Fried Dumpling Recipe

Prepare Vegetables

Finely shred the napa cabbage and place in a bowl. Sprinkle with 0.5 tsp salt, toss, and let sit 5 minutes to draw out moisture. After 5 minutes, squeeze the cabbage firmly in a towel or between hands to remove excess liquid; measure and discard liquid.

Peel and grate the carrot on a fine grater or julienne finely. Finely mince the garlic and grate the ginger. Thinly slice the green onions (white and light-green parts).

Mix Filling

In a large bowl combine ground pork and ground chicken. Add the squeezed cabbage, grated carrot, green onions, minced garlic, grated ginger, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp rice wine, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp white pepper and 1 tsp cornstarch. Mix thoroughly with a spoon or your hands until the mixture becomes slightly sticky and well combined (about 1–2 minutes). Chill the filling 10–15 minutes if time allows to make wrapping easier.

Assemble Dumplings

Place a dumpling wrapper on a clean surface. Keep the remaining wrappers covered with a damp towel to prevent drying. Spoon about 1 teaspoon (roughly 12–15 g) of filling into the center of each wrapper. Dip your finger into the water and moisten the edge of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper in half to form a half-moon and press the center to seal. Create 3 small pleats along one side if using gyoza-style pleating, pressing firmly to seal and remove air pockets. Repeat until all filling and wrappers are used (about 36 dumplings).

Pan-Fry (Potsticker Method)

Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3 tbsp of the vegetable oil and swirl to coat. Arrange dumplings flat-side down in the skillet in a single layer without crowding (cook in batches if needed). Fry until bottoms are golden brown, about 2–3 minutes.

Carefully pour in 1/4 cup water into the pan (it will sizzle). Immediately cover with a tight-fitting lid and reduce heat to medium-low. Steam the dumplings for 5–6 minutes, until the filling is cooked through and internal temperature reaches at least 74°C (165°F).

Remove the lid, increase heat to medium-high, and uncover to evaporate remaining water. Add another 1–4 tbsp of oil if you want extra crispness and pan-fry an additional 1 minute to re-crisp the bottoms. Transfer dumplings to a plate lined with paper towel if desired and repeat with remaining dumplings.

While the dumplings cook, combine 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp black or rice vinegar, 1/2 tsp sesame oil, 1/2 tsp chili oil (optional), 1/2 tsp sugar and 1 tsp sliced green onion in a small bowl. Stir until sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust balance (add a little more vinegar for tang, soy for salt, or sugar to soften acidity).

Serve the hot fried dumplings immediately with the dipping sauce on the side.