This recipe admittedly takes a long time.  It also uses some less standard ingredients.  But, it makes a lot so freeze some and have an easy dinner another night (or two).  Yes, there is a broccoli stir fry that goes with the dumplings.  I’ll post that recipe next week.

Pork Dumplings
adapted from Family Fun magazine, February 2010

Ingredients:
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1 Tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp oyster sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp cornstarch
½ tsp sugar
¼ tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp pepper
¼ lb shredded Napa cabbage (about 2 cups)
¼ cup minced scallions
2 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 small garlic clove, minced
½ lb ground pork
24* round dumpling wrappers or wonton skins

Directions:

1. Whisk together the egg white, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch, sugar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
2. Stir in the cabbage, scallions, ginger, and garlic.  Add the pork and stir until fully combined.
3. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
4. Stuff the dumplings.
   1. Fill a small bowl with water.
   2. Lay out 6 wrappers on your work surface.  Cover the remainder with a wet paper towel.
   3. Spoon 2 tsp of filling into the center of each wrapper.
   4. Using water on your finger, moisten the outer rim of each wrapper.
   5. Bring the opposite sides of the wrapper together and pinch together, eliminating as much air as possible.
      1. Avoid having too much filling as it will break the wrapper.
5. Transfer the dumplings to the baking sheets, spacing them so they don’t touch.  Cover with a damp cloth while you finish the other dumplings.
6. Refrigerate for up to two hours.  Or, freeze on the baking sheet and then transfer frozen, uncooked dumplings to a freezer bag for up to three months.
7. Cook the dumplings.
   1. Heat 2 tsp vegetable oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.  Arrange about a dozen dumplings in the pan, not touching, and leave for 2 minutes to cook the wrapper.
   2. Add ¼ cup of water, and cover.  Let cook for 5 minutes.
   3. Uncover the pan and raise the heat to cook off the remaining water.
   4. Continue frying the dumplings for 2 additional minutes.
   5. Serve immediately or transfer to a warm oven.
   6. Repeat for remaining dumplings.
   7. If dumplings are frozen, do not thaw.  Follow the same process, but increase the cooking time from 5 to 7 minutes.

*Note:  I have never been able to fit all the filling in 24 wrappers so I purchase extras (roughly double) to use all the filling.