Pan-Fried Pork and Chive Dumplings with Chile Crisp
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: 52 dumplings (enough for 4 servings)
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 4 servings
- Calories
- 1178
- Total Fat
- 81
- Saturated Fat
- 17
- Carbohydrates
- 71
- Dietary Fiber
- 2
- Sugar
- 1
- Protein
- 38
- Cholesterol
- 159
- Sodium
- 1135
- Total: 40 min
- Active: 30 min
Ingredients
1 large egg, beaten
1 1/4 pounds fatty ground pork (see Cook’s Note)
1/2 small bunch flat garlic chives (see Cook’s Note), finely chopped, about 1 cup, 3 ounces
2 large leaves napa cabbage, finely chopped, about 1 cup
1 large clove garlic, finely grated, about 2 teaspoons
1/2-inch piece ginger, peeled and finely grated, about 2 teaspoons
3 tablespoons light soy sauce (see Cook’s Note)
1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
52 round dumpling wrappers, about 1 pound, thawed if frozen
Vegetable or grapeseed oil, for frying
Chile crisp, for serving
Chinese black vinegar, for serving, optional
Directions
- Put the egg, pork, chives, cabbage, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, cornstarch, sugar and white pepper in a large bowl. Mix well with your hands or a rubber spatula until well combined.
- Fill a small bowl with cold water. Set a dumpling wrapper on a clean surface (keep the rest covered with a damp paper towel so they don't dry out). Scoop two teaspoons of the filling into the center of the wrapper. Dab a finger into the water and brush along the edges of the wrapper, about 1/4 inch of the rim. Fold the wrapper in half over the filling to create a half-moon. Gather a corner of the dumpling and pinch to form a seal. Using your index finger as a guide, create four to five equally-spaced pleats until you reach the other corner of the wrapper. Press down to seal that other corner. If the wrapper isn't sealing, add a small dab of water to help it seal. Transfer to a baking sheet and cover with a damp paper towel while you form the remaining dumplings.
- Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the dumplings in a single layer. Add 1/3 cup water and reduce the heat to medium-low. (If using a medium skillet, add 1/4 cup water.) Cover with a lid (preferably glass) and cook until the wrappers become slightly opaque, 4 to 5 minutes. Uncover and cook until most of the liquid evaporates, then cook over medium heat until the bottoms are crisp and golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Loosen the dumplings from the skillet with a spatula and transfer to a serving plate. Repeat with the remaining dumplings, adding 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in between batches.
- Drizzle chile crisp over the pan-fried dumplings and serve with a side of Chinese black vinegar, if desired. Enjoy while warm.
Cook’s Note
If you don't have fatty ground pork, add 2 slices of minced bacon to the mixture. The fat from the bacon will give the dumplings the necessary richness. Look for garlic chives that are flat. The other kind, which has thicker blades that blossom, can be more fibrous. If you don't have light soy sauce, substitute 2 tablespoons soy sauce. To freeze uncooked dumplings, place them flat-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze until firm, about 1 hour. Transfer to a resealable plastic bag and freeze until fully frozen, up to 1 month. Cook from frozen, adding a few more tablespoons of water, if necessary.