The Kitchn: How to make pork dumplings
If you think frozen pork dumplings from the store are addictive, then just you wait until you try these homemade fellas. They are everything you want in a dumpling: plump and nicely chewy, filled with tender pork, flavored with fresh ginger, green onion and sesame oil. Bet you can't eat just one.
Whether you're celebrating something with friends or stocking your freezer for a busy month ahead, these dumplings should definitely be on your list. Even if you're not celebrating anything, dumplings are a good project to tackle with a few friends -- the recipe I give here makes about 80 little dumplings, and many hands make the otherwise tedious task of folding each one fly by. Afterward, split them up, and you each have a few dinners you can stash in your freezer.
I use store-bought dumpling (or gyoza) wrappers to make my dumplings -- they're dependable and easy to find and use. Look for them near the tofu in the produce section of your grocery store, or plan a trip to your nearest Asian market.
The recipe I use below is a slight adaptation of one of our earliest Kitchn recipes: Kenny Lao’s Rickshaw Dumplings. This is the recipe that introduced me to the delicious possibilities of the homemade dumpling, for which I will be eternally grateful.
Pork Dumplings
Makes 70 to 80 dumplings
1/2 medium head Napa cabbage (about 1 pound)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 pound ground pork
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