Cabbage and Pork Dumplings

Here’s how to make juicy Cabbage and Pork Dumplings, or potstickers. Recipe features two filling options plus instructions for steaming and frying.

Dumplings are the world’s most popular comfort food. There are filled Asian-style potstickers and gyoza, fluffy steamed Chicken and Dumplings, hand cut German Spaetzle and so many more. What is your favourite dumpling?

Making Dumplings with a Friend is the Best Way to Learn

I’ve been wanting to learn how to make dumplings for a long time now. Sure, I’ve tried my hand at making perogies and they were okay…

An Asian style dumpling required me to learn from someone who knows what they were doing. Through blogging I’ve met many like minded people willing to share knowledge. So,when I got the invite to go make dumplings at Carole’s house, I couldn’t say no!

Let’s Make Cabbage and Pork Dumplings

I arrived at her house shortly after ten on a Sunday morning. We made a pot of tea, then got down to business.

Carole handed me the vegetables to chop, one after the other. Next, she arranged the rest of the ingredients on her counter. When I was done with the carrots, white onion, spring onion, mushrooms, and napa cabbage, she had the meat, eggs, and seasonings ready to go.

How to Make Cabbage and Pork Dumplings

First, mix ground pork with chopped vegetables, eggs, and sauces (if doing regular style dumplings). To make curry style dumplings, omit the sauces and add the rehydrated Glico curry paste.

Season meat mixture with salt and pepper. Add a small amount of tapioca starch if the filling seems a bit too wet. It should be a touch sticky.

Take small amounts of the mixture by teaspoon and place it in the middle of a single dumpling wrapper. Moisten the edges of the wrapper with your finger dipped in a bowl of water. Seal and pinch dumpling using your technique. (search dumpling techniques on youtube).

How to Pan Fry Cabbage and Pork Dumplings

It was also very near lunch so Carole showed me how to line the dumplings along the bottom of a pan on top of a thin film of oil.

First we cooked the dumplings in the pan on medium low heat until the bottoms were a bit crispy brown. Next, we added water by the tablespoon (maybe about 4 tbsp) and put the lid on so they steamed a bit. We did this about 2-3 times until the dumpling wrappers had changed from dull to glossy. It takes around ten minutes.

When our first pan of dumplings were ready we flipped them over on a plate, then ate them with some stir fried cabbage with garlic and fresh noodles. They’re also delicious in a bowl full of Roasted Cabbage Wedges.

How to Steam Cabbage and Pork Dumplings

We also did several batches of steamed dumplings for something a little different. You can tell they are done when the skins become translucent.

Set a large pot of water to boil and lined a steamer basket with cabbage leaves or steamer paper. Arrange the dumplings in a circular pattern on the cabbage leaves, taking care not to let them touch.

Cover and steam for 10-12 minutes.

How to Store Dumplings

Dumplings are very handy to have in the freezer for the days you don’t feel like cooking. That’s why it’s so much fun to get friends together to make a giant batch of dumplings.

Arrange the dumplings on a baking sheet, then place in the freezer for at least an hour or until fully frozen. Then, transfer them to freezer bags for easier storage. They will keep up to three months in the freezer.

Pork Dumplings 

If you make this Pork and Cabbage Dumpling recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Pinterest for my latest recipes. Also, if you do make this recipe, please tag me on Instagram, I’d love to see what you guys are making! Thank you so much for reading my blog.