DOUGH:
Pour the flour into a mound on a clean work surface. Make a deep, wide well in the center and pour in 1/2 cup cold water. Stir with your fingers, staying in the center at first and being careful that the water doesn’t breach the wall. Little by little, using your hand and a bench knife, mix in flour from the sides until the dough starts to come together. (Alternatively, put the flour in a medium bowl. Make a well, add the water, and stir first with a spoon and then your hand.) If the dough remains in shreds, sprinkle in additional water, a teaspoon at a time, until it begins to stick together. Don’t add too much water or the dough will be difficult to work.
Knead the dough for 5 minutes to form a smooth, firm, elastic ball. (If you began the dough in a bowl, lightly dust a clean, dry surface with flour before kneading.) The dough should not be sticky and should bounce back when pressed with a fingertip. Divide in half with a bench knife and roll into two 6-inch logs. Sprinkle each log evenly with flour, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature before rolling and filling.
Make the filling:
In a medium bowl, toss the cabbage with 2 tsp. salt and set aside for 30 minutes to shed moisture. Wring out in a clean kitchen towel to extract as much liquid as possible.
In a large bowl, combine the cabbage with the pork, shrimp, scallions, garlic, Shaoxing, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Stir until well mixed. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
TIP:
If you have helpers, set up an assembly line and roll out each wrapper, then pass it along to the next person to fill. If you're filling all the dumplings yourself, it's best to roll out several wrappers, and keep them covered with a kitchen towel as you fill them, to prevent them from drying out.
Cut each log in half crosswise. Cut each half crosswise into thirds, and then slice each of those pieces into three even coins. You should have 36 pieces of equal size. Toss the pieces in flour to coat evenly and then cover with a clean towel so they don’t dry out.
Using a small rolling pin, roll a piece of dough into a thin 3-inch circle; with the dough in one hand and the pin in the other, roll from the edges toward the center as you rotate the dough. This rolling technique helps create a round with thin edges and a thicker center.
DUMPLINGS:
Spoon 1 to 2 teaspoons of the filling onto a dough circle, fold it in half, and then if you’re going to boil the dumplings, seal it by pinching along the curved edge. If you’re planning to pan-fry the dumplings for pot stickers, make your first pinch at the center of the curved edge and then pleat toward the center on both sides to create a rounded belly. This wider shape allows the dumplings to sit upright in the pan and form a flat surface for browning.
Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling. As you work, arrange the filled dumplings in a single layer without touching on large plates, so they don’t stick together.
BOILED DUMPLINGS:
Bring a large (7- to 8-quart) pot of salted water to a boil. Working in 2 or 3 batches to avoid overcrowding, quickly add the dumplings one at a time, making sure they don’t stick to each other. Lower the heat to medium and continue to boil, gently stirring occasionally, until the dumplings float and are cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and serve immediately with your choice of dipping sauce.
PAN-FRIED DUMPLINGS:
Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a heavy-duty 10- or 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working quickly and in batches if necessary (adding more oil for the second batch if needed), arrange the dumplings belly side down in concentric circles starting from the outer edge. Cook until golden brown on the bottom, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in about 1/2 cup water or enough to come about a third of the way up the sides of the dumplings, bring to a boil, cover, and cook until all of the water has been absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the lid, reduce the heat to medium, and continue cooking just until the dumplings are dry and crisp on the bottom, 1 to 2 minutes. Loosen the dumplings from the pan with a spatula. Invert the pan over a plate to flip the dumplings, browned side up, onto the plate (or transfer with a spatula). Serve immediately with your choice of dipping sauce.
MAKE-AHEAD:
The dough can be covered with plastic and refrigerated for up to 8 hours. If refrigerated, return to room temperature before rolling. The filling can also be made up to 8 hours ahead and refrigerated. Filled, shaped dumplings may be covered and refrigerated for up to 4 hours or frozen for up to three months. To freeze, arrange just-formed dumplings in a single layer on lightly floured baking sheets and freeze for at least four hours. Once they are frozen through, transfer the dumplings to freezer storage bags. The dumplings can be boiled or pan-fried directly from the freezer; simply increase the cooking time by three to four minutes.
FAQs
Jiaozi typically consist of a ground meat and/or vegetable filling wrapped into a thinly rolled piece of dough, which is then sealed by pressing the edges together.
