Boiled Dumpling Recipe

Make and rest dough

In a large bowl, combine 3 cups all-purpose flour and 1 tsp salt. Make a well in the center and pour in 1 cup warm water and 1 tbs vegetable oil. Stir with a wooden spoon or chopsticks until a shaggy dough forms, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead 6–8 minutes until smooth and elastic (dough should spring back slightly). Form into a ball, coat lightly with oil, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and rest 30 minutes to 1 hour to relax the gluten.

Portion and roll wrappers

After resting, divide dough into two equal pieces. Roll one piece into a log about 1.5 inches (4 cm) in diameter and cut into 12 equal pieces (repeat with the second piece to make ~24 wrappers). Keep pieces covered to prevent drying. Take one piece, flatten with palm, dust with flour and roll into a thin round about 3 inches (7–8 cm) across, slightly thinner at the edges. Place rolled wrappers on a lightly floured tray and cover until ready to fill.

Prepare cabbage

Place 2 cups finely chopped Napa cabbage in a bowl, sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt, toss and let sit 10 minutes. Squeeze out excess water using your hands or a towel until mostly dry. This prevents soggy filling.

Mix filling

In a mixing bowl combine 1 lb ground pork, the drained cabbage, 4 sliced green onions, 1 tsp grated ginger, 1 tsp minced garlic, 2 tbs soy sauce, 1 tbs Shaoxing wine, 1 tbs cornstarch, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp white pepper and 3 tsp salt. Using chopsticks or a spoon, mix in one direction until the mixture becomes sticky and well combined (2–3 minutes). Taste a small cooked pinch and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Place a wrapper in the palm of your hand. Spoon about 1 to 1.5 tsp (roughly 12–15 g) of filling into the center—enough to fill without overstuffing. Lightly moisten the wrapper edge with water using your finger. Fold the wrapper in half over the filling to create a half-moon and press the center to seal. Optionally pleat one side toward the center in 3 small pleats to form a tight seal. Ensure there are no air pockets. Place finished dumplings on a floured tray, spaced apart. Repeat until all wrappers and filling are used. You should get about 24–30 dumplings depending on size.

Boil dumplings

Bring 6 cups water to a rolling boil in a wide pot and add 1 tsp salt. Gently lower dumplings into the boiling water in batches without crowding (6–10 at a time depending on pot size). Stir immediately with a slotted spoon to prevent sticking to the bottom. When water returns to a boil, add 1/2 cup cold water to the pot. Allow it to return to a boil again, then add another 1/2 cup cold water. After the second return to boil, the dumplings should be cooked through (about 6–8 minutes total from first drop depending on size). Cook until wrappers turn translucent and filling is fully cooked (internal temp for pork should reach 160°F / 71°C).

Drain and serve

Use a slotted spoon to remove dumplings and drain well. Transfer to serving plates and serve hot with dipping sauce (chili oil, soy dipping sauce, or a mixture of soy sauce, rice vinegar and chili). Optionally garnish with sliced green onions and a drizzle of sesame oil.