Soft, juicy, steamy dumplings with a crispy skirt bottom. Beautiful, and adds an amazing texture to the entire dish.
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The first time I had ever tried a dumpling skirt was about seven years ago, when I dined in at a restaurant that is known for their dumplings. At the time, I thought that it would be hard to achieve that crispy skirt, but then I realized that it’s actually not as hard as it seems.
To create this crispy layer, you make a slurry, which basically consists of cornstarch and water. You pour this slurry around the dumplings on the pan and cover the pan with a lid to let the dumplings cook through. Once the water evaporates from the pan, you add a little more oil underneath the skirt, to make it crispy and let it slide out easily.
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It’s beautiful, presentable, AND delicious.
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You can do this with fresh dumplings, or even frozen dumplings. Just remember to cook it a bit longer for frozen dumplings.
I always like making my own dumplings, because I can add as much filling as I want, and I can control the ingredients and seasonings in the filling. I made a lot of dumplings this time, and I always like making a huge batch because I can store the leftover dumplings in the freezer. Whenever I’m in the need for a quick meal, I can just take out the dumplings from the freezer and pan fry/steam/boil them. Raw dumplings can even be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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Folding the dumplings:
Fold the wrapper in half, while pinching only the middle point to seal shut. Create 3 pleats on each side of the dumpling, while pressing the seams firmly to seal shut (I have included a video on how to do this in this post if you scroll down further). Practice makes perfect, so don’t worry, you’ll get there! I had to fold a LOT of dumplings in order to finally master the perfect fold.
If you do try out this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and/or give it a rating! I’d also love to see your creations so don’t forget to tag me on Instagram!
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Crispy Dumpling Skirt
Ingredients
Dumpling Filling
- 1 lb (450g) ground pork
- 5 shiitake mushrooms (chopped)
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger (minced)
- 1 cup garlic chives (finely chopped)
- 2 green onion stalks (finely chopped)
- 1 tsp white pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp five spice powder
- ½ tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tsp Chinese black vinegar
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 large egg
Assembling + Frying
- 1 pack circular dumpling wrappers
- Water
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
Dumpling Skirt
- 1½ tsp cornstarch
- ⅓ cup cold water
Dipping Sauce
- 1 tsp chili oil
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp Chinese black vinegar
Instructions
Dumpling Filling
- Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and let it marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes, or overnight.
Assembling
- Wet the entire edge of the dumpling wrapper with a little water.
- Add 1/2 tbsp of the filling onto the center of the wrapper.
- Fold the wrapper in half, while pinching only the middle point to seal shut. Create 3 pleats on each side of the dumpling, while pressing the seams firmly to seal shut (I have a video on how to do this in this post).
- Place the dumplings on a lightly floured tray.
Frying
- Heat a pan on medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add in 1 tbsp oil.
- Line the dumplings in a circular motion, and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly golden brown. (For frozen dumplings, they may take an additional 1-2 minutes).
- Once the bottoms are lightly golden brown, slowly pour in the dumpling skirt mixture (distributing it evenly around the pan), lower the heat to medium-low, and cover with a lid for 5-10 minutes, or until the dumplings are cooked.
- Once the dumpling skirt forms, remove the lid, and let it cook out any excess water.
- Once there is no water left, add in 1 tbsp of oil to let the dumpling skirt crisp up and make it easier to remove from the pan. Turn the heat off when the skirt becomes golden brown. Use a spatula to ensure the dumplings are not sticking to the pan.
- Place a plate over the pan, and carefully flip it over. The dumpling skirt should be facing upwards.
- Serve and enjoy with the dipping sauce (recipe above)!
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