Jiaozi

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Bring a steamer or a wok fitted with a steaming rack to readiness and line the steamer basket with perforated baking paper or lightly oil it to prevent sticking. This saves time later once the dumplings are shaped.

2. 2

   Place the finely chopped napa cabbage in a bowl, sprinkle with the salt, toss well, and leave for 10 minutes. Salting draws out excess moisture so the filling stays juicy rather than watery.

3. 3

   While the cabbage rests, make the filling base. In a second bowl, combine the pork mince, spring onions, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper, and cornstarch. Stir vigorously in one direction for 1-2 minutes until the mixture looks sticky and cohesive; this helps the filling bind and gives the dumplings a springy texture.

4. 4

   Squeeze the salted cabbage very firmly by handfuls to remove as much liquid as possible, then add it to the pork mixture. Mix until evenly distributed. A drier cabbage mixture is the key to wrappers that seal properly and dumplings that steam without bursting.

5. 5

   Set up a small bowl of water from the measured steaming water for sealing. Place one dumpling wrapper in your palm, add about 1 heaped teaspoon of filling in the center, moisten the edge lightly with water, then fold and pleat to seal. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling, keeping finished dumplings covered so the wrappers do not dry out.

6. 6

   Pour the remaining water into the steamer base or wok, bring it to a strong simmer, and arrange the dumplings in the steamer basket with a little space between them. Steam in batches if needed for 8-10 minutes, until the wrappers turn slightly translucent and the filling is cooked through. The center of the filling should no longer be pink.

7. 7

   While the dumplings steam, stir together the soy sauce, black vinegar, and sesame oil for the dipping sauce.

8. 8

   Serve the dumplings immediately with the dipping sauce on the side. If desired, let them stand for 1 minute after steaming so the wrappers firm up slightly and release more easily from the steamer liner.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •If using thicker homemade wrappers, increase steaming time by 2-3 minutes.
• •Do not overfill the wrappers; underfilled dumplings seal better and are easier to pleat neatly.
• •A bamboo steamer gives the best texture because condensation is less likely to drip onto the dumplings.
• •You can freeze the shaped dumplings in a single layer and steam from frozen, adding 3-4 minutes to the cooking time.

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