Guide to Wrapping and Pan-frying Dumplings
I have to admit that I have a strong bias towards jiaozi (饺子). Besides Shanghainese soup dumplings (xiaolongbao), my favorite Chinese dumplings are thin-skinned and pan-fried, the kind found mainly in Southern China or New York's $1-for-5 fried dumpling joints. Northern Chinese-style dumplings, which offer more thick doughy skin than filling, just can't compare.
What's better than anything a restaurant or dumpling stall can offer are homemade jiaozi, hot off the skillet. On my last day in Zhongshan my mother and I bought dumpling skins from a lady specializing in doughy things like wrappers and noodles, and spent an hour or two wrapping dumplings for dinner.
Since I have so many photos from that afternoon, I thought I would do a pictoral guide on jiaozi-making. (Often dumpling recipes fail to show the step-by-step process in folding.) Also included is my mother's fool-proof method for getting perfectly crisp pan-fried dumplings without burning them.
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Pan-fried Pork and Cabbage Jiaozi, a Recipe in Pictures
猪肉白菜饺子
Makes 50 to 60
Lightly dust your work surface with flour and keep some extra flour within hand's reach.
Dumpling wrappers: When I lived in the US, I always got my wrappers from Chinatown markets (the round kind, labeled for jiaozi（饺子) instead of for wontons (馄饨).). They are a hassle to make at home, but if you really want to give it a try, check out this post from Noodles and Rice.
For the filling, mix together: 1 lb ground pork, 1 cup shredded Napa cabbage, 2 tablespoons minced shallots, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 2 teaspoons salt or 1 tablespoon soy sauce, a pinch of ground pepper.
Egg wash: Gently beat 1 or 2 eggs.
(The hands shown are Mom's. They are beautifully rough from decades of lovingly cooked meals.)
Folding the dumplings:
1. With a pastry brush or small pastry spatula, spread egg wash around the edge of the wrapper. Place a small spoonful of filling in the middle. (Be careful not to put too much; it'll leek out during the folding process.)
2. Pinch the edge of the wrapper and make a fold like you see in Step 2. (If you're a beginner at folding, place the wrapper on a flat surface while you work. Otherwise, keep it in your hand.)
3. Make 2 more identical folds in the same direction, until you end up with 3 folds, as shown in Step 3.
4. Bring the folded side together with the no-folds side, and press to seal.
5. Line finished dumplings on a plate. Keep extra wrappers covered, preferably with a moist towel, to prevent them from drying out.
6. When you're ready to pan-fry, coat bottom of a large skillet with about 1 to 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Line all the dumplings in the pan, smooth side down, BEFORE placing skillet over the heat (this allows them to fry evenly.) Once the dumplings are over the heat, cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the first side starts to burn golden brown. Add about 1/2 inch of water (1.5 cm), cover with a lid, and let cook for 4 to 5 minutes.
7 . Once the water cooks off, flip the dumplings over and cook for another 3 minutes. (Bonus authenticity points for using chopsticks to flip instead of a spatula.)
8. Et voilà! Plate them nicely or just pile 'em up family-style. Just make sure to wait a few minutes before digging in or you risk burning your mouth.
Notes: Of course, these jiaozi can also be boiled (水饺 shuíjiǎo). Personally I prefer they are much tastier pan-fried. You can also store them in the freezer for 2 to 3 months before cooking.
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Other snacks and appetizers to try:
- Chicken Lollipops
- Chinese Tea Eggs
- Chicharrones de Pollo with Paprika Onions
- Gobi Manchurian
- Pan-fried Dumplings
- Pumpkin Hummus
- Scallion Pancakes
- Spicy Pickled Cucumbers
- Taro and Pumpkin Tofu Puffs
- Turnip Cake (Law bok gow)
- Wontons, in soup or fried
i do like jiaozi fried but
i do like jiaozi fried but prefer it in soup with noodles! so yummy.
lovely pictures.
This is awesome. I've only
This is awesome. I've only started making dumplings a week ago and the wrapping part really frustrated me.
Fry then boil method.
I've never been able to get this frying and boiling method to work right. It just doesn't seem very fried at the end.
