Skip to content

Cooking How-To

KEEP FROZEN

Dumpling Fillings are frozen uncooked, do not thaw prior to cooking. All dumplings can be cooked straight from the freezer using the following methods.

General Tips

GENERAL TIPS

  • Use the correct Pan / Pot

    When pan-frying, use a good non-stick skillet/frying pan.

    For boiling, make sure u use a pot that is deep enough to cover the dumplings with water + 1 inch

  • Give them some Room

    Wet dough is sticky, placing your dumplings 1/2 centimeter apart will allow them to slightly expand without becoming stuck together.

    If using a steam basket, ensure it has a flat surface, do not use a curved colander as dumplings will roll to the center and stick together.

  • Watch your Heat

    Heat intensity differs between burner sizes, and between gas vs electric stoves

    For dumplings, we usually start with high heat and then lower the heat to ensure the inside cooks thoroughly while the outside isn’t overcooked or burnt

  • Avoid Sticking

    When Steaming, grease your colander with oil, or preferably – line the surface with lettuce or cabbage leaves, works PERFECT

    When Pan-Frying without a non-stick pan, use medium heat and be careful not to over crisp the bottom, over-browning tends to cause pan sticking.

Crisp + Steam

Crisp (Pan Sear) + Steam

  • Add a tablespoon of oil in a non-stick pan over medium high heat. Allow oil to get hot
  • Place frozen potstickers in the non-stick frying pan, pleat side up.
  • Allow a few minutes for bottom of potstickers to brown and crisp (you can flip one to check)
  • Once browned and crisp, add 1/4 cup of water to the pan, cover immediately, and turn the heat to medium.
  • Cook covered until the water is evaporated and potstickers are cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Remove the cover and flip one potsticker to see whether the bottom side is charred. If not, turn to medium high heat and cook until the bottom side turns golden brown.
  • Transfer the potstickers to a plate

Steaming

Steaming

  • Place a pot filled about halfway with water over high heat and bring to a boil.
  • Once boiling, lower the heat to medium.
  • Use a steamer basket with a flat surface (bamboo, Plastic, Metal)
    • best option is to line with individual cabbage leaves
    • otherwise brush with cooking oil or use perforated parchment liners to avoid sticking
  • Fill steam basket layer with the dumplings, ensuring dumplings are not touching
  • Steam frozen dumpling for 10 minutes.

Boiling

Boiling

Boiling your Shui Jiao dumplings are super easy

  • Bring water to boil in deep pot, with enough water to completely cover dumplings
  • Add 1 tsp salt to water
  • When water has reached a rolling boil, add frozen dumplings (**do not thaw dumplings before cooking). Gently stir water to ensure dumplings do not stick to bottom of pot
  • When water returns to rolling boil, add 1/2 cup of room temperature water and reduce stove burner to medium heat.
  • Allow to cook for 4 more minutes
  • Remove with slotted spoon to a serving dish or soup bowl

Microwave

MICROWAVING IS A MIXED BAG

We do not generally recommend microwaving as it doesn’t provide the conditions to get a proper moist and juicy dumpling. However, as a quick meal it comes in handy.

Place dumplings in a microwave-safe container (that has a lid). Add 1/4 cup of water, press lid on to seal, microwave on high for 2 minutes. Depending on your microwave strength, less or more time may be required.

Also, microwaves vary in power intensity making timing hard to judge, try the tips found at WikiHow.