Pork and Cabbage Dumplings (Jiaozi)

Toss the chopped cabbage with the salt in a bowl and let it sit for 15 minutes. Squeeze out as much liquid as you can with your hands or in a clean cloth; this keeps the filling from turning watery.

• 300g napa cabbage
• 1 tsp salt

✅ Done when: cabbage is limp and you can't squeeze out any more liquid

In a large bowl, mix the pork with the soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, ginger, white pepper and 3 tablespoons of water; stir hard in one direction for about a minute until sticky. Gently fold in the squeezed cabbage, scallions and sesame oil until evenly combined.

• 400g minced pork
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 tbsp ginger
• ¼ tsp white pepper
• 3 tbsp water
• 300g (squeezed) salted cabbage, from step 1
• 3 scallions
• 1 tbsp sesame oil

✅ Done when: mixture looks sticky and holds together, with cabbage evenly spread through it

Place 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of a wrapper, wet the rim with a little water, then fold in half and pinch the top to seal. Make 3-4 small pleats along one side, pressing each against the flat side, then set on a lightly floured tray and cover with a cloth as you work.

• 40 dumpling wrappers
• all of it filling, from step 2
• 1 tbsp water, for sealing
• 2 tbsp flour, for the tray

✅ Done when: edges are fully sealed with no gaps and no filling leaking out

Bring a large pot (at least 3 L) of water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add 15 dumplings at a time and stir gently so they don't stick; each time the water returns to a boil, pour in 250 ml of cold water, repeating this twice more for 750 ml total. After the third boil, about 6-7 minutes total, they float and look puffed up — repeat with the remaining batches.

• 3 L water, for boiling
• 750 ml cold water
• 40 dumplings, from step 3

✅ Done when: dumplings float, look puffed up, and the skins turn slightly translucent

Stir the black vinegar and chili oil together in a small bowl for dipping. Lift the dumplings out with a slotted spoon and serve hot. To pan-fry instead: brown the dumplings in 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat, add 100 ml water, cover and cook 6 minutes, then uncover and cook until the bottoms are crisp.

• 4 tbsp black vinegar
• 1 tbsp chili oil
• all boiled dumplings, from step 4
• 1 tbsp oil, for pan-frying (optional)
• 100 ml water, for pan-frying (optional)

✅ Done when: bottoms are golden and crisp (if pan-frying)