticky and well combined (about 1–2 minutes of vigorous mixing).

Fill the wrappers

Prepare a small bowl of water to seal wrappers. Place one dumpling wrapper on a clean work surface, spoon about 1 tablespoon (approx. 15 g) of filling into the center of each wrapper. Dip your fingertip in water and moisten the edge of the wrapper. Fold wrapper over the filling to form a half-moon and press edges to seal, pleating if desired. Repeat until all 8 wrappers are filled. Keep finished dumplings lightly covered with a damp towel to prevent drying.

Pan-fry (potsticker) method

Heat a nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and swirl to coat. Arrange dumplings in a single layer in the pan, flat side down, leaving a little space between them. Fry for 2–3 minutes without moving until the bottoms are golden brown.

Steam-fry to finish

Carefully add 1/4 cup water to the pan (it will sizzle). Immediately cover the pan with a tight lid. Reduce heat to medium-low and steam for 5–6 minutes, until the filling is cooked through (pork reaches 71°C / 160°F). Remove the lid and continue cooking 30–60 seconds to allow remaining water to evaporate and bottoms to re-crisp.

Finish and serve

Drizzle the finished dumplings with 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil if using. Transfer to a serving plate and serve hot with dipping sauce (about 4 tablespoons soy sauce or your preferred sauce).