Ugly…but delicious 🥟

Ingredients

• 500 g Green Cabbage (Half a medium head, roughly chopped then finely chopped)
• 450 g Ground Pork (80% lean, freshly ground)
• 150 g Yellow Onion (One medium onion, finely diced)
• 30 g Green Onions (Three stalks, thinly sliced (green and white parts))
• 150 g Water Chestnuts (Canned, drained and roughly chopped)
• 10 g Garlic (Two cloves, grated)
• 15 g Ginger (Fresh, grated (about 1 tablespoon))
• 1 large Egg (Beaten)
• 30 ml Soy Sauce (Light soy sauce)
• 15 ml Oyster Sauce (Adds umami depth)
• 5 ml Sesame Oil (Toasted sesame oil, a drizzle)
• 5 g Sugar (Granulated, about 1 teaspoon)
• 8 g Cornstarch (About 1 tablespoon, for binding)
• 2 g Sichuan Pepper (Ground, about ½ teaspoon)
• 2.5 g Salt (About ½ teaspoon)
• 30 pieces Dumpling Wrappers (Round, 3‑inch diameter, store‑bought)
• 30 ml Vegetable Oil (For pan‑frying, neutral oil)

Instructions

1. Prepare the Cabbage

   Roughly chop half a head of cabbage, then chop again into fine shreds. Transfer to a bowl, sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt, rub and tug the leaves to coat, then set aside to sweat.

   Time: PT10M

2. Sweat the Cabbage

   Allow the salted cabbage to sit undisturbed for 15 minutes, then squeeze out as much liquid as possible using a clean kitchen towel.

   Time: PT15M

3. Prep Remaining Fillings

   Finely dice the yellow onion, slice the green onions, grate the garlic and ginger, and roughly chop the drained water chestnuts.

   Time: PT5M

4. Make the Pork Filling

   In the large mixing bowl combine ground pork, diced onion, sliced green onions, water chestnuts, grated garlic, grated ginger, beaten egg, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, sugar, cornstarch, Sichuan pepper, and salt. Mix with hands until just combined; avoid over‑mixing.

   Time: PT5M

5. Incorporate the Cabbage

   Add the well‑drained cabbage to the pork mixture and fold gently until evenly distributed.

   Time: PT2M

6. Prepare Dumpling Wrappers

   Lay out the dumpling wrappers on a clean surface, cover the unused ones with a damp kitchen towel to prevent drying. Lightly wet the edge of each wrapper with a fingertip of water.

   Time: PT3M

7. Fill and Pleat Dumplings

   Place about 1 teaspoon of filling in the center of each wrapper, fold in half, and pleat the edges by pinching small folds along the rim. Ensure the seal is tight.

   Time: PT5M

8. Pan‑Fry and Steam Dumplings

   Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium‑high heat. Arrange dumplings flat‑side down, fry until the bottoms turn golden brown (2‑3 minutes). Carefully add 60 ml (¼ cup) of hot water, cover with the lid, and steam for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and continue cooking until the water has evaporated and the bottoms are crisp again.

   Time: PT8M

   Temperature: Medium‑high

9. Serve

   Transfer dumplings to a serving plate and serve immediately with a dipping sauce of soy sauce, black vinegar, and a drizzle of chili oil.

   Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

250

Protein

12 g

Carbohydrates

30 g

Fat

10 g

Fiber

2 g