Soft, juicy, steamy dumplings with a crispy skirt bottom. Beautiful, and adds an amazing texture to the entire dish.
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.
It’s beautiful, presentable, AND delicious.
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.
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!
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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