Chinese Dumpling Recipe | Activity | Education.com (2024)

Activity

Chinese Dumpling Recipe | Activity | Education.com (1)

Dumplings, also known as potstickers, are traditional fare during Chinese New Year. These tasty little pockets, filled with meat and veggies and doused in a savory sauce, are a fun way for older children to practice their culinary skills—like measuring ingredients, chopping vegetables and handling food safely. Folding up the filled wrappers is an especially entertaining challenge for younger cooks, and the final product tastes delicious!

Subject

RecipesSidesMains HolidaysLunar New Year

What You Need:

  • 1 lb. ground pork or chicken
  • 1 cup napa cabbage, finely shredded
  • ¼ c shredded carrots, finely shredded
  • ¼ c. mushrooms, finely minced
  • 1-2 cloves garlic
  • 1 tsp. minced fresh ginger
  • 1 tsp. sesame oil
  • 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
  • 1 tsp. canola oil
  • 1 tsp. white vinegar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 package square wonton wrappers
  • Vegetable oil for cooking

What You Do:

  1. Combine all ingredients except the wrappers and vegetable oil in a large mixing bowl.
  2. Pour some water into a small bowl and set it near your workspace.
  3. Scoop a spoonful of the mixture onto a wonton wrapper.
  4. Dip your finger into the bowl of water and trace the edge of the wrapper to wet it.
  5. Carefully fold the wrapper in half diagonally to form a triangle. Press gently where the edges meet to seal it closed.
  6. Repeat the process until all the wrappers are filled!
  7. Pour a small amount of vegetable oil into a large frying pan and heat over medium heat.
  8. Place the filled dumplings in the pan and cook until they are browned, about 2-3 minutes. Use tongs or a spatula to turn the dumplings over and brown the other side.
  9. While the dumplings are browning, place a vegetable steamer basket inside a pot of water, making sure the water level is below the steamer basket. (A colander resting on the rim of the pot will also work if you do not have a steamer basket.)
  10. Heat the water until boiling and carefully place a single layer of dumplings in the steamer basket. You may need to steam them in several batches if your steamer basket is small.
  11. Cover and steam the dumplings until they are soft and the meat is cooked through, about 10-20 minutes.
  12. Serve with soy sauce for dipping and enjoy!

Serve your dumplings with rice and veggies and you have a complete meal!

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Chinese Dumpling Recipe | Activity | Education.com (2024)

FAQs

What is a Chinese dumpling made of? ›

Originating in Northern China, these dumplings are filled with ground meat and vegetables, such as cabbage, scallions, garlic and ginger and wrapped in a thin, circular-shaped wrapper made of flour and water.

What's the difference between a dumpling and a Potsticker? ›

Potstickers are always dumplings, but not all dumplings are potstickers. The biggest difference between these two are how they are cooked, but the cooking method has also changed the kinds of ingredients and preparation of both potstickers and dumplings over time. Potstickers are dumplings that are also pan-fried.

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. But which flour you use depends on which dumpling you want to make.

What are the 3 main ways to cook dumplings? ›

Let's explore some of the most popular ones:
  1. Boiling: Boiling is a classic and straightforward method of cooking dumplings. ...
  2. Steaming: Steaming is another common and healthy way to cook dumplings. ...
  3. Pan-Frying: Pan-frying, also known as pot-sticking, creates a delectable combination of crispy bottoms and tender fillings.
May 17, 2023

What is the most common Chinese dumpling? ›

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.

What is a typical Chinese dumpling? ›

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.

Are dumplings better fried or steamed? ›

The steaming process is what creates the shiny-looking soft exterior! Steaming is the traditional way of preparing dumplings and has never gone out of style. Many people around the world are loyal to this method of cooking and prefer it over pan-fried dumplings.

Can you use wonton wrappers to make dumplings? ›

Making your own dumplings is really easy when you use wonton wrappers. These dumplings are really simple and what we created for our wonton soup, but could easily find themselves in any number of delicious... soups. If you love them, try adding them to other soups.

How long should dumplings be steamed? ›

Pour water into a wok until one-quarter full. Bring to the boil over high heat. Place steamer over wok, ensuring base doesn't touch water. Steam dumplings for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender and cooked through.

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 is the American version of dumplings? ›

Originating in the Pennsylvania region the pierogies have been a staple in the city of Pittsburgh and all over western Pennsylvania. Pierogies are soft semicircular dumplings that are usually filled with potatoes or cheese. However, just like other dumplings, fillings are interchangeable depending on culture.

Do you boil or steam Chinese dumplings? ›

Boiling homemade dumplings in bubbling hot water shifts dumplings about, thus may cause sticking; worse, the wrapper opening if not properly sealed may allow water into the filling. For home-made dumplings (or store-bought frozen) steaming is the preferred method.

How are dumplings traditionally made? ›

Traditionally dumplings are made from twice the weight of self-raising flour to tallow, bound together by cold water to form a dough and seasoned with salt and pepper but can also be made using self-raising flour and butter. Balls of this dough are dropped into a bubbling pot of stew or soup, or into a casserole.

Are Chinese dumplings healthy? ›

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.

Are Chinese dumplings the same as potstickers? ›

Unlike dumplings, potstickers are made with a thin wrapper, sometimes referred to as a dumpling skin. This is because they are steam fried to get a crispy golden bottom layer and to ensure that the filling is juicy and delicious.

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 special about Chinese dumplings? ›

Traditional Chinese boiled dumplings (shui jiao, 水饺) are very significant in Chinese culture. They are often eaten over the Chinese (Lunar) New Year, when the whole family is together to celebrate Spring Festival. Dumplings are shaped like ancient Chinese gold or silver ingots, which symbolises wealth.

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