Pork and Cabbage Dumplings
Making dumplings is way easier than you might think, they're incredibly tasty and juicy, and they freeze and re-heat well for lunches, dinners or just finger food. If you've never tried to make dumplings before, today might just be the day, and once you make them once, they'll definitely become a go-to staple.
Equipment
- Mixing bowls of various sizes
- Skillet with lid, or steaming pot
- Your fingers
Ingredients
- 1/2 head medium Napa cabbage
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 lb Reverence Farms ground pork
- 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 bunch cilantro, minced
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 in piece of ginger, grated or finely minced
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 large Reverence Farms eggs, whisked
- 1 package 12 oz round dumpling wrappers
Instructions
Assembling Your Dumplings
- Slice the cabbage and mix with salt. Slice the half-head of cabbage down its length, through the root, to make 2 quarters. Then slice each quarter into very thin strips, cutting cross-wise. Toss the slices with the salt in a large mixing bowl and set aside for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Squeeze the liquid from the cabbage: While it rests with the salt, the cabbage will start to release liquid. When it's ready, grab handfuls of the cabbage and squeeze out the water. Transfer the squeezed cabbage to another mixing bowl.
- Combine the cabbage with the rest of the filling ingredients: To the bowl with the squeezed cabbage, add the Reverence Farms ground pork, sliced scallions, cilantro, soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil, and eggs. Work the mixture together with your hands until fully combined.
- Arrange your dumpling-making station: Clear a large space on the counter. Set a small bowl of water, the bowl of filling, and a parchment-lined baking sheet nearby. Open the package of dumpling wrappers and arrange a few on the work space in front of you.
- Place 1 scant tablespoon of filling on each dumpling wrapper: It may not look like much filling, but using any more gets messy and makes the dumplings hard to pleat closed! Once you get the hang of pleating the dumplings, you can try adding a bit more. It may take a little practice, and you can find all kinds of YouTube videos on folding dumplings, but don't be afraid to start simple.
- Dampen the edge of the wrapper with water: Dip your finger in the bowl of water and run it around the edge of the dumpling. This will help it to seal closed.
- Fold the dumpling in half: Lift the dumpling from the work surface and fold it in half. Press the top closed.
- Make a pleat in either side: Use your opposite thumbs to fold a tiny pleat on either side of the dumpling, then press firmly to seal the dumpling closed. You may need to dab a little water under the pleat to make it stick closed. You can also just close it like a taco and crimp the edges with your finger.
- Repeat with all the wrappers and filling: Continue filling and pleating the rest of the wrappers using the remaining filling — this is where having a few extra hands comes in handy! As you finish each dumpling, line it up on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Cook or freeze the dumplings: You can cook the dumplings immediately, or freeze them on the baking sheet. Once frozen solid, gather them into a freezer container and keep frozen for up to 3 months.
Cooking the Dumplings in a Skillet
- Sear the dumplings in a skillet: Film a skillet with about a tablespoon of oil and warm over high heat. When the oil is shimmering, arrange the dumplings in the pan as close as they'll fit without actually touching. Cook until the bottoms have turned brown and golden.
- Add 3 tablespoons of water to the pan: Pour 3 tablespoons of water in the pan — the water will immediately sizzle and begin to steam.
- Cover the pan and lower the heat: Cover the pan immediately and reduce the heat to low.
- Cook the dumplings for 3 to 5 minutes if fresh, or 6 to 8 minutes if frozen: When done, the wrappers will appear translucent and noodle-like; the filling will be opaque and warmed through (you can cut one open to check).
- Transfer to a plate and serve: Transfer the cooked dumplings to a plate and serve with soy sauce or other dipping sauce.
Cooking the Dumplings by Steaming
- Line a steamer basket with parchment and steam over simmering water for about 6 minutes if fresh, 8 minutes if frozen. You can also use a metal steaming basket over a pot of boiling water with a lid. Make sure none of the dumplings are touching or they could get stuck together.
- Transfer to a plate and serve: Transfer the cooked dumplings to a plate and serve with soy sauce or other dipping sauce.
- This is also a really quick and easy way to re-heat frozen dumplings. Just fill up your pot with boiling water and steam!
Notes
Reverence Farms ingredients in this recipe:
Ground Pork
Eggs
Pork and cabbage is only one kind of dumpling filling of many. Have fun researching different kinds of dumplings, but the general idea is the same.
There are also several different ways of cooking dumplings– you can fry them, you can steam them, and you can boil them, and each cooking method has a slightly different method, and boiled or steamed dumplings will be chewier and softer, while pan-fried dumplings will have a little bit more of a crunchy sear to the wrapper. Experiment with different methods to see which you like best.