I usually just boil the dumplings and then fry them after. Probably not too authentic. Oh well.
Wunami - I've tried the
Wunami - I've tried the boil-first-then-fry method and the dumplings always turn out too soggy to fry well.
But you should always go with whatever method works best for you. I'm sure the type of frying pan, dumpling skin, and temperature of the oil all factor into how crisp the dumplings turn out in the end.
Wrappers aren't that hard to make...
I tried making war tip at home and was told not to buy the wrappers from the chinese supermarket as they're quite tough and rubbery. I made my own and it seemed pretty easy : http://lizzieeatslondon.blogspot.com/2008/03/tester.html
I put them in a non-stick pan, added water, put the lid on to steam for about 5 - 10 mins, then took it off, let the water evaporate and let the bottoms fry. Very nice.
Lizzie - Thanks for the
Lizzie - Thanks for the tips. Currently any blogspot site is blocked in China right now, but I'll check out your site once it becomes unblocked again. :)
I love panfried jiaozi and
I love panfried jiaozi and the northern style ones too. But Shanghai xiaolongbao will always have a special place in my heart... and my tummy! I think that's because it's the one I don't know how to make at home myself haha... Great pictoral guide.
Interesting. I always fold
Interesting. I always fold in half and seal the edges first before doing the "pleats". Your method makes more sense.
Folding dumlings is hard
I find by the time i am done closing the dumpling, the dough is mushy and sticking to my hands. Or i have put too much stuff inside. It never works out for me
You have to me quick when
You have to me quick when working with the dough! Humidity can also effect the doughs texture.
$1 for 5
the big trick i saw them use in the $1 for 5 places was to take the raw dumplings, then put them in a pan with a little water on the bottom, but also oil. they would steam in the water till the water all evaporated, then automatically fry in the remaining oil... perfect low maintenance way to cook them without touching them.
i love this post
finalmente un bel post per fare Gyoza o jiaozi.
Li adoro, i miei preferiti
ciao
lilli
Oooh,i love dumplings
Fried or steamed. Love the pork and cabbage, also the pork and leek. My mom also uses the trick of adding water to the panfrying oil, and yes it works like a charm :) Love your vibrant pictures. I will have to visit your blog more often now.
Egg wash is unnecessary and
Egg wash is unnecessary and just slows you down. All you need to do is wet the edges of the dumpling skins and squeeze them together.
My family's from Northern
My family's from Northern China but we live in Shanghai. My mom always adds black vinegar when she fries the dumplings (vinegar : water 1:1) about a small bowl then after the vinegar is absorbed by dumplings, wait for a while til they're golde brown. it makes the dumplings a bit sweeter and very very fragrant, but not sour at all.
For the dough, if it's of a good consistency, they should be able to just stick together when you press them, no need for any water/egg wash at all.
dumpling skins
Where would you recommend buying dumpling skins in NYC? Or online? Or what brand of commercial skins would you recommend?
Dumpling skins in NYC
Anonymous - I used to go to Dynasty Supermarket on Elizabeth Street in Chinatown, or Hong Kong Supermarket in Flushing. But any big market in Chinatown would have wontons skins. I have never bought any online. It's hard to say which commercial brand is good, because all the better wonton skin makers are small regional companies. NYC's Chinatown carries brands from the New York area, while SF's Chinatown carries brands from the Bay area. I would buy fresh rather than frozen if possible.
fabulous dumpling instructions
Thank you - I have my own filling recipe (being a vegetarian) but I couldn't remember how to steam/pan fry the dumplings. The pictures are great, and I will try your mom's way of folding next time (I just folded them in half with this batch) because they look so beautiful. I love making and eating dumplings! I call these "gyoza", btw. Don't know why - that's just the name I learned for them. Whatever you call them, your pictures and instructions are fantastic.
You call them "gyoza"
You call them "gyoza" because that's the Japanese word for these dumplings. :D
Great Instructions
Like many of the posters, I dearly love these dumplings. Thanks for sharing the recipe, the photos, and your mother's wonderful hands! Seeing her folding technique is very helpful. I'll be out looking for fresh dumpling skins very soon!
在肚子饿的看这个Blog
在肚子饿的看这个Blog，真是受罪。
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