Description
This recipe for Pan Fried Dumplings offers a delicious homemade dumpling experience with a flavorful pork and shrimp filling, wrapped in tender dough, pan-fried to crispy perfection, and steamed to juicy tenderness. Served with Chinese black vinegar or ponzu dipping sauce, these dumplings are perfect as a snack or appetizer.
Ingredients
Scale
Filling
- 8 oz ground pork
- 4 oz shrimp (shelled and deveined, cut into small pieces)
- 2 oz cabbage (finely shredded)
- 1 teaspoon ginger (grated)
- 1 teaspoon scallion (chopped)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Chinese Shaoxing wine (or rice wine, optional)
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- 3 dashes ground white pepper
- 1 pinch salt
Dumpling Wrappers
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup water (plus 1 teaspoon water)
- extra all-purpose flour (for dusting and rolling)
For Cooking and Serving
- 1 pack dumpling wrappers (round-shaped or homemade dumpling wrappers)
- oil (for pan-frying)
- 150 ml water (for steaming)
- Chinese black vinegar (or Japanese ponzu, for dipping)
Instructions
- Prepare the filling: In a bowl, combine ground pork, chopped shrimp, shredded cabbage, grated ginger, chopped scallion, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, ground white pepper, and salt. Mix thoroughly with a spoon until well combined.
- Assemble the dumplings: Place a dumpling wrapper on your palm. Spoon about ½ heaping tablespoon of the filling into the center. Avoid overfilling. Dip your index finger in water and moisten the edges of the wrapper.
- Seal the dumplings: Fold the wrapper in half to form a half-moon shape. Press the edges firmly to seal the dumpling tightly ensuring no gaps or air pockets remain.
- Arrange for cooking: Place the wrapped dumplings on a parchment-lined plate to prevent sticking. Repeat until all filling is used.
- Pan-fry the dumplings: Heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Arrange about 8 dumplings in the skillet. Cook until the bottoms turn light brown, approximately 2-3 minutes.
- Steam the dumplings: Add 50 ml water to the skillet, increase heat to high, and cover with a lid. Steam until the water has completely evaporated.
- Crisp the dumplings: Return heat to medium and add a little more oil. Continue frying until the bottoms turn golden brown and crispy. Repeat the process with remaining dumplings.
- Make homemade dumpling wrappers (optional): In a bowl, mix all-purpose flour with ¼ cup plus 1 teaspoon water until a smooth dough forms. Knead until not sticky and smooth. Cover with a damp cloth and rest for 30 minutes.
- Prepare dough pieces: Roll the rested dough on a floured surface into a long cylinder. Cut it in half, then divide each half into 12 equal small pieces.
- Roll out wrappers: Dust your rolling pin and roll each dough piece into a circular dumpling wrapper about 4 inches in diameter. Use immediately for dumpling assembly.
Notes
- You can substitute shrimp with other seafood or omit it for an all-pork filling.
- Ensure dumpling edges are well sealed to prevent filling leakage during cooking.
- Use a non-stick skillet for best pan-frying results.
- Resting the dough is essential for pliable wrappers that are easy to roll and fold.
- Serve dumplings hot with black vinegar or ponzu sauce for authentic flavor.
