Fried Dumplings Recipe

Prepare cabbage

Finely chop the Napa cabbage, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, place in a bowl and let sit 5 minutes. Squeeze out as much water as possible using your hands or a clean towel. This prevents a watery filling.

Mix filling

In a medium bowl combine ground pork, squeezed cabbage, finely sliced green onion, minced garlic, grated ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, Shaoxing wine, cornstarch, salt, and white pepper. Mix thoroughly with a spoon or by hand until the mixture becomes slightly sticky (about 1–2 minutes). Cover and refrigerate 10 minutes to let flavors meld.

Set up an assembly station: wrappers on a floured surface, a small bowl of water, and a spoon or small cookie scoop for filling. Keep a damp towel over unused wrappers to prevent drying.

Place one wrapper on your palm. Put about 1 generous teaspoon (roughly 12–15 g) of filling in the center. Dip your finger in the water and moisten the edge of the wrapper. Fold in half to form a half-moon, press to seal the center, then create 3 small pleats on one side pressing each into the opposite edge to form a classic pleated dumpling. Repeat until all wrappers are filled. This recipe yields about 24 dumplings.

Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1½ tablespoons neutral oil and swirl to coat the pan.

Arrange 8–12 dumplings in the pan in a single layer, flat side down, with a little space between them. Do not overcrowd; cook in batches if needed.

Cook undisturbed for 2–3 minutes until the bottoms are golden brown.

Carefully add 1/3 cup (about 80 ml) water to the pan — enough to come up about 1/4 to 1/3 of the dumpling height. Immediately cover with a tight-fitting lid to trap steam. Reduce heat to medium-low and steam for 5–6 minutes, or until the filling is cooked through (pork should reach 71°C/160°F).

Remove the lid and increase heat to medium-high to evaporate any remaining water (about 1 minute). Add the remaining 1½ tablespoons oil around the dumplings and let fry 1 more minute to re-crisp the bottoms.

Transfer dumplings to a platter and keep warm while you cook remaining batches.

Combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, chili flakes (or oil), sugar, and sliced green onion in a small bowl. Stir until sugar dissolves. Adjust to taste (more vinegar for tang, more sugar for balance). Serve alongside hot dumplings.