056 / 75 · A Little Meat or Fish

Pork and Cabbage Pan-Steamed Dumplings

24 large dumplings; 6 per person with one-quarter of the dipping sauce · Active 1 hr 25 min · Total 2 hr 20 min

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A small amount of ground pork goes a long way when finely chopped cabbage shares the filling. Homemade wrappers turn ordinary flour and water into twenty-four substantial dumplings, cooked in a skillet until their bottoms are crisp and their centers are safely done. Set aside an unhurried session for the rolling and folding.

Jump to ingredients

Hand-drawn crisp-bottom pork and cabbage dumplings with a cooked filling cutaway.

Squeeze cabbage before mixing the pork

Salt draws liquid from finely chopped cabbage, but that liquid should not all go into the filling. After its short rest, squeeze the cabbage firmly in a clean towel. Loose water makes the wrappers harder to seal and can leave a soggy center. Keep the prepared vegetables and pork cold while the dough rests and the first wrappers are rolled. Wash hands, utensils and the board after handling the raw filling.

Count the pieces before filling

Divide the dough into twenty-four equal pieces rather than guessing from one large sheet. Each wrapper then has enough dough to hold its share of filling. Roll the edges slightly thinner than the center so the folded seam is not a thick ridge. A simple half-moon with a firmly pressed seam works; elaborate pleats are not required. Put the filling in the middle and leave a clean rim before sealing.

Steam cooks the center; the last minute crisps the base

The dumplings first sit in a little oil, then cook under a lid with measured water. Open the lid away from your face, allow the water to evaporate and let the bottoms color again. The outside can brown before the pork is cooked, so check the thickest dumpling in each batch with a thermometer. This is a complete flour-and-filling meal rather than a small starter; six large dumplings make each of the four stated portions.

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour for dough (300 g)
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour for dusting (20 g)
  • 3/4 cup warm water for dough (180 ml)
  • 1 teaspoon fine salt (6 g), divided equally between dough and cabbage
  • About 4 packed cups finely chopped green cabbage (400 g prepared before squeezing)
  • 9 oz ground pork (250 g), kept refrigerated until mixing
  • 1/2 small onion, very finely chopped (75 g prepared)
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely grated (6 g prepared)
  • 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger (10 g prepared)
  • 1 tablespoon standard soy sauce (15 ml)
  • 2 tablespoons neutral oil (30 ml), divided into 3 portions of 2 teaspoons/10 ml
  • 1 cup water for pan-steaming (240 ml), divided into 3 portions of 1/3 cup/80 ml
  • 2 tablespoons plain white vinegar for dipping (30 ml)
  • 2 tablespoons water for dipping (30 ml)
  • 2 teaspoons sugar (8 g)

Set out

large mixing bowl, clean towel, rolling pin, knife and board, covered tray that fits refrigerator, 12-inch/30 cm nonstick skillet with close-fitting lid, broad spatula, food thermometer, small dipping-sauce bowl, oven able to hold about 200°F/95°C, heatproof plate for holding cooked dumplings

Allergens

wheat, soy. Check labels and substitutions.

Make it

  1. Mix 300 g flour, 3 g salt and 180 ml warm water into a dough. Knead for 6–8 minutes until smooth, cover and rest for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, mix cabbage with the remaining 3 g salt, stand for 15 minutes, then squeeze firmly in a clean towel and discard the expressed liquid.
  2. Mix squeezed cabbage, raw pork, onion, garlic, ginger and soy sauce until evenly combined. Cover and refrigerate. Wash hands and raw-meat equipment. Mix vinegar, dipping water and sugar in the small bowl and set aside.
  3. Divide rested dough into 24 equal pieces, about 20 g each, and cover them. Using the measured dusting flour as needed, roll each piece into a thin round about 4 1/4 inches/11 cm across, with the edge a little thinner than the center. Keep rounds covered so they do not dry out.
  4. Put about 1 heaped tablespoon filling, roughly 25 g, in each round, dividing all the filling evenly. Dampen the rim with a fingertip of water, fold into a half-moon and pinch the entire seam firmly closed. Arrange on the covered tray without touching and refrigerate completed dumplings while finishing the rest.
  5. Heat 10 ml oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add 8 dumplings flat-side down and cook for 2 minutes. Carefully pour in 80 ml pan-steaming water and immediately cover. Reduce to medium-low and steam for 8–10 minutes, until wrappers are cooked and the thickest center reaches 160°F/71°C. If water evaporates before then, add a small splash of water and keep steaming.
  6. Remove the lid away from your face. Let remaining water evaporate, then cook for 2–3 minutes more until bottoms are golden and release. Transfer to a plate; keep hot in a 200°F/95°C oven while repeating twice with the remaining oil, water and dumplings. Keep raw batches refrigerated until their turn.
  7. Serve 6 dumplings per person and divide the dipping sauce between the 4 portions. Do not use a utensil that touched raw filling to serve the cooked dumplings.

Spend time instead of buying wrappers

Flour-and-water wrappers make a small pork purchase serve four people. The tradeoff is a longer hands-on session, which is stated honestly in the timing.

Ingredient labels

Standard soy sauce normally contains wheat. Check the soy sauce label for additional allergens. A poultry variation changes the required cooking temperature.

A useful detail

Three skillet batches and hand-rolled wrappers are included in the long total time. A plain sealed half-moon is sufficient; prioritize an intact seam and a safely cooked center.

Another way

  • Replace pork with 250 g ground chicken. Cook the thickest center to 165°F/74°C rather than the pork endpoint.
  • Use 30 ml rice vinegar instead of white vinegar in the dipping sauce, checking the label for additional ingredients.

Keep it well

Refrigerate cooked dumplings in shallow containers within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C. Keep at 40°F/4°C or below for up to 3 days. Reheat a covered portion with a little water until 165°F/74°C at the center, then uncover briefly to re-crisp the base. This recipe is written for cooking the complete raw batch immediately; do not leave raw pork filling or formed dumplings on the counter while taking a long break.