Chinese jiaozi dumplings

Jiaozi roughly translates as "corner-shaped dumplings," although their actual shape can vary widely. The most varied fillings are the ones used. Meat in jiaozi is mixed with vegetables, mushrooms, and boiled eggs, and there are even purely vegetarian options. And, of course, jiaozi are unimaginable without traditional seasonings. Jiaozi are boiled, fried, or steamed and eaten dipped in soy sauce.

Step-by-step recipe

Step 1:

Grind the cabbage in a blender.

Step 2:

Add chopped ginger and green onions to the minced meat and mix.

Step 3:

Add dark soy sauce and chicken powder. Stir.

Step 4:

Add cabbage. Stir.

Step 5:

Pour in vegetable oil and sesame oil, stir.

Step 6:

Add 13 spice powder and stir.

Step 7:

Add light soy sauce and wine and stir.

Step 8:

Add the egg and stir.

Step 9:

Add concentrated chicken broth and stir.

Step 10:

Pour 150 ml of hot water into the sifted flour, stir quickly, then gradually add 120 ml of room temperature water and knead the dough until smooth. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes, knead again, and let it rest for another 15 minutes.

Step 11:

Knead the dough again, stretch it and roll it with your hands into a very thin and long sausage.

Step 12:

Tear the dough into small equal pieces.

Step 13:

Dust the surface with flour and roll out each piece with a rolling pin until it is quite thin.

Step 14:

Place the filling inside and seal the dumplings in any way you like.

Step 15:

Place in boiling water and cook like regular dumplings.

Step 16:

Serve garnished with herbs and a bowl of soy sauce, to which you can add vinegar.

Cooking tips

It is better to use homemade minced meat, not store-bought, and chopped.

Chicken powder can be replaced with MSG, and concentrated chicken broth with a diluted bouillon cube, but for authenticity, it's best to order these ingredients online, especially if you're seriously experimenting with Chinese cuisine.

The 13-Spice seasoning contains red pepper, black pepper, white pepper, allspice, cloves, ginger, anise, star anise, tangerine peel, sha zhen, cardamom, tsao guo, and shannai. Ten of these spices are readily available. However, ready-made seasoning is often easier to buy online.

You can make jiaozi dumplings any way you like—shell-shaped, gathering the dough into folds on one side of the circle and sealing it with the free flat end; dumpling-shaped, like manti, gathering the folds toward the center; or rolling the dumpling into a cylinder. A single batch can include dumplings of various shapes—this is more fun, especially if you're making them with the whole family.

You can cook jiaozi in any way - either in a saucepan or in a steamer.