Chinese Pork Dumplings Steamed with a Crispy Bottom Recipe
These are potsticker-style dumplings – first pan-fried to get a golden bottom, then steamed with a splash of water under a lid. In China they’re often eaten at family gatherings and holidays, because they’re easy to fold together at the table. They taste a bit like a cross between Polish ruskie pierogi and uszka, but with a distinct garlicky-ginger aroma.
These dumplings combine the comforting familiarity of Polish pierogi with the aromatic punch of Chinese-style garlic and ginger. The contrast between the juicy filling and the crispy, golden bottom makes them especially addictive and perfect for sharing at the table.
Chef's tips
Knead the filling well until it becomes sticky – this helps it hold together and stay juicy inside the dumplings. Don’t overfill the wrappers; a small teaspoon of filling is enough and makes sealing much easier. If the dough dries out while you work, cover the unused pieces with a damp cloth.
How to serve
Serve the dumplings straight from the pan, crispy side up, with small bowls of dipping sauce for each person. Add thinly sliced cucumber or radish on the side for freshness. They pair well with green tea or light beer.
Ingredients
- flour type 450–550 - 300 g
- hot water not boiling, but very warm - 180 ml
- salt - 0.5 teaspoons
- ground pork preferably from shoulder or neck - 300 g
- cabbage finely chopped - 150 g
- spring onion greens chopped - 3 piece
- garlic finely chopped or grated - 2 cloves
- fresh ginger grated - 1 tablespoon
- soy sauce - 2 tablespoons
- sesame oil can be omitted - 1 teaspoon
- oil - 2 tablespoons
- water for steaming the dumplings - 150 ml
- rice vinegar for the sauce, can be replaced with apple cider vinegar - 2 tablespoons
- sugar for the sauce - 0.5 teaspoons
Preparation
- Put the flour and salt into a bowl, pour in the hot water, and mix with a spoon until a lumpy dough forms. Transfer to the counter and knead for 5–7 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Cover with a damp cloth and set aside for 20 minutes.
- Very finely chop the Chinese cabbage, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, mix, and set aside for 5 minutes. Then squeeze out the excess water with your hands.
- Put the ground meat, squeezed cabbage, chopped spring onion greens, garlic, grated ginger, soy sauce, and sesame oil into a bowl. Mix and knead with your hand for 2–3 minutes, until the filling becomes sticky and uniform.
- Divide the dough into 3 parts. Roll each into a log and cut into small pieces the size of a walnut. Flatten each piece with your hand and roll into a thin circle about 8 cm in diameter.
- Place 1 teaspoon of filling in the center of each circle. Fold the dough in half and seal the edges well, making pleats or simply pressing firmly with your fingers so the filling doesn’t leak out.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large lidded pan over medium heat. Arrange the dumplings flat side down so they don’t touch. Fry for 2–3 minutes, until the bottom is golden and crispy.
- Pour about 75 ml of water into the pan (it should come up about 0.5 cm), cover with a lid, and cook for 6–8 minutes over medium heat, until the water has almost evaporated and the dumplings are cooked through.
- Remove the lid and fry for another 1–2 minutes so the bottom becomes crispy again. Repeat with the second batch of dumplings, using the remaining oil and water.
- In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Serve the dumplings hot, crispy side up, with the dipping sauce.
Storage
Ugotowane pierożki przechowuj w lodówce do 2 dni, podgrzewaj na patelni z odrobiną wody pod przykryciem. Surowe, ulepione pierożki możesz zamrozić na tacy, a potem przełożyć do woreczka i gotować bez rozmrażania, wydłużając czas duszenia o 2–3 minuty.
