My Go-To Pork Dumplings
Dumplings are little pockets of joy — soft, juicy, and usually stuffed with something delicious. They’re a staple in so many Asian cuisines, and everyone has their own way of making them. Mine? Pork-filled, pan-fried until golden, then steamed until the inside is perfectly tender. Simple, cozy, and so, so good.
- Prep time
- 40 min
- Cook time
- 15 min
- Yield
- 22 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1½ tbsp sesame oil
- ½ cup finely chopped onion
- 4 cloves garlic (finely diced)
- 1 tbsp minced ginger
- ½ cup finely chopped celery
- 10 oz ground pork
- 1 tbsp shaoxing wine
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp hoisin sauce
- ½ cup grated carrot
- A pinch salt
- 20-24 round dumplings wrappers
- water
- neutral oil (for pan-frying)
Instructions
- 1
Heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- 2
Add onion, garlic, ginger, and celery. Sauté for 8–10 minutes until soft and translucent.
- 3
Add ground pork. Break it into fine crumbles and cook for 5–7 minutes until browned.
- 4
Pour in Shaoxing wine to deglaze. Stir in soy sauce and hoisin sauce.
- 5
Mix in grated carrot and a pinch of salt. Cook 1 minute more
- 6
Transfer filling to a bowl and cool completely before assembling.
- 7
Place 1.5 tsp of cooled filling in the center of a dumpling wrapper.
- 8
Moisten the edge of the wrapper with water.
- 9
Fold into a half-moon and press edges firmly to seal.
- 10
Place on a parchment-lined tray, not touching.
- 11
Heat neutral oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat.
- 12
Place dumplings flat-side down in a single layer. Fry 2–3 minutes until golden brown
- 13
Pour in ¼ cup (60 ml) water and cover immediately.
- 14
Reduce heat to medium-low. Steam 5–7 minutes until cooked through.
- 15
Uncover and cook 1–2 minutes to re-crisp bottoms. Serve
- 16
Line steamer with perforated parchment or lightly oil it.
- 17
Arrange dumplings with ½-inch space between each.
- 18
Place steamer over simmering water (not touching dumplings).
- 19
Cover and steam 8–10 minutes until wrappers are translucent and filling is hot.