{"id":110544,"title":"Chinese Pork Dumplings (Jiaozi)","modified":"2025-10-29T17:16:45+01:00","plain":"A delicious recipe for jiaozi\u2014Chinese pork and cabbage dumplings\n\n\n\nA staple of Chinese cuisine, jiaozi are stuffed dumplings loved across Asia. Sweet or savory, these little parcels are incredibly versatile\u2014that\u2019s part of their appeal! \n\n\n\nWhat are jiaozi? \n\n\n\nSimply put, jiaozi are the Chinese counterpart to Western ravioli: minced meat and vegetables wrapped tightly in a crescent-shaped piece of dough and sealed along the edges.\n\n\n\nIf the name doesn\u2019t ring a bell, you might know them as \u201cPeking ravioli.\u201d In Chinese tradition, they\u2019re served at breakfast at the dawn of the New Year. And they\u2019re not just another dish\u2026\n\n\n\nThey carry real symbolic weight: they represent wealth and family unity\u2014akin, in parts of Europe, to the tradition of New Year\u2019s sauerkraut. All the more reason to explore another culinary tradition! \n\n\n\nHar gow\u2014Chinese shrimp dumplings\u2014are another Chinese New Year classic\n\n\n\nOrigins and history of jiaozi\n\n\n\nYou could almost call them the Asian ancestor of Italian ravioli. Jiaozi appeared about 1,800 years ago, and \u201chuntun\u201d is believed to have been the first type to reach the emperor\u2019s court in the 3rd century AD.\n\n\n\nMost people therefore didn\u2019t eat many at the time; they were mainly reserved for the high nobility.\n\n\n\nOnly in the 17th century, during the Ming and Qing dynasties, did jiaozi become widespread. They were even associated with year-end folk rituals meant to ensure fortune and prosperity. \n\n\n\nOver time, jiaozi made their way into traditional cuisine, and cooks around the world have adopted the recipe. They even have their own names in Japanese cuisine (gyoza), Korean cuisine (mandu), and American cuisine (dumplings).\n\n\n\nMy Japanese gyoza recipe\n\n\n\nHow to cook jiaozi \n\n\n\nJiaozi are wonderfully versatile\u2014serve them as a small sweet bite or a savory appetizer. While the method differs from Italian ravioli, the dough uses just two ingredients: wheat (or rice) flour and water.\n\n\n\nThey\u2019re easy to make at home. Simply mix and knead until you have a smooth dough. It should be neither too dry nor too wet. Water temperature plays a big role in the dough\u2019s texture.\n\n\n\nThe hotter the water, the thinner and more translucent your dough will be. In that case, favor gentle cooking methods such as steaming or poaching.\n\n\n\nConversely, if you work with cold water (as in the traditional recipe), your jiaozi dough will be thicker, sturdier, and more elastic. Then you can cook them any way you like\u2014boiled, steamed, or fried. \n\n\n\nAs for the filling, Beijing-style jiaozi are generally stuffed with pork, scallions, and cabbage. At serving time, they\u2019re paired with soy sauce and sesame oil. Of course, feel free to customize your jiaozi\u2014there are hundreds of ways to prepare them. \n\n\n\nJiaozi vs. wonton: what\u2019s the difference? \n\n\n\nThese days, the difference can be subtle, as dumplings have been reinterpreted around the world. Traditionally, jiaozi are distinguished from wontons mainly by their shape and cooking method.\n\n\n\nbowl of wonton soup\n\n\n\nWontons are oval, whereas jiaozi are crescent-shaped. Also, classic Beijing jiaozi have a specific filling based on pork and thinly sliced vegetables.\n\n\n\nWontons, on the other hand, can include various meats and seafood. With so many versions today, the line between styles is quite thin. \n\n\n\nBasic ratios for creating your own jiaozi fillings\n\n\n\nTotal weight of the filling\n\n\n\n\n9\/10 meat and fat\n\n\n\n1\/10 other additions (vegetables)\n\n\n\n\nThis is far from absolute, but use it as a starting point and adjust to taste.\n\n\n\nMeat distribution\n\n\n\n\n2\/3 lean meat\n\n\n\n1\/3 fat\n\n\n\n\nTo make things easier, your ground meat should be 30% fat.\n\n\n\nTotal fat distribution\n\n\n\nHowever, if you want ultimate precision and add everything separately (for example, using 0% fat lean pork but compensating with duck fat), here are the ideal fat ratios:\n\n\n\n\n2\/3 animal fat\n\n\n\n1\/3 a blend of seasoned oils\n\n\n\n\nExample (rounded): 100g lean pork, 43g duck fat, 21g seasoned oil.\n\n\n\nIf we follow the total ratios mentioned earlier, you need to add about 18g of the vegetables of your choice. Be careful if you opt for cabbage or other vegetables that release a lot of water; it\u2019s better to draw out the water beforehand by salting.\n\n\n\nPreparing the seasoned oil blend:\n\n\n\n\nThe blend can contain whatever you like.\n\n\n\nExample: leek, star anise, and fennel fried in peanut oil.\n\n\n\n\nSeasoning the lean meat:\n\n\n\n\nThe seasoning varies according to taste; only salt is mandatory. Classic options include five-spice, light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, \u2026\n\n\n\n\nAdding seasoned water:\n\n\n\n\nAdd it gradually, one tablespoon at a time; the amount should be more or less equal to the amount of seasoned oil added.