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Dinner Β· Pork

Pork and Napa Cabbage Dumplings (Jiaozi)

Juicy pork and cabbage dumplings, folded together around the table and boiled or pan-fried as potstickers. In northern China they are the dish of New Year’s Eve.

⏱ 1 hr 30 min (75 min prep, 15 min cooking) 🍽 Serves 6 · about 8 dumplings freezer friendlymake aheadkid friendlyleftovers dairy free

In our collection Lunar New Year: menu and shopping list β†’

πŸ“… Add to my plan

ContainsWheat, Soybeans, Sesame. Check the labels on what you buy; brands differ.

Ingredients

Make 6 servings
  • 1 lb Napa cabbage, about half a head, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp Table salt, to draw water from the cabbage
  • 1 lb Ground pork
  • 4 Green onions, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp Fresh ginger, grated
  • 2 clove Garlic, grated
  • 2 tbsp Low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp Toasted sesame oil
  • ΒΌ tsp Ground black pepper, or white pepper
  • 2 tbsp Chicken broth, or water, for juiciness
  • 48 Dumpling wrappers (round), round, thawed if frozen

  • For potstickers

  • 2 tbsp Canola oil (optional)

Make it yourself

Make the chicken stock yourself β†’

In the planner, Make it on the shopping list swaps the store item for these ingredients and puts the work on your prep day.

Nutrition

Nutrition coming: the USDA numbers for these ingredients are being added.

Steps

You’ll need: large bowl, colander, clean kitchen towel, baking sheets dusted with flour, large pot (to boil) or a nonstick skillet with a lid (for potstickers), slotted spoon, food thermometer.

  1. Toss the chopped cabbage with the salt and let it sit 15 minutes. Squeeze it hard in a towel, a handful at a time, to wring out as much water as you can. Dry cabbage keeps the filling from going soggy.
  2. Mix the pork, cabbage, green onions, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, pepper and broth, stirring in one direction for a minute until sticky. Wash your hands and anything the raw pork touched.
  3. Fold (see the folding guide on the Lunar New Year page): put a scant tablespoon of filling in the center of a wrapper, wet half the edge with water, fold it into a half moon and pinch the top. Make 3 or 4 pleats along one side, pressing each against the flat side, and seal well. Set them on the floured sheets, not touching. Keep unused wrappers covered.
  4. To boil: bring a big pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 12 to 15 dumplings and stir gently so they don’t stick. When the water returns to a boil, add 1 cup cold water; do this twice more. When they float, puff and the wrappers turn glossy, about 6 to 8 minutes, they’re done. Lift one out and cut it open: the pork should be no longer pink and read 160Β°F.
  5. For potstickers: heat 1 tablespoon oil in the skillet over medium-high. Set the dumplings in flat side down and fry 2 minutes until the bottoms are golden. Add β…“ cup water, cover right away (it spatters), and steam 6 to 8 minutes, until the water is gone and the filling reaches 160Β°F. Uncover and fry 1 more minute to recrisp.
  6. Serve hot with dumpling dipping sauce.

🌑 Safe temperaturesGround pork 160°F. Check the thickest part with a food thermometer (USDA). More on food safety.

Make aheadMake the filling the day before and keep it cold. Fold dumplings a few hours ahead and keep them refrigerated on the trays, covered, or freeze them.
❄️ FreezerFreeze folded, uncooked dumplings on the floured tray until hard, then bag them, up to 3 months. Cook from frozen: boil 2 to 3 minutes longer, or steam 2 to 3 minutes longer as potstickers, until 160Β°F inside.
β†Ί LeftoversRefrigerate cooked dumplings within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days. Pan-fry leftovers until crisp and heated to 165Β°F.
πŸ§’ With kidsFolding is the family part: kids as young as five can fill and pinch half moons. Little hands do best with the simple fold, no pleats.
Chicken swapUse ground chicken or turkey; cook to 165Β°F.
Homemade wrappers swapMake wrappers: stir 2 cups flour with about ΒΎ cup water to a firm dough, rest 30 minutes, roll into a rope, cut 24 pieces, and roll each into a 3Β½-inch circle. Double for this recipe.
Shrimp swapUse half pork and half chopped raw shrimp (adds shellfish).

Goes well with

πŸ₯’ Dumpling Dipping SauceπŸ₯¬ Vegetable and Tofu Dumplings

Good to know

Table salt vs. kosher salt vs. sea salt Cooking Fats Compared Stock vs. broth Food Safety Basics

An original Teddy Rook Book recipe, written for our Lunar New Year collection; safety steps follow USDA. Nutrition is estimated from USDA FoodData Central and changes with brands and portions.