I must admit, these are some ugly dumplings. They are, however, delicious. It’s possible that if you are more dexterous, you could pull off both delicious and pretty looking. Dream the impossible dream!

Ingredients:

Filling:

• 1 pound ground pork
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
• 50 milliliters (approx. 1.7 ounces) chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon gochujang (optional, for a tiny bit of heat)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Wrappers:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 100 milliliters (3 ounces) boiling water
• 80 milliliters (2 1/2 ounces) cool water

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• minced ginger (optional)

Now, I ended up with some extra of the filling – you could maybe try adding half again to the wrapper mixture and making more, but I just cooked up the filling and added it to fried rice instead!

In a large bowl, combine the pork, onion, ginger, and chicken stock, mixing until the stock is all absorbed.

Stir in  the rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, gochujang, salt, and pepper until well mixed. Cover, and place in the refrigerator.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour and salt, creating a well in the center. Pour the boiling water into the well, then stir with a wooden spoon until completely mixed. Add the cool water. Knead until the mixture forms a smooth, non-sticky dough. Cover with a damp cloth and let rest 20 minutes.

Divide the dough into 16 even portions and roll into balls. Cover, and let rest 10 minutes.

One at a time, roll the balls of dough out flat.

For a rough size-guide.

Place a tablespoon of the pork mixture in the center, and then fold the edges of the dough into the center. If you can make small, even, overlapping folds, you’ll end up with a better looking dumpling than mine.

Gently press down on the dumpling to lightly thin/flatten. Repeat with the remaining dough balls.

Heat about half the oil in a pan over medium heat. Put 8 dumplings, or as many fit without touching, in the pan and cover. Cook 6-7 minutes, until browned on the bottom, then flip, re-cover, and continue to cook until browned on this side as well. Cook the remaining dumplings as well, in the remaining vegetable oil.

Whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, and ginger if using, as a dipping sauce, and serve.

So, silverware, huh?

Pan Seared Pork Dumplings

Adapted from Honey Bee Sweets.

Filling:

• 1 pound ground pork
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
• 50 milliliters (approx. 1.7 ounces) chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon gochujang (optional, for a tiny bit of heat)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Wrappers:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 100 milliliters (3 ounces) boiling water
• 80 milliliters (2 1/2 ounces) cool water

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• minced ginger (optional)

In a large bowl, combine the pork, onion, ginger, and chicken stock, mixing until the stock is all absorbed. Stir in  the rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, gochujang, salt, and pepper until well mixed. Cover, and place in the refrigerator.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour and salt, creating a well in the center. Pour the boiling water into the well, then stir with a wooden spoon until completely mixed. Add the cool water. Knead until the mixture forms a smooth, non-sticky dough. Cover with a damp cloth and let rest 20 minutes.

Divide the dough into 16 even portions and roll into balls. Cover, and let rest 10 minutes.

One at a time, roll the balls of dough out flat. Place a tablespoon of the pork mixture in the center, and then fold the edges of the dough into the center. Gently press down on the dumpling to lightly thin/flatten. Repeat with the remaining dough balls.

Heat about half the oil in a pan over medium heat. Put 8 dumplings, or as many fit without touching, in the pan and cover. Cook 6-7 minutes, until browned on the bottom, then flip, re-cover, and continue to cook until browned on this side as well. Cook the remaining dumplings in the remaining vegetable oil.

Whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, and ginger if using, as a dipping sauce, and serve.