\n\n\n\n\nFinishing:\n\n\n\n\nOnce the filling is sticky enough to leave streaks on the side of the bowl, fold in the vegetables and the seasoned oil.\n\n\n\n\nNB: If you opt for separate animal fat, add it at the finishing step.\n\n\n\nWhere to find jiaozi wrappers? \n\n\n\nIf you don\u2019t make your jiaozi dough yourself, you can easily find dumpling wrappers in Asian grocery stores. Often, you\u2019ll find them in the frozen aisle. They\u2019re also easy to find online. \n\n\n\nYou can also use my gyoza dough recipe\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHow to store jiaozi? \n\n\n\nStore your dumplings in an airtight container in the refrigerator. However, I recommend enjoying them as soon as possible. If they\u2019re raw, you can freeze them, but this may alter their shape and flavor.\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n\n\tChinese Pork Dumplings (Jiaozi)\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\tSeasoned Oil350 ml peanut oil100 g spring onions50 g celery (preferably Chinese celery)0.25 onion4 cloves garlic1 piece of ginger (about 3 cm)0.5 cinnamon stick (Chinese)2 star anise0.25 teaspoon fennel seedsInfused Water0.5 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns1 piece crushed ginger (about 3 cm)160 ml waterCabbage300 g Chinese cabbage1 teaspoon saltFilling300 g ground pork (preferably belly, at least 30% fat)Infused water, prepared in advancePork Seasonings1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder1 teaspoon cornstarch1 teaspoon light soy sauce1 teaspoon Shaoxing wineFinishing Oil2 tablespoons seasoned oil1 teaspoon toasted sesame oilDough252 g wheat flour (at least 10% protein)141 ml water1.2 g salt\t\n\t\n\t\tDoughMix the salt and flour.Using a fork, add the water little by little. Knead for 3-4 minutes.Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.The dough should now be much smoother. Knead for 1 minute.Cover while you prepare the filling.Seasoned OilSoak the spices in water for about 10 minutes before cooking to prevent them from burning.Roughly chop the remaining ingredients.Gently fry the chopped aromatics and soaked spices in the oil over medium heat. This will take about 20 minutes. The onion should just begin to brown; stop before it turns golden.Pour everything into a bowl while still hot, then cover. Let infuse for 1 hour, or preferably overnight.The next day, strain to remove the spices and aromatics.Infused WaterBring the water to a boil.Pour it into a bowl with the ginger and Sichuan peppercorns.Infuse for about 30 minutes. Strain and let cool.CabbageFinely chop the Chinese cabbage.In a mixing bowl, toss with the salt and let rest for 10-15 minutes.Squeeze out the liquid, then transfer to cheesecloth and squeeze again to remove more. Set aside.FillingMix the seasonings with the pork. Always stir in the same direction.Gradually pour in the infused water while stirring constantly in the same direction. The water addition should take about 3-5 minutes. The pork should become slightly sticky.Just before forming the dumplings, combine the cabbage with the pork mixture.Add the finishing oil.CookingFlatten the dough by hand into a thick disc, then cut into 4 pieces.Roll each piece to about 2 cm thick.Cut into 2 cm-long pieces (or 10-12 g).Dust the pieces you aren't using right away with flour and keep covered.Flatten to form discs, then roll out with a rolling pin.Fold the dumplings much like classic ravioli; there aren't really pleats as with gyoza. Seal well so they're sturdy.To cook, add the dumplings to boiling water, then cover.As soon as the water returns to a boil, add about 150 ml of cold water.Let the dumplings return to a boil.Repeat once more, adding cold water and letting it return to a boil, then remove from the heat and drain.You can also steam them for 15 minutes.\t\n\t\n\t\tVary the size of your wrappers to your liking. If you have filling left over, feel free to freeze it for later use.\nYou'll likely have seasoned oil left over\u2014make more dumplings, or use it to stir-fry noodles, rice, etc.\n\t\n\t\n\t\tDim sum, Entr\u00e9eChinoisejiaozi, raviolis chinois\t\n\n\n\n\n\nCulinary sources\n\n\n\nFor this revised recipe, I relied on the excellent English-language YouTube channel \"Chinese Cooking Demystified\".","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110544","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=110544"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110544\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":110705,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110544\/revisions\/110705"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/770"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=110544"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=110544"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=110544"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}