What is Chinese dumpling filling made of? ›
Prepare dumplings: Mix pork, garlic, egg, chives, soy sauce, sesame oil, and ginger in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Place a dumpling wrapper on a lightly floured work surface and spoon about 1 tablespoon of the filling in the middle.
What do you eat with Jiao Zi? ›
The best side dishes to serve with Asian dumplings (East Asia) are ramen, tomato and egg stir fry, fried greens, chilli miso steamed aubergine, pork belly fried rice, cucumber salad (Oi Muchim), tahini miso noodles, and claypot tofu.
Why are Chinese dumplings so good? ›
Traditional Chinese soup dumplings are popular for a reason—they're easy to cook, pair great with a ton of other dishes, and they're full of rich, savory soup. You've probably seen soup dumplings on your feed and wondered if you're the only one who doesn't know what they are.
What is the English name for jiaozi? ›
OK. This is dumpling or 饺子. Various stuffing wrapped with thin flour skin. Usually boiled, but can also be steamed.
What is the difference between jiaozi and Potsticker? ›
Gyoza vs Potstickers: Wrappers and Fillings
Gyoza is the Japanese variation on the traditional Chinese recipe of potstickers. They are usually made with thinner, more delicate wrappers, and the filling is more finely textured. The thinner skins mean that gyoza get crispier than chewy potstickers.
What is the secret to perfect dumplings? ›
Overworking the mixture, thus having heavy dumplings is a common mistake people make. Dumplings need very gentle handling, so mix only until the ingredients are just combined, and if your recipe involves rolling them out with extra flour, avoid using too much.
What are Chinese pork dumplings called? ›
Jiaozi. One of the most ubiquitous types of Chinese dumplings, jiaozi (饺子) are usually steamed or boiled and have been enjoyed across China for millennia. They often have a mixture of minced pork, shrimp, vegetables, mushrooms, and aromatics, along with a paper-thin dumpling wrapper.
What are the 3 components of dumplings? ›
What are dumplings made of? The dumpling dough is made of three main ingredients: flour, water and salt.
Why do people eat Jiao Zi? ›
Moreover, in their shape, jiaozi resemble the gold or silver ingots used in ancient China, and because of this, they have come to symbolise wealth. So, people believe that eating jiaozi will bring them good fortune and riches in the coming year.
As long as they're not pre-deep fried and contain whole, healthy ingredients they are an okay option, according to Austin. Aside from meat quality and how the dumplings have been cooked, the vegetable content (or lack thereof) is also crucial in knowing whether dumplings are a healthy food option.
What kind of sauce goes with dumplings? ›
Depending on personal tastes and regions, people in China often eat dumplings with vinegar (Chinese vinegar, the closest western substitute is Balsamic vinegar as far as I know), soy sauce or spicy soy sauce.
What are the cons of eating dumplings? ›
It is worth noting that these packet dumplings do contain a lot of salt. If you eat a whole packet of 10, that makes up your entire recommended sodium intake for the day at just over 2,000 micrograms. So if you are going to add these into your diet, be prepared to up your water intake to help flush the sodium.
What is the most popular dumpling in China? ›
Jiaozi (pronounced "jow-zee") are perhaps the most common type of Chinese dumpling. Crescent-shaped and formed with an opaque wrapper made from wheat dough, jiaozi are usually filled with ground pork, cabbage, and scallions, and served with a dipping sauce made of soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil.
Are Chinese dumplings fried or boiled? ›
You can steam them for a soft chewy exterior or pan-fry them for a crispy crunchy bottom! Either way, you can't go wrong with a dumpling, but there is a divide within the foodie community about which is better!
What is the difference between jiaozi and wonton? ›
They come in all shapes and sizes, the two most common being Wonton and Jiaozi. Both are actually the same, the only difference being the dough wrappers. Wonton wrapper is thinner and contains egg, flour, water and salt (yellowish wrapper), whereas Jiazi ones are thicker and without the egg (white wrapper).
What is Japanese dumpling made of? ›
Traditionally in Japan Gyoza are filled with a mix of finely minced pork, mushrooms and cabbage, which creates a delicious mix of flavours and textures. However, the possibilities are endless when it comes to creating your own Gyoza.
What is the difference between Bao and jiaozi? ›
Bao buns, or baozi, are very similar to jiaozi in concept but provide a different eating experience. The primary difference between baozi and jiaozi is that baozi uses a leavened dough. Unlike the simple water and flour mixture for jiaozi, bao dough is made from flour, soy or dairy milk, sugar, and yeast.
