The only type of dumplings I ever had growing up were boiled dumplings because my mom always said it was the healthiest and didn’t need any extra oil. It was also the fastest and easiest method to cook them when you’re whipping up a large batch to feed a family of 5! When I moved out from home, I learned how to pan-fry them from my fellow dumpling-loving friends. Pan-frying takes a little extra effort, but the yummy crunchiness is worth it. I find boiling is best for dumplings that have a filling with a stronger flavour such as my lamb and onion dumplings. Pan-frying is better in fillings with a lighter flavour such as these vegetable dumplings where you can notice the extra fried toastiness.
Every Asian household tends to have their own little variation in how they cook their dumplings and there are a few methods to cooking them. In this entry, I’m sharing the two ways I cook my dumplings: pan-fried and boiled.
You’ll need a flat wok or pan with a lid for this method. The method is essentially first steaming the dumplings with a bit of water and oil. The steam from the water cooks the filling and the skin of the dumpling, then the remaining oil cooks the bottom of the dumplings for crispiness. 👌
1. Heat up a flat wok or pan on MED heat. Add a drizzle of neutral oil and place the dumplings fat side down on top of the oil then add in 1cm of water.
Try not to crowd the dumplings so they don’t stick together and makes it easier to flip.
2. Put a lid on over the wok and let the dumplings steam.
3. Once all of the water evaporates, remove the lid and check the bottom of the dumplings for a golden brown colour and flip them over. If they’re not yet golden brown, continue cooking the dumplings.
4. Once the bottoms are golden brown, flip them over and cook the other side of the dumplings until golden brown. You can add a little oil to the pan so they brown up a little faster.
5. Serve while hot with your favourite dipping sauce!
This method is a lot more straight-forward. You’re essentially boiling the dumplings until the insides are cooked. Make sure your dumplings are sealed well, otherwise the filling will fall out in the boiling process. Try not to over boil it, or else the skin will become too soggy and break apart. If your dumplings are stuck together from the freezing process, just throw them in the pot altogether. Do not try to break them apart of else the skin will break. They will naturally separate in the pot.
1. In a large pot, fill 2/3 of the pot with water and bring it to a boil.
2. Once the water is boiling (we want a big boil where the water is moving vigorously, not just a simmer), gently drop in the dumplings, careful not to splash yourself!
3. When the water starts boiling again, add in a cup of cold water.
4. When the water starts boiling again, add in ANOTHER cup of cold water.
5. When the water boils a fourth time, the dumplings should be ready. The dumplings should be floating and you’ll see little pockets of air under the skin to signify the inside is cooked. If not, boil them for a little longer.
(See in the photo how the dumplings are floaty and pillowy with small pockets of air in them –>)
6. When the dumplings are cooked, strain them from the pot and transfer to a plate. Add a drizzle of sesame oil (or neutral oil) and mix it around to prevent them from sticking together. Serve with your favourite dumpling dipping sauce!
Dumplings can be steamed (zhēngjiǎo, 蒸饺), pan-fried (jiānjiǎo, 煎饺), or boiled (shuǐjiǎo, 水饺, literal translation: water dumpling). They are then served with a dipping sauce, like Chinese black vinegar or our favorite dumpling sauce recipe. They can also be eaten with hot pot meals or served in soup!
Before you even start making your dumplings, first think about how you want to cook them. There are three basic ways: steaming, boiling, and steam-frying. There is also deep-frying or serving with a crispy lacy “skirt.”
There are two general categories of Chinese dumplings. The crescent-shaped dumplings are called gao.And the more purse-shaped and round ones are called the bao.
Set your dumplings on the flat bottom of a large microwave-safe bowl so they're spaced out evenly. Then, just pour in enough water to cover the bottom half of the dumplings. Steaming in the microwave works great for cooking frozen dumplings if you don't have a steamer.
Hand-mincing meat and adding more pork belly results in the juiciest dumplings. Traditionally, some Chinese cuisine uses hand minced meat for their dishes. For example, lots of dim sum items like siu mai, pork buns, beef meatball, and more use hand minced meat to control the texture and fat content of the dish!
Heat a couple tablespoons of oil in the bottom of a non-stick or cast iron skillet over moderate heat until shimmering. Add the dumplings in a single layer and cook, swirling the pan, until an even deep golden brown on the bottom, one to two minutes. Swirling is important—it creates a more even crust.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.Cook dumplings in batches of about eight until they are cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the dumplings to a serving platter. Serve warm with the dipping sauce.
Dumplings are either boiled, steamed, or fried, but there's a couple of different ways to further differentiate these techniques: Boiled dumplings can be cooked in water or directly in the soup or stew in which they will be served.
Jiaozi. 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.
Savoury dumplings made from balls of dough are part of traditional British and Irish cuisine. 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.
The Two Easiest Ways to Cook: Boiling and Steaming
Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Add as many dumplings as can fit comfortably in a single layer in the pot and cook them until they float. Let them cook an additional two to three minutes. Fish them out with a strainer, drain them, and serve.
I find boiling is best for dumplings that have a filling with a stronger flavour such as my lamb and onion dumplings. Pan-frying is better in fillings with a lighter flavour such as these vegetable dumplings where you can notice the extra fried toastiness.
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.
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.
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Introduction: My name is Duncan Muller, I am a enchanting, good, gentle, modern, tasty, nice, elegant person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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