Pork and Chive Dumplings Recipe
Ever since I was a kid, I enjoyed making dumplings. It’s such a great communal activity to do and it’s very therapeutic (in my opinion). One of my favourite dumplings to make is Pork and Chive dumplings. In today’s post, we share with you how you can make this at home. You will have enough dumplings for days!
The Dumpling Wrappers
Yes, many legit dumpling makers will say you should make your own dumpling wrappers but let’s be real, ain’t nobody got time for that. It’s so much easier for us to buy the premade wrappers – they’re only a few dollars and you can make up to 100 dumplings with them! We like to buy the pack that comes in two and if we can’t finish both packs, I just toss the other in the freezer in a freezer safe ziplock bag. You can easily find these dumpling wrappers in any Asian grocery store.
The Filling
The filling is extremely easy to make and can be adapted based on your preference. For us, it consisted of the following ingredients:
- ground pork
- chinese chives
- soy sauce
- sesame oil
- Chinese Cooking Wine (Shaoxing wine)
- Vegetable Oil
- Water
- White Pepper
Feel free to adjust the proportions based on your flavour preference. For example, if you like more sesame oil (like I do), you can add a bit more sesame oil. If you feel it lacks in flavour, add more soy sauce (in lieu of salt).
Tips for making the best pork & chive dumplings
Stir the filling in one direction for 5-10 minutes
If there’s one tip that we always hear when making Chinese dumplings, it’s that you always want to mix in one direction. It is said that by mixing the meat filling in one direction, you are helping with myosin development. Myosin is a protein that helps bind the meat together. This results in a stickier and tender filling. The longer you mix, the more myosin is produced.
Don’t use lean meat!
If you want a juicy filling, it’s important to choose a cut of meat that isn’t lean. This prevents the filling from drying out as you cook it and it adds a lot of flavour! Some people add in extra animal fat (similar to how people add in extra cuts of fat when making homemade burgers) to their dumpling filling to make up for any lean meat. However, if you don’t have or want to add extra animal fat into your filling mixture, opt for adding more oil such as vegetable oil.
Different ways to fold dumplings
There are so many ways to fold dumplings. Unfortunately, this is something that is often difficult to describe in a blog post. We’ll leave a link to a Youtube Video here that teaches you the various ways to fold your dumplings.
We like to pan fry our dumplings so our favourite folding method is the potsticker method 🙂 It took us a while to perfect the pleating process but once we did, it was super easy.
Different ways to cook your dumplings
There are 3 ways to cook your dumplings – the method you choose will come down to your personal preference.
Boiling – the easiest method
This is pretty straight forward. If you’re feeling lazy, boiling your dumplings will be the easiest way to cook your dumpling. Make sure you have a large pot of water so that you give the dumplings enough space to cook and tumble around. You’ll know they’re done cooking when the dumplings float to the top.
The only downside to boiling your dumplings is that they may lose their shape during the boiling process.
Steaming – a classic alternative
This is also another popular way to cook your dumplings. The upside to steaming opposed to boiling is that your dumplings are more likely to retain their shape so your beautiful folds won’t go to waste. To steam your dumplings, you will need a bamboo steaming basket and a steaming rack to rest it on. If you don’t have a steaming basket, you can steam it on a plate that fits within your pot that houses the steaming rack. Make sure to line your steaming basket or plate with parchment paper so that your dumplings don’t end up sticking during the cooking process.
Pan Frying – if you like it crispy
This is our favourite method. There’s something about that crunchy bottom along with the juicy filling that makes this method so appealing. The potsticker-style dumplings are perfect for pan trying as the name suggests.
To pan fry your dumplings, prepare your frying pan with a light coating of vegetable oil. When the pan is hot enough, add your dumplings (flat side down) and add some water until the bottom of the dumpling is completely submerged in water. Then, add a lid on top of your frying pan and reduce to medium heat and cook until all the water has evaporated. What you’re doing here is essentially combining the boiling and steaming method above to cook the dumpling and once the water has evaporated, you are pan frying the bottom to give it a crispy finish. The starch released from the dumpling wrapper during the boiling/steaming process also helps create that crispy brown skin that potstickers are known for!
How to store our dumplings
Our favourite method of storing our pork and chive dumplings is to freeze them. We love making large batches of dumplings and freezing them – it definitely prolongs their shelf life for up to 3 months. It makes for a quick easy meal for those lazy days when we don’t feel like cooking anything. If you do plan on freezing your dumplings, we recommend freezing them on a freezer tray lined with wax or parchment paper (well spaced) first before throwing them in a ziplock bag. That way, the dumplings won’t stick together when frozen due to the moisture from the filling seeping through the dumpling skin.
If you like this recipe, you may like this as well:
Pork & Chive Dumplings
Ingredients
The Filling
- 12 oz ground pork
- 1 cup chives, chopped
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp shaoxing wine
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 6 tbsp water
- white pepper
Dumpling wrapper
- a pack of pre-made dumpling wrappers
- bowl of water (to seal the dumpling)
Instructions
- 1. In a large mixing bowl, add your ground pork, Chinese chives, soy sauce, sesame oil, Shaoxing wine, vegetable oil, water, and white pepper in a bowl. Using a pair of chopsticks or wooden spoon, start mixing the meat filling in one direction for 5 to 10 minutes until all the liquid has been absorbed into the meat and the meat looks like a sticky paste.
- 2. Add about a half tablespoon of filling into the premade dumpling wrappers. Dip your finger into a bowl of water and soak the outer edge of the dumpling wrapper to help the dough stick to itself when you fold it. Fold the dumpling according to your preferred folding method.
How to boil your dumplings
- 1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Gently add your dumplings.
- 2. Using a wooden spoon, stir the dumplings gently to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- 3. Once the dumplings float to the top, you can either remove them with a slotted spoon or gently strain in a colander. Serve immediately.
How to steam your dumplings
- 1. In a large pot that can fit your steaming vessel, fill it with about 2 inches of water. Add your steaming rack and place your steaming basket on top. Bring the pot of water to a boil.
- 2. Place your dumplings on top of some parchment paper to prevent it from sticking. Cover the lid and steam for about 10 minutes on medium heat.
How to pan fry dumplings
- 1. Heat a large frying pan/skillet over medium-high heat and add a generous coating of oil (just enough to cover the bottom of the pan).
- 2. Add in your dumplings being sure to not overcrowd the pan. Add enough water to cover the about 1/3 of the dumpling. Cover with a lid and cook until the water evaporates.
- 3. Once the water completely evaporates, remove the lid. Cook for a few more minutes or until the bottom of the dumpling turns golden brown. Remove and serve immediately.
