Lunar New Year Dumplings
Dumplings are symbolically eaten during Lunar Near Year to bring good fortune. They represent tiny little money pouches filled with all that dough you’re going to earn in the coming year. No pun intended.
Making dumplings is a time consuming process, there is no way to beat around the bush. In my mind, it's worth making a TON if you are going to go out and buy all of the ingredients. This is why many families will make dumplings together as a Lunar New Year activity. Yes, you can buy perfectly decent dumplings from a regular grocery store even Costco but you'll notice that nothing compares to dumplings made with homemade dough and fillings. In my opinion, homemade dumpling skin is easier to work with than the store-bought stuff. Homemade dough is softer and more forgiving which leads to dumplings that are succulent and juicy with a crackling skin on the bottom.
I recently visited my sister in Kansas City and thought it would be fun to help her stock up her Asian pantry and teach her how to make loads of dumplings that she could keep in the freezer. I learned how to make dumplings and wontons from my grandmother and her good friend, Mrs. Wong. I have vivid memories of sittings next to them drinking mugs of coffee milk (a concoction my grandmother would give me instead of the coffee she drank that was mostly milk). This entire process made me realize the importance of sharing these kinds of moments with other members of my family who may not have had the time to sit with my grandmother.
In this post, I provide recipes not only for the dumpling skin but two kinds of fillings - pork & cabbage and broccoli & egg. Traditionally, zucchini is paired with the egg but I experimented with some broccoli that my sister had and I like it more than the original! You can use the same dough and pork filling recipes to make wontons, they just require a slightly different folding technique. When you're ready to freeze your finished dumplings, make sure to space them out evenly before freezing them overnight on a baking sheet. This way, they don't stick together when you dump them into a Ziplock bag. They can be cooked from frozen just like the ones you buy at the store.
Ingredients for Dumpling Skin
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup hot water + more in case your flour is on the drier side
Ingredients for Pork & Cabbage Filling
2 lbs ground pork
2 cups Napa Cabbage, diced
2 tablespoons ginger, minced
3 tablespoons garlic, minced
1/2 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
3 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder
1 tsp Five-Spice powder
1 teaspoon white pepper
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Ingredients for Broccoli & Egg Filling
2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
3 cups broccoli, finely chopped
6 eggs
2 tablespoons ginger, minced
3 tablespoons garlic, minced
1/2 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
4 scallions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
2 teaspoons sesame oil
Special Equipment
Rolling pin
12-inch non-stick pan
Makes about 60-70 dumplings
Directions for Dumpling Skin
Combine flour and one cup of hot water. Gently mix together with your hands. At this point, you may need to add one tablespoon of additional hot water at a time depending on the dryness of your dough. When it becomes shaggy, you can transfer it to a clean work surface.
Knead the dough for ten minutes or until it becomes a smooth ball. Place into a clean bowl and cover with a damp kitchen towel. Let it rest and hydrate in a warm space for 30 minutes. You'll know when it's ready because it will be soft like your cheek when you poke into it with a finger.
Directions for Pork & Cabbage Filling
Combine all of the ingredient in a clean bowl. Mix thoroughly with your hands. Cover and place into the fridge to cool.
If you can, take a small piece of the filling and fry it in a pan without any oil. Cook it all the way through and taste. This will allow you to adjust the seasoning to your liking.
Directions for Broccoli & Egg Filling
Heat a non-stick pan with two tablespoons of vegetable or canola oil over medium high heat. Stir fry the minced broccoli for five to eight minutes or until the stems are soft.
Meanwhile, whisk your eggs with the spices and seasonings. Once the broccoli is soft, add your whisked eggs and scramble for two minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add vour cilantro and scallions. You don't want the herbs to cook with the filling so you can preserve their flavor. Allow to cool completely before using.
For Pan-Frying the Dumplings
Make sure that your dough is covered with a damp towel while you are rolling out all of the skins. Tear a quarter-size piece of the dumpling dough and roll it into a ball. Flatten this ball with the palm of your hand to create a disk. Then, use your rolling pin to create a thin wrapper. Roll from the center of the disk outward and then give it a quarter turn in between each roll to ensure that the skin has an even thickness. Your dumpling wrapper should be about 2.5-inches wide. Alternatively, if you have a pasta rolling machine, you can roll out sheets of dumpling dough and punch disks out using a biscuit cutter. You'll want to aim for a sheet of dough that is about 8 Post-Its thick.
Once you have a decent stack of wrappers, the dumpling folder can start their work. Lay a dumpling skin in one hand and place a heaping teaspoon of filling into the center of the dough. If you're using homemade skins, you shouldn't need to dab the edges with water; this dough is well hydrated. If you are using store-bought skins, you'll want to keep a small dish of water nearby to help close your dumplings. Fold the skin over the dumpling and pinch in the middle. Then, make four to five pleats from the center outward. Repeat on the other side.
Heat a non-stick pan with 1/4 cup of vegetable or canola oil over medium high heat. Place a layer of dumplings in the pan, make sure there aren't too many. You'll want them to lay flat so that the bottom gets crispy. Cook for four to five minutes to achieve a nice golden brown. Next, add 1/3 cup of water to the pan and cover with a lid. This will allow the dumplings to steam and cook the filling thoroughly. This may take another five to eight minutes.
Once the water has evaporated, let the dumplings crisp up a final time for one more minute. Transfer to a clean plate and enjoy with your favorite brand of dumpling dipping sauce!