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.
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.