Chinese Pork Dumplings

Get ready to make the juiciest, most flavorful Chinese pork dumplings—right in your own kitchen! I’m going to share the little-known secrets that take homemade dumplings from good to truly unforgettable. With just a few smart techniques and my step-by-step guidance, you’ll be making dumplings that rival your favorite restaurant, complete with a dumpling dipping sauce that brings everything together. Let’s dive in!

Recipe

Serves: 24
Prep time: 1 hour
Rest time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

For the infused water:
1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns
2 stalks scallions
3 slices ginger
1 ½ cups warm water

For the filling:
1 pound ground pork
Pinch of salt
Pinch of white pepper
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 ½ tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 cups cabbage, minced
2 stalks scallions, minced
2 tablespoons oil

For the dumplings:
24 dumpling wrappers
1 cup water, for sealing

For the dipping sauce:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Chinkiang vinegar
2 tablespoons chili oil

Instructions

1. Make the infused water:

• • In a bowl, add the Sichuan peppercorns, scallions, and ginger. Pour in the warm water and let it infuse for about 15 minutes. Remove the aromatics.

2. Make the filling:

• In a large mixing bowl, add the ground pork, salt, white pepper, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, and cornstarch.
• Pour in about half of the infused water. Mix well. Pour in the rest of the infused water and mix until well combined.
• In another mixing bowl, add the cabbage, scallions, and oil. Whisk.
• Toss the cabbage and scallions into the filling. Mix together.

3. Wrap the dumplings:

• Place a wrapper flat and brush a ring of water around it. Add about 2 teaspoons of the filling in the center. Fold in half, pinching the edges together. Repeat with the rest.

4. Make the dipping sauce:

• In a bowl, mix together the soy sauce, Chinkiang vinegar, and chili oil.  Whisk.

5. Boil the pork dumplings and serve:

• In a large pot of water over high heat, bring it to a boil. Add the dumplings inside in batches. Stir gently with the back of a ladle.
• Cover the lid to cook the wrappers and bring them back to a boil. Uncover the lid to cook the filling.
• First, add 1/2 cup of water to the pot.
• Then, bring it back to a boil, and add another ½ cup of water. Lastly, bring it back to a boil one more time, and add the last ½ cup of water. The total cooking time is about 8 minutes.
• Serve with the dipping sauce!

Tips & notes

• Infused water with Sichuan peppercorn, scallions, and ginger adds a ton of flavor and juiciness to the filling.
• Mixing the infused water into the pork in stages ensures better absorption and texture.
• Tossing cabbage and scallions with oil before mixing keeps the filling juicy and prevents excess moisture.
• Adding water in stages during boiling prevents the wrappers from breaking and ensures the filling cooks through evenly.