Growing up in Beijing, pork and chive dumplings are one of the most popular types, along with pork and napa cabbage dumplings and three treasures dumplings (pork, mushroom and shrimp). They are traditionally eaten during the Lunar New Year to bring good luck and wealth. Many believe that the more dumplings you eat, the wealthier you will become. But for our family, making dumplings is also a special weekend activity we enjoy from time to time. My parents would start the dough in the morning, making dumpling wrappers from scratch, and fill them with the delicious pork and chive filling. We’d always boil these dumplings, since boiling makes for a tender wrapper and juicy filling. But you can also pan fry or steam them. The freshly boiled dumplings are so good that I would always eat a few plates of them!
Ingredients for Pork and Chive Dumplings
What are Garlic Chives?
Garlic chives are one of the main ingredients in the filling of the pork and chive dumplings. They are different from the regular chives you may find in an American grocery store. Garlic chives have flat leaves, are solid rather than hollow, and have a very strong garlic flavor. Many Chinese dishes use this potent herb to add a fresh, garlicky taste at the end of the recipe. You should be able to find garlic chives easily at any Asian market.
What type of dumpling wrappers to use?
It’s important to use the right type of dumpling wrappers for these boiled pork and chive dumplings. If you use wrappers intended for other dumpling styles (steamed, fried, etc.) the dumplings may fall apart during boiling. Both Shanghai style (as shown in the photo) and Northern style will work well. The Chinese character 水 (water) on the package means that the wrappers are suitable for boiled dumplings. For some reason, no similar indication is given in English.
Dried papery shrimp
Dried papery shrimp (虾皮, Xia Pi) are tiny dried shrimp that are a bit salty and full of seafood flavor. They’re commonly used in pork and chive dumplings to further enhance the umami. Note, this type of dried shrimp is very small and does not require rehydration before using. You can easily find them at Chinese markets, but you can also skip them if you don’t have them on hand. Alternatively, you can also use fresh shrimp to replace some of the ground pork. For example, using 1/2 lb fresh shrimp and 1/2 lb of ground pork will make a very good filling. My parents especially like this method for special occasions, since shrimp is usually a bit pricey and special.
Mise en place
Dumpling wrappers Ground pork Papery shrimp (optional) Garlic chives Seasonings for dumpling filling Light soy sauce Shaoxing wine Dark soy sauce Ginger Salt Sugar Ground white pepper Toasted sesame oil
You don’t need to measure out the seasonings for your mise en place. Just have them handy and measure them as you add them to the bowl.
How to Make Pork and Chive Dumplings
Start by making the filling for the dumplings. Assemble the dumplings next. Boil PS: If you prefer to steam or pan fry the dumplings, check out the recipes below:
How to make steamed dumplings Beef potstickers
Tips and Tricks to Make Perfect Dumplings
Many people are intimidated by assembling dumplings. They may look a little tricky but they are actually quite easy. Here are a few tricks I have learned over the years that will help you make perfect dumplings.
Don’t overstuff the dumplings. You may be tempted to add more of the delicious filling into each dumpling wrapper but this is a bad idea. Too much filling will cause the dumplings to open and fall apart as they boil. One tablespoon of filling is the perfect amount! Keep the dumpling wrappers moist as you work. I like to cover them with a damp paper towel (not too wet!) so they stay soft. This will make them easier to work with. Be sure to wet the edge of the dumpling wrapper before you seal it together. This helps the wrapper stick together and stay closed.
Easy Pork and Chive Dumplings Recipe
My recipe for pork and chive dumplings makes about 32 dumplings. You can easily double the recipe (or even triple it!) to make extra and freeze them for later. I like to assemble the dumplings completely and then freeze them in large, gallon-sized freezer bags. Anytime I am craving pork and chive dumplings, I can take them out of the freezer and pop them right into a pot of boiling water to cook. The frozen dumplings only take about a minute longer to boil and this gives me a very quick and easy meal! Give these authentic pork and chive dumplings a try and you will see why they are so popular. Don’t be afraid to eat a lot of them just in case they really do bring luck and wealth! Enjoy.
More delicious dumpling recipes
How to Make Chinese Dumpling Sauce Chinese Chicken Dumplings (鸡肉饺子) Egg and Pepper Dumplings (鸡蛋青椒饺子) Pork and Sauerkraut Dumplings (酸菜饺子) Homemade Soup Dumplings (Xiao Long Bao) Chinese Chive Pockets (韭菜盒子, Chinese Chive Dumplings)
