Pork and Cabbage Dumplings

These pork and cabbage dumplings are delicious little morsels of food that are very easy to make no matter your skill level of cooking. Each one has a juicy pork-based filling flavoured with a variety of Chinese sauces and wrapped in gow gee pastry.

Course Light Lunch

Cuisine Chinese

Keyword Pork and Cabbage Dumplings

Prep Time 1

Cook time per a batch 10

Servings

Calories 407kcal

Author Scruff

Equipment

Steamer
Wok / Large pot

Ingredients

35 Gow Gee wrappers +/- 5 depending how much you put in your filling.

Filling

250 gm wombok / napa cabbage
¼ tsp salt
250 gm pork mince
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
½ tsp sugar
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 spring onions finely chopped
10 gm ginger, grated
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
pepper

Sauces

dumpling sauce
chilli garlic oil

Instructions

Making the Filling

Cut the cabbage and place it in a large bowl with 1/4 tsp of salt. Massage the cabbage with your fingers then let it sit for 15 minutes.
Prep all your vegetables.
After 15 minutes, use your hands with a moderate amount of strength to squeeze the water out of the cabbage.
In a large mixing bowl, add all the filling ingredients and combine well. With your hands, work the filling with a punching motion for about 5 minutes until the filling is like a thick paste.
Taste check for seasoning by cooking a small amount of filling in the microwave for roughly 20 - 30 seconds.
Remember not to make them too well seasoned if you are planning to dip them in sauces.

Wrapping the Dumplings

Please refer to the detailed guide in this post for wrapping progress pictures.
A. Add roughly 2 - 2.5 tsp of filling. Dip your finger in a bowl of cold water, then run it around the edge of the dumpling wrapper to dampen. The water will act as the "glue".
B. Fold the wrapper in half into a semi-circle and use your thumb and forefinger to pinch the centre.
C. Use your thumb and index finger to create the first fold, just next to the centre seal. Press the fold down and seal.
D. Create the second fold right next to the first fold. Pinch the fold down and repeat on the other side of the centre seal.
E. Repeat until all dumplings are done.

Cooking Method 1 - Boiling

Bring a large wok or pot of water to the boil.
Drop the dumplings in, and give the pot a stir to prevent the dumplings from sticking to each other or the bottom of the pot.
Cook the dumplings uncovered until they are floating and the skins have gone transparent. To be sure, take one out and check for doneness.

Cooking Method 2 - Pan Fried

In non-stick fry pan with a lid on medium heat, add a tbsp of neutral oil.
Add roughly 8 dumplings and fry until the bottom is golden.
Add 1/2 cup of cold water and pop the lid on immediately.
IMPORTANT - you are adding water to hot oil here so it will spit - having the lid ready and putting it on immediately will protect you.
Cook for 7 minutes over medium-heat.
Note: You may need to adjust the cooking time after your first run, due to factors like size of your dumplings.

Cooking Method 3 - Steaming

Please refer to the detailed guide in this post for steaming progress pictures.
In a large wok or pot with a lid, place a steaming rack and add as much water as you can without reaching the top of the steaming rack. Bring the water to a light boil.
If you don't have a steaming rack scrunch up some aluminium foil. The purpose is to prop up the steamer so it's not resting on the bottom of the wok or on in the water.
Line a bamboo steamer with baking paper (can substitute with cabbage leaves).
Place the dumplings in the steamer roughly 1 - 2 cm apart, and away from the steamer edge.
Note: If you notice that the dumplings are a little dry, spray a little water on the dumplings with spray bottle on mist setting.
Cook each batch in the wok for 10 minutes on medium high with the lid on.

Serve

Serve the dumplings immediately after cooking.

Nutrition