Pork & Mushroom Dumplings Recipe

Prepare mushrooms

Clean shiitake mushrooms with a damp cloth and finely chop until they measure about 1 cup. Place in a medium bowl.

Mix aromatics

Add minced garlic, grated ginger, thinly sliced scallions (reserve 2 scallions for garnish), and chopped kimchi (drained) to the mushrooms. Stir to combine.

Combine pork and seasonings

Add ground pork, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, salt, white pepper, and cornstarch to the bowl with the mushroom mixture. Fold ingredients together using a cutting motion until evenly combined and mixture becomes slightly sticky (about 1–2 minutes).

Cover and refrigerate the filling for 15–30 minutes to let flavors meld and make it easier to handle.

Portion filling

Set up an assembly area with wrappers, a small bowl of water for sealing, and a baking tray dusted with a little cornstarch or flour. Spoon about 1 tablespoon (approx. 15 g) of filling into the center of each wrapper. Do not overfill.

Shape dumplings

Moisten the wrapper edge with a little water, fold in half and pleat or press edges to seal tightly, leaving no air pockets. Place finished dumplings on the prepared tray in a single layer.

Heat pan

Heat a 12-inch nonstick or well-seasoned skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tbsp vegetable oil and swirl to coat.

Arrange dumplings in the hot pan in a single layer, flat-side down, leaving space between them.

Pan-fry

Cook without moving for 2–3 minutes, until the bottoms are golden brown and crisp.

Steam in pan

Carefully pour 1 cup water into the pan (it will sizzle). Immediately cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid. Reduce heat to medium-low and steam for 6–8 minutes, or until the filling reaches 160°F (71°C) and wrappers are translucent and tender.

Finish

Remove lid and increase heat for 30–60 seconds to evaporate remaining water and re-crisp the bottoms. Transfer dumplings to a serving plate.

While dumplings cook, whisk together 3 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp black vinegar, 1 tbsp chili oil, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp sugar, 2 tbsp minced scallion, and 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds in a small bowl. Taste and adjust heat or acidity as desired. This sauce functions as both a dipping sauce and a 'dirty' finishing drizzle.

Optionally spoon a little sauce over plated dumplings and serve the remainder on the side for dipping.

Arrange dumplings on a platter. Scatter reserved thinly sliced scallion over the dumplings and sprinkle the julienned radish alongside as a palate cleanser.

Serve immediately with dirty sauce on the side. Leftover dumplings can be chilled and pan-fried again from cold (add an extra 1–2 minutes to steaming time).