teacherman'sjiaozi(chinese dumplings-fried&boiled)

(1 rating)
Recipe by
James Tanis
Lakeview, MI

Back in 1990, I took my shiny new English teaching degree to Nanchang, China, to teach for a year. Students and teachers had several "jiaozi parties" in my little apartment, which took all after noon between making the dough, grinding the pork with a cleaver, adding vegetables, and forming and cooking the dumplings, or jiaozi /GEE-ow-zuh/ I will show you short cuts on how to make scads of dumplings that can be fried or boiled and eaten with broth. You will never have to pay a lot of money for just 5 or 6 dumplings at P.F. Chang's again!

(1 rating)
prep time 1 Hr
cook time 15 Min
method Deep Fry

Ingredients For teacherman'sjiaozi(chinese dumplings-fried&boiled)

  • JIAOZI (DUMPLINGS)
  • 1 lb
    ground pork
  • 3-5
    scallions, chopped
  • 1/3 c
    green cabbage, finely chopped
  • 1/2 tsp
    finely chopped ginger, or 1 teaspoon of ginger paste
  • 1 tsp
    fresh chopped cilantro or 1 teaspoon of cilantro paste
  • 1 Tbsp
    cornstarch
  • 1 Tbsp
    soy sauce or amino acids (aminos are much healthier!)
  • 1 pkg
    eggroll wrappers
  • 1
    drinking glass, and small bowl of water
  • 4 Tbsp
    cooking oil (or less, depending on pan size)
  • DIPPING SAUCE
  • 2 Tbsp
    white vinegar, per person
  • 2 Tbsp
    soy sauce or amino acids, per person
  • 1 tsp
    white sugar, per person

How To Make teacherman'sjiaozi(chinese dumplings-fried&boiled)

  • 1
    Put ground pork in a medium mixing bowl and add the scallions, cabbage, cornstarch, cilantro, and ginger, and mix well. (Notice I use cilantro and ginger paste for convenience without diminishing flavor.)
  • 2
    I use cilantro and ginger paste for convenience without diminishing flavor.
  • 3
    Put 1-2 eggroll wrappers on counter, place drinking glass or biscuit cutter on top, and push and twist until it cuts through the dough.
  • 4
    Place a "light" teaspoon of the pork mixture in the middle of the dough circle. Don't overfill or your dough will tear open!
  • 5
    Using water from the bowl, wet the top half of dough with your index finger.
  • 6
    Fold the bottom half of dough to top and pinch in the middle, making a half circle.
  • 7
    Fold and pinch each side, sort of like a pie crust.
  • 8
    (This is where the Chinese would decide if your dumplings were ugly or pretty! Trust me, many of mine were ugly at first, but they all taste the same!)
  • 9
    Set finished dumplings/jiaozi on large cutting board.
  • 10
    FOR BOILED JIAOZI SOUP: Boil 6-8 cups water in large pot. Add jiaozi and watch for it to boil again.
  • 11
    After the jiaozi rise to the top in a rolling boil for 5 minutes, add 2 more cups of COLD water and let it reboil for another 5 minutes.
  • 12
    Ladle jiaozi into bowls with broth. Serve with small dishes of a mixture of 2 T soy sauce (Chinese: jung yo) OR amino acids (I use Bragg's brand), 2 T white vinegar, and 1 teaspoon of white sugar mixed together.
  • 13
    FOR FRIED JIAOZI (more common in the U.S.): Using the largest frying pan you can find, heat 4 T oil, preferably grape seed or coconut, but vegetable will do, on medium high heat. Lay jiaozi close together, filling the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes on one side, cooking until just golden brown.
  • 14
    Flip over and cook for another 3-4 minutes, watching until they are just golden brown. (This is also called "Sticky jiaozi" by the Chinese for a reason!) Remove from heat, and use a spatula to put on plates.
  • 15
    Serve with small dishes of a mixture of 2 T soy sauce (Chinese: jung yo) OR amino acids (I use Bragg's brand), 2 T white vinegar, and 1 teaspoon of white sugar mixed together.
  • 16
    Serve and enjoy! GOMBEI! (CHEERS!) NOTE: Chinese will often pour some of the dipping sauce directly into the jiaozi soup, or add some soy sauce.)

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