Pan Fried Dumplings Recipe

Prepare vegetables

Finely shred or mince the Napa cabbage until you have about 1/2 cup packed. Lightly sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt, toss, and let sit for 5 minutes. Squeeze out excess moisture firmly using your hands or a clean towel; measure after squeezing to ensure roughly 1/4–1/3 cup of drained cabbage remains.

Mince the Chinese chives (or regular chives) and the green onion finely to measure about 1/4 cup chives and 1 tablespoon green onion. Grate or very finely mince the ginger and garlic.

In a medium bowl, combine the ground pork, drained cabbage, chives, green onion, grated ginger, garlic, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, salt, white pepper, and cornstarch. Mix thoroughly with a spoon or your hand until the mixture is sticky and cohesive (about 1–2 minutes). Chill the filling 10–15 minutes if it feels very soft — chilled filling is easier to fill and pleat.

Set out the 6 dumpling wrappers on a clean surface and keep a small bowl of water nearby for sealing. Work with one wrapper at a time to prevent drying: place about 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons (roughly 10–12 g) of filling in the center of a wrapper. Do not overfill.

Dip your finger in the water and moisten the edge of the wrapper evenly. Fold the wrapper in half to form a half-moon and press the center to seal. Create 3–4 small pleats along one side pressing each pleat to the opposite side to form a tight seal (traditional potsticker pleat). Ensure there are no gaps for the filling to leak.

Place assembled dumplings on a lightly floured tray or parchment, spaced apart so they don't stick together. If not cooking immediately, cover with a damp towel to prevent drying.

Heat a nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons neutral oil and swirl to coat the bottom.

Arrange the six dumplings in the pan in a single layer, flat side down, leaving a little space between each so bottoms cook evenly.

Fry without moving for 2–3 minutes, until the bottoms are golden brown and crisp. Check one to confirm color.

Carefully pour in 1/3 cup (about 80 ml) water around the edges (not directly on hot oil to avoid splattering), then immediately cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid to trap steam.

Reduce heat to medium-low and steam for 5–6 minutes, until the water has mostly evaporated and the filling is cooked through (pork reaches 160°F / 71°C).

Remove the lid and continue cooking another 1–2 minutes to re-crisp the bottoms if needed. Using a spatula, carefully lift dumplings and transfer to a serving plate.

In a small bowl combine 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon black vinegar or rice vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon chili oil (optional), and 1 teaspoon finely sliced scallion. Stir and serve alongside the hot dumplings.