Name: Homemade Pork and Cabbage Dumplings
Cook time: P0Y0M0DT1H0M0.000S
Total time: P0Y0M0DT1H0M0.000S
Yield: 4 to 6 servings (about 50 dumplings)
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 pound ground pork; 1/4 cup soy sauce; 2 tablespoon rice wine (Shaoxing wine); 1 tablespoon neutral oil; 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil; 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar; 1 teaspoon ground white pepper; 3 slices fresh ginger, grated or chopped; 3 scallions, thinly sliced; 1 bunch fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, plus more for garnish; 1 pound green cabbage, finely chopped (about 4 cups); About 50 store-bought round dumpling wrappers; 2 to 4 tablespoons chile crisp (based on how spicy you like it); 2 tablespoons soy sauce; 1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar; 1 clove garlic, grated

Directions

Watch how to make this recipe.

For the dumplings: Add the salt to the ground pork in a large bowl. Add 3 tablespoons of water 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring vigorously in a clockwise direction after each addition, until the water is completely absorbed and the mixture has a sticky, slightly bouncy texture. Add the soy sauce, rice wine, neutral oil, sesame oil, sugar, white pepper and ginger to the pork mixture. Stir well to combine. Fold in the scallions and cilantro, then let the filling rest for 10 to 15 minutes at room temperature to allow the flavors to meld.
Add the chopped cabbage to the bowl and stir to combine.
Working one at a time, place about 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of a dumpling wrapper. Lightly dampen the outer edge of the wrapper with water using your fingertip. Fold the wrapper over the filling and pleat the edges firmly to seal. Repeat with the remaining filling and wrappers.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Working in batches, gently lower the dumplings into the boiling water, stirring once to prevent sticking. Cook until the dumplings float to the surface, about 3 minutes, then continue boiling until the wrappers are tender and the filling is cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a serving plate.
For the dipping sauce: Combine the chile crisp, soy sauce, vinegar and garlic in a small bowl.
Sprinkle the dumplings with cilantro and serve with the dipping sauce.

Cook’s Note

Working the salt and water into the ground pork before adding any other ingredients is what’s going to help build that springy, tender texture for the filling. Assembled uncooked dumplings can be frozen in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transferred to a resealable plastic bag. These are great cooked from frozen too. Serve with a dipping sauce of soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar and a few drops of chili oil.