Pan-fried dumplings are a must for Chinese New Year and my favorite way to give them a little something extra is a dumpling lace skirt. It’s satisfying to break into and adds even more crispy texture to the dumplings. Coloring the dumpling dough is another fun twist that I’ve tried. Generally, I like eating them without any accompaniments, but a chili crisp oil is nice for a bit of heat.
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Pork, Cabbage and Chive Dumplings Recipe – I really liked this recipe. The filling was flavorful. The dumplings can be made ahead, and frozen, uncooked, in a single layer on a sheet pan. Once firm, transfer them to a ziploc bag. If pan-frying from frozen, they will need a few more minutes to brown and cook in the slurry.
Crispy Dumpling Skirt (Dumpling Lace) Recipe:
1/2 cup water
2 1/2 teaspoons all purpose flour
Pinch of kosher salt
In a small bowl, combine the water, flour and kosher salt. Mix, breaking up any lumps of flour, until a slurry forms. Set aside.
Watch my how-to video for a dumpling skirt.
How to Pan-Fry Dumplings:
Turn a medium, nonstick fry pan to medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of neutral oil.
Arrange 8 or so dumplings in a single layer and cook, uncovered, for 2-3 minutes to allow the dumplings to begin browning.
Slowly pour the dumpling skirt slurry around the outer edge of the dumplings. Cover the pan with lid.
Cook for 5-7 minutes. The dumpling skin should look translucent. The skirt should look dry and start to brown on the edges. Remove the lid.
Tilt the pan back and forth over the burner to help the dumpling skirt brown evenly all around.
Slide the dumplings onto a plate. Place another plate on top and flip over to serve lace skirt side up.