Easy & Simple Pork Cabbage Dumplings
Savory dumplings packed with juicy pork and napa cabbage. These easy pork cabbage dumplings are made with simple ingredients. They're restaurant quality saving you money and a great main course, appetizer or snack!
Ingredients
- 1 lb dumpling wrappers approx. 50 store-bought wrappers
- vegetable oil or any neutral oil, for pan-frying or deep-frying
- 1 teaspoon salt for the cabbage
Dumpling Filling
- 1 lb ground pork or ground chicken or ground beef, lean
- 4 cups napa cabbage washed
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2.5 tablespoon regular soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch or potato starch or tapioca starch
- ½ tablespoon white granulated sugar or cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon ginger grated
- ½ teaspoon chicken bouillon powder (aka chicken stock powder)
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper or black pepper
Suggested Condiments
Instructions
- Transfer finely chopped cabbage to a large bowl. Add salt and massage it into the leaves. Rest for 10 minutes to draw out excess liquid and then rinse cabbage with running cold water. Strain and transfer cabbage to a clean towel to squeeze out as much excess water.
- Into a large mixing bowl, add cabbage and remaining filling ingredients as listed above. Mix in one direction with chopsticks or a fork until the filling becomes a sticky paste. (Optional: microwave or cook 1 tablespoon of the filling until cooked through and taste test it adjusting the seasoning as needed).
- Prepare a small bowl of cold water nearby. Place dumpling wrapper on a clean working surface or in the palm of your hand. Spoon 1.5 teaspoon of the filling into the middle of the wrapper. With your index finger or a spoon, lightly dab a bit of water on the edges of the wrapper,
- Fold the wrapper over to create a semi-circle. Fold and pinch the edges of the wrapper together. Place folded dumplings on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and cover with paper towels or a damp towel to keep the dumplings moist.
- Choose ONE dumpling cooking method below:To Pan Fry: Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable in a large non-stick pan on medium heat. Place dumplings bottom side down in small batches, about 12-15 pieces per batch. Fry for 1 minute and then pour 5-mm water or just enough to cover the base of the pan, cover and cook for 7-9 minutes until the water has fully evaporated. Uncover and check the bottoms if they're golden brown, if not fry for another 1-2 minutes. Remove from pan.To Boil: Bring a large pot filled halfway with water to boil on medium-high heat. Add the dumplings in small batches. Reduce to medium heat and boil for 5-7 minutes or until they float to the top and an internal temperature of 145 F with a digital instant read thermometer. Remove the boiled dumplings with a slotted spoon and transfer straight into a large serving bowl. To prevent them from sticking to each other, drizzle a bit of oil over top and mix the dumplings together.To Deep-Fry: Remove the fried dumplings with a slotted spoon and transfer to a wire rack or a paper towel lined plate to drain off excess oil. Heat 2 cups or 500 ml of vegetable oil in a large pan on medium heat, around 330-350 F with a digital instant read thermometer. Fry dumplings in small batches until they're golden brown on all sides, about 2-3 minutes, with an internal temperature of 145 F with a digital instant read thermometer.
- Enjoy with suggested condiments!
Notes
Storage
- Leftover cooked dumplings will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat: microwave for 2-3 minutes or reheat fried dumplings in a pan with some oil or re-heat boiled dumplings in boiling water for a few minutes until hot.
- Cooked dumplings can be frozen for up to 3 months. First let them cool and store them in a single layer in a freezer-safe bag on a baking sheet. Squeeze out any excess air in the bag before sealing. Remove the baking sheet when dumplings are frozen solid. To reheat frozen cooked dumplings: pan fry them in oil with just enough water to cover the base of the pan, cover and cook for 7-10 minutes OR re-boil them in a pot of water for 5-6 minutes on medium high heat until they float.
- Raw dumplings can be frozen for up to 4-6 months. Place dumplings in a single layer into a freezer-safe bag rested on a large baking sheet. Squeeze out excess air before sealing and freeze. Once dumplings are frozen solid, remove the baking sheet.
Cooking From Frozen
- To pan fry frozen dumplings: Heat 1 tablespoon or 15 ml vegetable oil in a large non-stick pan on medium heat. Fry dumplings flat bottom side down in small batches, about 12-14 pieces per batch. Pour just enough cold water to cover the base of the pan. Cover and cook for 12-13 minutes until the bottoms are golden brown and liquids have evaporated.
- To boil frozen dumplings: Bring a large pot of water to boil on medium-high heat. Add dumplings in small batches, reduce to medium heat and boil for 5-6 minutes until they float and are cooked in the center. Remove with a slotted spoon.
- To deep fry frozen dumplings: Heat 2 cups or 500 ml vegetable oil in a large pan on medium heat and fry the frozen dumplings in small batches until golden brown on both sides and an internal temperature of 145 F with a digital instant read thermometer. Remove and transfer fried dumplings to a wire rack or paper towel lined plate to remove excess oil.
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Suggested Equipment & Products
Nutrition
Calories: 294kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 796mg | Potassium: 255mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 108IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 2mg