Fried Dumplings (8) Recipe

Prepare vegetables

Place the shredded cabbage in a bowl, sprinkle a pinch of salt, toss, and let sit 5 minutes. Squeeze out excess moisture using your hands or a towel until mostly dry. This prevents soggy filling.

In a mixing bowl combine the ground pork (or chosen protein), squeezed cabbage, chopped scallions, minced garlic, grated ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, black pepper and cornstarch. Mix thoroughly until the mixture is sticky and well combined, about 1–2 minutes of mixing. Set aside.

Prepare a clean work surface dusted lightly with the tablespoon of flour to keep wrappers from sticking. Keep a small bowl of cold water nearby to seal wrappers.

Place a dumpling wrapper on the work surface. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the filling into the center of each wrapper. Avoid overfilling to ensure proper sealing and frying (you should be able to fold the wrapper edge over without filling spilling).

Dip your fingertip into the cold water and run a thin line around half the edge of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper in half over the filling to form a half-moon and press the edges together to seal. For a tighter seal, pleat the edges by making 3 small folds along the curved edge as you press. Repeat until all wrappers are filled — this recipe yields about 24 small dumplings; you can fry in batches to get 8 larger servings (3 dumplings per serving) or adjust as desired.

Place assembled dumplings on a tray dusted with flour, not touching, to prevent sticking. If you won’t fry immediately, cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 hours.

Pour oil into a heavy saucepan or deep skillet to a depth of about 1.5–2 inches (approximately 3 cups). Heat over medium-high until the oil reaches 350°F (175°C) — test by dropping a small piece of wrapper in: it should sizzle and rise to the surface.

Working in batches (do not overcrowd), gently lower 6–8 dumplings into the hot oil using a slotted spoon or spider. Fry 2–3 minutes on the first side until the bottoms are golden brown, then gently turn each dumpling and fry another 2–3 minutes until evenly golden and crisp. Total frying time per batch is about 4–6 minutes depending on size and oil temperature. Use a thermometer and adjust heat as needed to keep oil at 325–350°F (160–175°C).

Once golden and cooked through, remove dumplings with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack set over a baking sheet or on paper towels. Keep fried dumplings warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven while you finish remaining batches.

If any dumplings appear undercooked inside, return briefly to hot oil for 30–60 seconds until cooked through. Ensure internal temperature of meat filling reaches 165°F (74°C) if using poultry.

Whisk together 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon sugar (or honey), chili flakes and chopped scallion in a small bowl. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve alongside hot dumplings.

Arrange fried dumplings on a platter. Garnish with extra chopped scallion or a light sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds if desired. Serve immediately while hot and crispy.