Pork and wombok dumplings with chilli and vinegar dressing

These dumplings are inspired by finalist of 2023’s Good Food Young Chef of the Year Noora Heiska's daily dumpling making sessions during her tenure at XO restaurant. The dumpling fold is simple to achieve and the dumplings freeze well, for when you make large batches!

Credit: Jiwon Kim

• makes

  40

• prep

  1 hour

• cook

  7 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

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Ingredients

• 40 round dumpling wrappers (store bought)

For the filling

• 500 g wombok, core removed, thinly sliced
• 4 tsp salt
• 400 g fatty pork mince (see Note)
• 40 g oyster sauce (see Note)
• 3 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 3 tsp sesame oil
• 1 small bunch garlic chives, finely chopped
• 60 g ginger, finely chopped

For the dressing

• 2 tbsp chilli crisp oil
• 1 tbsp Chinese black vinegar (Chinkiang)
• 2 tsp sugar

Freezing time: 1 hour

Instructions

1. Place the sliced wombok into large colander and rub with 2 tsp salt. Place into the sink and allow to stand for 30 minutes.
   
2. Meanwhile, combine the pork mince with the remaining 2 tsp salt in the bowl of a stand-mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed for 5 minutes. Add the oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce and sesame oil to the bowl and continue mixing on low speed until combined.
   
3. Squeeze the excess water out of the salted wombok, then add the squeezed cabbage to the stand mixer with the garlic chives and ginger. Mix on low speed to combine.
   
4. To fill the dumplings, place ½ tbsp filling into the centre of the dumpling wrapper. Wet the upper half of the edge with a little bit of water, then fold bottom middle to meet the top. Pinch to seal. Then pinch all the way along the edge, starting from one side. Be careful to pinch close to the filling to remove any air but not on top of the filling. Then, make a small indent in the middle of the straight side of the dumpling and bring the corners together, sealing one on top of the other with a dab of water and a pinch. Place on a tray lined with baking paper and freeze on the tray for 2 hours, or until firm.
   
5. To cook the dumplings, bring a large saucepan of water to a rolling boil. Cook the dumplings in batches for 7 minutes, or until they float. Remove to a plate and drizzle lightly with sesame oil, to prevent them from sticking together.
   
6. To make the dressing, combine the ingredients in a small bowl. Serve the pork and wombok dumplings with the chilli and vinegar dressing.

Note

• If possible, make your own homemade fatty pork mince by grinding up fresh pork belly to use in your dumpling filling.
  
• I used Ayam branded oyster sauce for this recipe.
  
• If you are rolling a large amount of dumplings, it’s a good idea to keep the wrappers and folded dumplings covered with a damp cloth to keep them from drying out while you work. Once frozen you can pack the dumplings in an airtight container(s) and store them in the freezer.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Stream free On Demand

Cooking like a Boss

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G