Spicy Chili Dumplings Recipe

Prepare cabbage

Place shredded napa cabbage in a bowl, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, toss and let sit 5 minutes. Squeeze out excess liquid firmly and discard liquid. This prevents soggy filling.

Combine filling

In a mixing bowl add ground meat (or tofu), drained cabbage, chopped green onion, minced garlic, grated ginger, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, salt, white pepper and cornstarch. Mix thoroughly with a spatula or chop with a cleaver in a cutting motion until mixture is sticky and well combined (about 1–2 minutes). Chill for 10 minutes to firm up if mixture feels loose.

Lay one dumpling wrapper on a clean work surface. Keep remaining wrappers covered with a damp towel to prevent drying.

Place about 1 heaping tablespoon (roughly 15–18 g) of filling in the center of each wrapper. Do not overfill; you should make 6 dumplings total.

Dip a fingertip in the water and moisten the edge of the wrapper. Fold wrapper in half over the filling to form a half-moon, press to seal in the center, then pleat one side to meet the other to create a tight seal. Ensure there are no air pockets. Repeat for all dumplings.

Pan-fry (potsticker style)

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Place dumplings flat-side down in the skillet with some space between them. Fry until the bottoms are golden brown, about 2–3 minutes.

Carefully pour 60 ml (about 1/4 cup) water into the skillet (it will sizzle), immediately cover with a lid and reduce heat to medium-low. Steam for 5–6 minutes until water has evaporated and wrappers are tender and filling is cooked through. Remove lid and cook 30–60 seconds more to re-crisp the bottoms.

Alternatively, you can boil or fully steam dumplings: boil 6–8 minutes from simmer or steam for 6–8 minutes until filling reaches 74°C (165°F) and wrappers are translucent and tender.

Make dipping sauce: in a small bowl combine 2 tablespoons chili oil, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon black vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust heat or salt as desired. Sprinkle in 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds if using.

If using plain chili oil and you want it hotter, warm 1 tablespoon neutral oil (optional) and pour over 1 tablespoon chili flakes to bloom before mixing into the chili oil base.

Transfer the cooked dumplings to a serving plate (6 pieces per order). Drizzle or spoon some chili oil over the dumplings (about 1/2–1 tablespoon per plate) and place a small bowl of the dipping sauce on the side if desired.

Top dumplings with thinly sliced green onion and optional chopped cilantro. Serve immediately while hot.