Jiaozi (Pork and Napa Cabbage Dumplings)
Local name: 饺子
In short: Handmade dumplings with a chewy wheat wrapper around a juicy filling of ground pork and napa cabbage, boiled and served with black vinegar. It takes about 1 h 15 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 1 h
- Cook
- 15 min
- Resting
- 30 min
- Total
- 1 h 15 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 585 kcal
Jiaozi are the dumplings of northern China, and the dish most families make together at Lunar New Year, when the crescent shape is said to resemble old gold ingots. Pork and napa cabbage is the classic filling. The dough is only flour and water, rolled thin in the center and thicker at the edge so the pleats hold. Boil them for dinner, steam the leftovers, or pan-fry them as potstickers. Dip in black vinegar with a little ginger.
Instructions
- Mix the flour, salt and water into a shaggy dough, then knead for 8 minutes until smooth. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
- Toss the cabbage with the 1 teaspoon of salt and leave for 15 minutes. Squeeze out as much liquid as you can with a clean towel.
- Mix the pork with the scallions, ginger, soy sauce, wine, sesame oil, pepper and sugar. Add the stock a spoonful at a time, stirring in one direction until the meat is sticky, then fold in the cabbage.
- Roll the dough into a rope and cut it into 40 pieces. Flatten each piece and roll it into a circle about 7 cm (3 in) wide, thinner at the edge than in the center.
- Put a generous tablespoon of filling in the center of a wrapper, fold it in half and pinch the middle. Pleat the edges and press to seal. Set the dumplings on a floured tray.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the dumplings in batches, stirring gently. When the water returns to a boil, add 120 ml (1/2 cup) of cold water, and repeat once more. They are done when they float and look plump, 6 to 7 minutes in all (71°C/160°F inside).
- Stir the dipping sauce ingredients together and serve with the hot dumplings.
Tips
- For potstickers (guotie), brown the bases in a little oil, add 60 ml (1/4 cup) of water, cover and steam for 5 minutes, then let the water cook off so the bottoms crisp.
- Freeze uncooked dumplings on a tray, then bag them. Cook straight from frozen and add 2 to 3 minutes to the boiling time.
Questions and answers
Can I use store-bought dumpling wrappers?
Yes. Round dumpling wrappers, sold fresh or frozen at Asian grocery stores, save time. Choose slightly thicker ones for boiling and thinner ones for steaming.
Why do you squeeze the cabbage?
Salted cabbage releases a lot of water. If you leave it in, the filling becomes watery and the wrappers turn soggy or burst.
How many jiaozi make a meal?
About 10 to 12 per adult as a main dish, or fewer alongside other dishes. They are often eaten with a simple cold salad.
How long does it take to make Jiaozi (Pork and Napa Cabbage Dumplings)?
About 1 h 15 min in total: 1 h of preparation and 15 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Jiaozi (Pork and Napa Cabbage Dumplings)?
About 585 kcal per serving, with 26 g of protein, 62 g of carbohydrates and 26 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 585 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 26 g |
| Carbohydrates | 62 g |
| Fat | 26 g |
| Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
| Sodium | 1150 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
