Pan-Fried Dumplings with Plant-Based Meat
By America's Test KitchenPublished on January 31, 2022
Time
2 hours
Yield
Serves 10 to 12 (makes 40 dumplings)
Ingredients
12 ounces napa cabbage, cut into 1-inch pieces (5 cups)½ teaspoon table salt 12 ounces plant-based ground meat 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided1½ tablespoons soy sauce, plus extra for dipping1½ tablespoons toasted sesame oil 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry1 tablespoon hoisin sauce 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper 4 scallions, chopped fine40 (3½-inch) round dumpling wrappers Black or rice vinegar Chili oil
Before You Begin
These dumplings are best served hot from the skillet; we recommend that you serve the first batch immediately and then cook the second batch.
Instructions
- Pulse cabbage in food processor until finely chopped, 8 to 10 pulses. Transfer cabbage to medium bowl and stir in salt; let sit for 10 minutes. Using your hands, squeeze excess moisture from cabbage. Transfer cabbage to small bowl.
- Break ground meat into small pieces and add to now-empty processor along with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, soy sauce, sesame oil, Shaoxing wine, hoisin, ginger, and white pepper. Pulse until mixture is combined, about 10 pulses. Scatter cabbage over meat mixture. Add scallions and pulse until vegetables are evenly distributed, about 8 pulses. Transfer meat mixture to bowl.
- Working with 4 wrappers at a time (cover others with damp paper towel), place 1 tablespoon filling in center of each wrapper, brush edges with water, fold wrappers in half, and pinch dumplings closed, pressing out any air pockets. Place dumplings on 1 side and gently flatten bottom. Transfer to baking sheet and cover with clean, damp dish towel. (Dumplings can be frozen on baking sheet until solid, then transferred to zipper-lock bag and stored in freezer for up to 1 month. To cook from frozen, increase water in step 5 to ⅔ cup and covered cooking time to 8 minutes.)
- Brush 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over bottom of 12-inch nonstick skillet. Evenly space 16 dumplings, flat sides down, around edge of skillet and place 4 in center (overlapping just slightly if necessary). Cook over medium heat until bottoms begin to turn spotty brown, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Off heat, carefully add ½ cup water (water will sputter). Return skillet to heat and bring water to boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 6 minutes. Uncover, increase heat to medium-high, and cook until water has evaporated and bottoms of dumplings are crispy and browned, 1 to 3 minutes. Transfer dumplings to platter, browned sides up. (To cook second batch of dumplings, let skillet cool for 10 minutes. Rinse skillet under cool water and wipe dry with paper towels. Repeat cooking process with remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and remaining dumplings.)
- Serve dumplings hot, passing vinegar, chili oil, and extra soy sauce separately for dipping.
Time
2 hoursYield
Serves 10 to 12 (makes 40 dumplings)Ingredients
12 ounces napa cabbage, cut into 1-inch pieces (5 cups)
½ teaspoon table salt
12 ounces plant-based ground meat
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1½ tablespoons soy sauce, plus extra for dipping
1½ tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
4 scallions, chopped fine
40 (3½-inch) round dumpling wrappers
Black or rice vinegar
Chili oil
Ingredients
12 ounces napa cabbage, cut into 1-inch pieces (5 cups)
½ teaspoon table salt
12 ounces plant-based ground meat
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1½ tablespoons soy sauce, plus extra for dipping
1½ tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
4 scallions, chopped fine
40 (3½-inch) round dumpling wrappers
Black or rice vinegar
Chili oil
Ingredients
12 ounces napa cabbage, cut into 1-inch pieces (5 cups)
½ teaspoon table salt
12 ounces plant-based ground meat
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1½ tablespoons soy sauce, plus extra for dipping
1½ tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
4 scallions, chopped fine
40 (3½-inch) round dumpling wrappers
Black or rice vinegar
Chili oil
Why This Recipe Works
Instead of the fat-rich pork shoulder that's traditionally used, we start with plant-based meat, adding both vegetable oil and sesame oil to help mimic the richness of the pork; the sesame oil also brings a pleasing nutty note. Using the food processor to keep the mixing process quick and tidy, we pulse in sweet hoisin, bright Shaoxing wine, and sinus-tingling fresh ginger and white pepper. Cabbage adds contrasting crunch to the soft meat. A hybrid pan frying–steaming method cooks the dumplings until they're irresistibly crispy-chewy on the outside—perfect for dunking in little bowls of soy sauce, vinegar, and spicy chili oil.
Before You Begin
These dumplings are best served hot from the skillet; we recommend that you serve the first batch immediately and then cook the second batch.
Instructions
- Pulse cabbage in food processor until finely chopped, 8 to 10 pulses. Transfer cabbage to medium bowl and stir in salt; let sit for 10 minutes. Using your hands, squeeze excess moisture from cabbage. Transfer cabbage to small bowl.
- Break ground meat into small pieces and add to now-empty processor along with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, soy sauce, sesame oil, Shaoxing wine, hoisin, ginger, and white pepper. Pulse until mixture is combined, about 10 pulses. Scatter cabbage over meat mixture. Add scallions and pulse until vegetables are evenly distributed, about 8 pulses. Transfer meat mixture to bowl.
- Working with 4 wrappers at a time (cover others with damp paper towel), place 1 tablespoon filling in center of each wrapper, brush edges with water, fold wrappers in half, and pinch dumplings closed, pressing out any air pockets. Place dumplings on 1 side and gently flatten bottom. Transfer to baking sheet and cover with clean, damp dish towel. (Dumplings can be frozen on baking sheet until solid, then transferred to zipper-lock bag and stored in freezer for up to 1 month. To cook from frozen, increase water in step 5 to ⅔ cup and covered cooking time to 8 minutes.)
- Brush 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over bottom of 12-inch nonstick skillet. Evenly space 16 dumplings, flat sides down, around edge of skillet and place 4 in center (overlapping just slightly if necessary). Cook over medium heat until bottoms begin to turn spotty brown, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Off heat, carefully add ½ cup water (water will sputter). Return skillet to heat and bring water to boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 6 minutes. Uncover, increase heat to medium-high, and cook until water has evaporated and bottoms of dumplings are crispy and browned, 1 to 3 minutes. Transfer dumplings to platter, browned sides up. (To cook second batch of dumplings, let skillet cool for 10 minutes. Rinse skillet under cool water and wipe dry with paper towels. Repeat cooking process with remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and remaining dumplings.)
- Serve dumplings hot, passing vinegar, chili oil, and extra soy sauce separately for dipping.
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