Pan Fried Pork Dumpling Recipe

Prepare cabbage

Place shredded napa cabbage in a bowl, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, mix and let sit 5 minutes. Afterward, squeeze out excess liquid firmly with your hands or a towel until mostly dry (this prevents soggy filling). Reserve.

Make filling

In a medium bowl combine ground pork, squeezed cabbage, chopped green onions, grated ginger, minced garlic, soy sauce (1 tbs), sesame oil (1 tsp), shaoxing wine, cornstarch, salt and white pepper. Mix thoroughly with a spatula or by hand, pressing the mixture against the bowl repeatedly for 1–2 minutes until it becomes slightly sticky and cohesive. Taste a small bit by cooking a teaspoon in a pan if desired and adjust seasoning.

Assemble dumplings

Set out 12 wrappers on a clean surface and a small bowl of water for sealing. Place about 1 heaping tablespoon (roughly 15–18 g) of filling in the center of each wrapper. Dip finger in water and moisten the wrapper edge. Fold wrapper over filling to make a half-moon, pressing edges to seal. For a pleat finish: starting from one side, create 3–4 small pleats pressing firmly to seal. Repeat until you have 6 finished dumplings (if making 12 wrappers, you can make 6 larger or 12 smaller — this recipe yields 6 standard-size pan-fried dumplings). Keep finished dumplings covered with a damp towel so they don’t dry out.

Heat a nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tbs vegetable oil and swirl to coat. When oil shimmers, arrange the 6 dumplings in the pan flat-side down leaving a little space between each so they don’t touch.

Fry for 2–3 minutes without moving until bottoms are golden brown and crisp. Reduce heat to medium-low.

Carefully pour 80 ml (about 1/3 cup) water into the pan — it will sizzle and produce steam; immediately cover with a tight-fitting lid. Steam for 5–6 minutes (or until pork is cooked through and internal temperature reaches 70°C / 160°F). If water evaporates before time, add a small splash more and continue.

Remove lid and continue cooking 30–60 seconds to re-crisp the bottoms. Transfer dumplings to a plate.

Whisk together 2 tbs soy sauce, 1 tbs rice vinegar, 1 tsp sesame oil and 1 tsp chili oil (and minced garlic or scallion if using) in a small bowl. Taste and adjust acidity or heat to preference.

Serve the 6 pan-fried pork dumplings hot with the dipping sauce on the side. Garnish with additional chopped scallion or sesame seeds if desired.