Equipment
Ingredients
Dumpling Filling
- 400 g ground pork, chilled
- 150 g chinese chives, finely chopped
- 15 g ginger, peeled and grated
- 30 ml light soy sauce
- 15 ml shaoxing wine
- 2 g white pepper, ground
- 3 g salt
- 45 ml water
- 15 ml sesame oil
Dumpling Assembly
- 30 dumpling wrappers
- 15 ml neutral oil
Sauces and Garnish
- 100 g mayonnaise
- 20 ml chinkiang black vinegar
- 30 ml sichuan chilli oil
Method
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground pork, grated ginger, light soy sauce, shaoxing wine, white pepper, salt, and cold water. Stir vigorously in one direction until the mixture becomes a sticky, cohesive paste. Wash your hands and thoroughly sanitize all surfaces after handling the raw pork.
Add the finely chopped chinese chives and sesame oil to the pork mixture. Fold gently until just combined. Let the filling rest in the refrigerator to firm up.
Place about 15g of filling into the center of a dumpling wrapper. Lightly moisten the edges of the wrapper with water, fold it in half, and pleat the edges to seal tightly. Repeat with remaining wrappers.
In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and chinkiang black vinegar until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
Heat neutral oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange the dumplings in the pan, flat side down. Cook until the bottoms are golden brown and crispy.
Pour 60ml of water into the skillet. It will immediately boil at 100 degrees Celsius or 212 degrees Fahrenheit. Quickly cover with a tight-fitting lid and let steam until the water has evaporated and the pork reaches a safe internal temperature of 74 degrees Celsius or 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Swoosh a generous spoonful of the black vinegar mayonnaise across a serving plate. Arrange the hot dumplings on top, then aggressively drizzle the Sichuan chilli oil, ensuring plenty of crispy flakes make it onto the dumplings.
Chef's Notes
- Developing myosin by vigorously stirring the ground meat in one direction is the absolute key to a restaurant-quality, bouncy Chinese dumpling filling.
- Do not substitute balsamic or apple cider vinegar for Chinkiang black vinegar. Its malty, slightly sweet, and earthy flavor profile is irreplaceable and essential for balancing the richness of the mayonnaise.
- If your pork is extremely lean, substitute 15ml of the water with neutral oil or melted lard to ensure a juicy final texture.
- When pan-frying, listen to the pan. When the hissing of steaming water changes to a crackling sound, the water has evaporated and the dumplings are searing again.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store cooked dumplings and sauces in separate airtight containers.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze uncooked dumplings on a tray before transferring to a bag.
Reheating: Pan-fry from frozen, adding extra water and steaming for 10-12 minutes.
