Pork Dumplings Recipe

Prepare cabbage

Finely shred the Napa cabbage. Place shredded cabbage in a bowl, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, toss and let sit for 10 minutes to draw out moisture. After 10 minutes, squeeze the cabbage firmly in a clean kitchen towel or between your hands to remove excess water. Measure out 1 cup drained cabbage for the filling.

Mix filling

In a large bowl combine ground pork, drained cabbage, sliced green onions, grated ginger, minced garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, Shaoxing wine, salt, white pepper, and cornstarch. If using, add 1/2 tsp sugar. Mix with a spoon or your hands until ingredients are evenly distributed and filling is slightly sticky (2–3 minutes). Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to let flavors meld.

Set up an assembly station: a small bowl of water for sealing, the filling bowl, and a stack of wrappers. Keep a damp towel over unused wrappers so they don't dry out.

Place a wrapper in your palm or on a lightly floured surface. Spoon about 1 teaspoon to 1.5 teaspoons of filling into the center of each wrapper (adjust slightly so you can seal the edge).

Dip a finger into the water and wet the entire edge of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper in half over the filling and press to seal, creating a half-moon. Optionally pleat one side to make traditional dumpling pleats. Make 30 dumplings. Place finished dumplings on parchment or banana leaf squares, not touching each other.

Fill a wok or large pot with about 1–2 inches (2.5–5 cm) of water (about 4 cups). Bring water to a simmer but not a rolling boil. Place a bamboo steamer or metal steamer basket over the simmering water, ensuring water does not touch the steamer floor.

Line steamer trays with lightly oiled parchment rounds or banana leaves to prevent sticking. Arrange dumplings in the steamer tray with space between them for expansion (about 1 inch/2.5 cm).

Cover with the steamer lid and steam over simmering water for 10–12 minutes, until the wrapper is translucent and pork is cooked through (internal temperature 160°F / 71°C). If using a multi-tier steamer, rotate trays halfway through cooking for even steam.

While dumplings steam, make the sauce: in a small bowl combine 1/2 cup ponzu, 1 tsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp mirin, and 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust (add a touch more ponzu for saltiness or a few drops of chili oil for heat). Garnish with chopped cilantro or sliced scallion if desired.

When dumplings are done, transfer to a serving plate. Serve immediately with ponzu sauce on the side for dipping. Provide small plates or ramekins and chopsticks. Leftover dumplings can be cooled and refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen in a single layer then transferred to a bag for up to 1 month.