Dumplings are a specific term for a dish consisting of pieces of dough wrapped around a filling. The dough can be made from bread, flour or potatoes, and can be filled with meat, fish, cheese, vegetables, fruits, or sweets. As such, dumplings can be found in a multitude of varieties and flavors.
To add even more variety, dumplings can be cooked using a variety of methods, including baking, boiling, frying, simmering, or steaming. In addition, they are used in many cuisines around the world.
The Chinese dumplings are fresh and tasty, no matter which variety of fillings are used. Usually, they are enjoyed with seasoning sauce or seasoning soup, which helps improve the flavor.
Classic Chinese Dumplings
- Author: Romae Chanice Marquez
- Recipe Category: Snacks / Appetizer
- Cuisine: Chinese
The whole preparation and cooking time is 1 hour and 30 minutes. This recipe is suitable for at least five servings.
Photo credit: @biancazapatka / Instagram.com
Classic Chinese DumplingsIngredients
For the sauce,
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped Chinese chives
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon chile-garlic sauce
For the filling,
- 2 pounds ground pork
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped Chinese chives
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
Other ingredients,
- 50 dumpling wrappers
- 1 cup vegetable oil for frying
- 1 quart water, or more if needed
Classic Chinese Dumpling Instructions
Step 1: In a small bowl, mix 1/2 cup soy sauce, rice vinegar, 1 spoonful of chives, sesame seeds, and chili sauce. Set aside.
Step 2: In a large bowl, mix pork, garlic, egg, 2 spoonfuls of chives, soy sauce, sesame oil, and ginger until thoroughly mixed. Place a dumpling wrapper on a lightly floured work surface and spoon about 1 tablespoon of the filling in the center.
Step 3: Wet the edge with a small amount of water and crimp the edges together to form small plates to seal the dumpling. Repeat and fill the remaining dumpling wrappers.
Step 4: Heat 1 to 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Place 8 to 10 dumplings in the saucepan and cook for about 2 minutes per side or until browned.
Step 5: Pour in 1 cup of water, cover and cook for about 5 minutes, until the dumplings are tender and the pork is cooked through. Repeat for any leftover dumplings. For dipping, serve with the soy sauce mixture you made.
Classic Chinese Dumpling Additional Information
- Per serving, this recipe has 540 calories, 24.5 g of fat, 50.2g of carbohydrates, 27.7g of protein, 103mg of cholesterol.
- These dumplings take 1 hour and 30 minutes to prepare.
- This recipe can serve up to five people.
- It is said that eating dumplings at the Spring Festival will bring financially good fortune. This is because dumplings look like ingots, the currency used in the old days.
Image source: thespruceeats.com
About Classic Chinese Dumplings
Dumplings are a popular Northern China Spring Festival food but not in the West. Dumplings have a unique place at many New Year’s Eve banquets on the eve of the Spring Festival, though some areas prefer to eat dumplings after New Year’s Eve.
They are a staple of Chinese cuisine with cultural significance for both their form and filling. That’s why, during the Spring Festival, they are essential to some.
Dumplings have also become a common type of food in southern China, where people don’t grow/eat wheat as a rule. “Southern dumpling” skins are typically made of rice instead.
Conclusion
Traditionally, family members sit at a table, wrapping dumplings and eating them while watching the Spring Festival Gala. Eating dumplings on Winter Solstice Day is also a tradition in northern China.
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Featured Image: @tested_by_ewelinaa / Instagram.com, @biancazapatka / Instagram.com