Authentic Pork and Cabbage Jiaozi (Traditional Chinese Dumplings)
Learn to make delicious, authentic Chinese dumplings from scratch, complete with homemade wrappers and simple pleating instructions. These pork cabbage dumplings are perfect for weeknights or Lunar New Year celebrations.
- Prep Time: 45 min
- Cook Time: 10 min
- Total Time: 55 min
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Chinese
- Diet: None
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup warm water (plus more if needed)
- 1 pound ground pork
- 3 cups finely chopped Napa cabbage
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
Instructions
- Make the dough: Combine the flour and warm water in a bowl. Mix until a shaggy dough forms. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
- Prepare the filling: In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, chopped Napa cabbage, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, salt, and white pepper. Mix everything together thoroughly until well combined.
- Roll the wrappers: Divide the rested dough into four equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope, about 1 inch thick. Cut the rope into 1-inch pieces. Roll each small piece into a thin, round wrapper, about 3 inches in diameter, keeping the edges slightly thinner than the center.
- Assemble the dumplings: Place about 1 teaspoon of filling in the center of a wrapper. Moisten the edges with water. Fold the wrapper in half to create a half-moon shape. Create pleats along the sealed edge to close the dumpling securely.
- Cook the dumplings: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Gently drop the dumplings into the boiling water, ensuring they do not stick together. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the dumplings float and the filling is cooked through.
- Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
- For freezer friendly dumplings: Place uncooked dumplings on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, ensuring they do not touch. Freeze until solid, then transfer to an airtight freezer bag. Cook directly from frozen, adding 2 to 3 minutes to the cooking time.
- If you prefer boiled Chinese dumplings with a chewier wrapper, use slightly less water in the initial dough mix.
- To make the filling juicier, you can lightly salt the chopped cabbage and let it sit for 10 minutes, then squeeze out the excess water before mixing it with the pork.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5 dumplings
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 1
- Sodium: 350
- Fat: 14
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Unsaturated Fat: 9
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 25
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 15
- Cholesterol: 55