How to cook: Dumplings
Boiled or In Soup
Recommended for: Wontons and Dumplings
Cooking Time: 15min
The quickest and easiest way is to serve the dumplings in soup. We recommend using a soup base like chicken broth, served with vegetables and noodles.
Bring the water or broth to a boil.
Put the desired amount of dumplings into the soup.
Let the dumplings simmer in the boiling water for about 10 minutes. DO NOT put the lid on the pot, as the skin of the dumpling is delicate and covering the pot will cause the skin to break.
With about 5 minutes left, put the vegetables in. Noodles can also be put in at this time, but cooking the noodles in a separate pot and rinsing it with water has a better result and consistency for the soup. (See how to cook noodles).
Pour contents into a bowl and serve. If boiled with water, drain the water and serve with sauce instead.
PanfrIED
Recommended for: Potstickers, Gyoza and Panfry Pork Buns
Cooking Time: 15-20mins
Potstickers or gyozas are great for sharing. As opposed to boiling or steaming, they are a little more difficult to prepare, but they are definitely an instant favourite in the room.
On medium heat, pour a small amount of oil onto a frying pan, enough for a thin layer to cover the pan.
Place the potstickers or gyozas onto the pan, with the flat side down. Make sure that you do not put too many on the pan at once as they need space to cook properly.
Allow the potstickers or gyozas to sit and slowly golden for about approx. 7 minutes. If the pan heats unevenly, shuffle the dumplings around and check that they don’t burn. If they start to burn, the pan is too hot and you may have to flip the dumplings on its other sides.
After approx. 7 minutes or when the skin is golden, flip all the potstickers or gyozas on another side.
Fill the pan with cold tap water, covering about 2/3 of the potstickers or gyozas.
On high heat, place a lid on the pan and allow the water to boil for about 7 to 10 minutes. Keep an eye out to make sure that all the water doesn't completely evaporate during this time.
After the 7-10 minutes, the water should be slowly evaporated. At this point, the potstickers or gyozas are fully cooked.
Leaving them on the pan longer after all the water has evaporated will make the skin crispier, but this is also when they start to stick to the pan (hence the name). Move them around so that they don’t completely stick or burn and let them crisp a bit. If necessary, lower the heat a bit.
When the skins are crispy, remove them from the heat and serve with soya sauce or ponzu sauce.
Steamed
Recommended for: Steam Pork Bun and Siu Mai
Cooking Time: 15min
Steaming is recommended for the traditional "dim sum" style.
Boil water in a pot.
Place the contents in a metal steamer or a bamboo steamer. To prevent sticking, line the bottom of the metal steamer or bamboo steamer with lettuce.
Steam for 10-12 minutes.
Serve with red or black vinegar or soya sauce.