If you're craving homemade Chinese dumplings, the kind you eat with chopsticks and get your hands messy, this recipe for jiaozi guo-tie is definitely worth trying. I find myself making it quite often when I'm in the mood for something special, but without needing overly complicated ingredients. The filling is simple, with meat and cabbage, and the cooking method involves both frying and boiling, resulting in an interesting combination of textures.
Quick Info
Total time: about 2 hours 30 minutes (includes resting times)
Preparation time: 1 hour 30 minutes (shaping, chopping, making the filling)
Cooking time: 6-8 minutes for each batch of dumplings
Servings: 3-4
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: Chinese dumplings, suitable for family meals or special occasions
Ingredients
For the dough:
250 g all-purpose flour
approximately 130 ml hot water
For the filling:
200 g ground beef (or pork)
150 g white cabbage
2 green onions
2 cloves of garlic
a small piece of fresh ginger
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon starch
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon water
salt
pepper
chili powder (to taste)
Additionally:
4 tablespoons sesame oil (for frying)
1/2 Knorr chicken cube (or similar)
For serving:
soy sauce
vinegar
crushed garlic
Preparation method
1. The dough
Place the flour in a large bowl. Gradually pour in the hot water, mixing with a spoon or your hands until everything comes together into a soft, non-sticky dough. Knead for about 3-4 minutes on a floured surface until it becomes elastic. Cover with a clean towel and let it rest for an hour. The dough will relax and roll out more easily.
2. The filling
Finely chop the cabbage, sprinkle a little salt over it, and let it drain for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, put the ground meat, roughly chopped green onion, crushed garlic, grated ginger, one tablespoon of water, sesame oil, soy sauce, a pinch of salt (be careful, the soy sauce is already salty), pepper, and chili in a food processor. Blend everything for a few seconds until it is well combined.
After the cabbage has sat with salt, squeeze it well to remove excess water. Mix it with one tablespoon of starch and the meat mixture. Let the filling sit in the fridge for about an hour.
3. Shaping the dumplings
Tear off pieces of dough about the size of a walnut and roll each into a thin, round shape on a floured surface. Place a tablespoon of filling in the center. Wet the edge of the circle with a little water, then fold the dough over the filling to form a crescent shape. Pinch the top edge with your fingers, making pleats on one side. The edges must be well sealed so that the filling does not leak during cooking.
4. Cooking
Heat 4 tablespoons of sesame oil in a non-stick pan. Place the dumplings with the pleats facing up and fry them until they are golden brown on the bottom. Do not move them too much to avoid breaking. Once browned, pour in hot water until it nearly covers them halfway. Add half a Knorr cube. Cover and let them cook for 5-6 minutes, until the water has mostly evaporated. Carefully remove them and place them on a plate.
5. Serving sauce
Mix soy sauce with vinegar and a little crushed garlic. It doesn't need anything else; the flavor is balanced this way.
Why I make this recipe often
I love it because I don't have to search for complicated ingredients, and the dumplings turn out tasty and can be adapted based on what I have in the fridge. They can be prepared in advance, and the dough step isn't hard after the first few attempts.
Tips and variations
Tips
If it's your first time shaping dumplings, don't rush the pleats; the most important thing is to seal the edges well.
You can work with lightly floured hands to prevent the dough from sticking.
If the dough dries out, always cover it while you're not working with it.
Substitutions
Ground beef can easily be substituted with pork or even chicken.
Regular soy sauce works too; there's no need for special varieties.
If you don't want chili, you can omit it without losing much flavor.
Variations
You can add a bit of grated carrot to the filling if you like.
They can also be made vegetarian, with mushrooms, cabbage, and carrot.
If you want a more subtle flavor, reduce the amount of ginger.
Serving ideas
The dumplings are best hot, with the simple vinegar and soy sauce. They can also be served with a little finely chopped green onion on top.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can the dumplings be made a day in advance?
Yes, you can shape them and keep them in the fridge, well covered. It's best to cook them before serving.
2. What if I don't have a non-stick pan?
Regular pans work too, but you need to be careful about sticking; use more oil and check to make sure they don't stick.
3. Can I freeze the dumplings before cooking them?
Yes, they can be frozen raw on a tray and then transferred to a bag. Cook them directly from the freezer, but they will need a little more time.
4. Can the dough be made with room temperature water?
It can work, but the texture won't be as elastic; hot water helps it stretch better.
5. What can I substitute for the Knorr cube?
You can use plain salt or a bit of clear broth if you have it on hand.
Nutritional values
Approximately, for one serving (1/4 of the recipe): 330-350 kcal, 12-15g protein, 35-40g carbohydrates, 14-16g fats. These values may vary depending on the type of meat used and the amount of oil absorbed during cooking.
Storage and reheating
Fresh dumplings are the best, but if you have leftovers, you can keep them in the fridge, covered, for up to 2 days. To reheat, use the pan again with a little water or oil, not the microwave – this way the texture stays better. After freezing, cook them directly, do not thaw.
Quick Info
Total time: about 2 hours 30 minutes (includes resting times)
Preparation time: 1 hour 30 minutes (shaping, chopping, making the filling)
Cooking time: 6-8 minutes for each batch of dumplings
Servings: 3-4
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: Chinese dumplings, suitable for family meals or special occasions
Ingredients
For the dough:
250 g all-purpose flour
approximately 130 ml hot water
For the filling:
200 g ground beef (or pork)
150 g white cabbage
2 green onions
2 cloves of garlic
a small piece of fresh ginger
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon starch
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon water
salt
pepper
chili powder (to taste)
Additionally:
4 tablespoons sesame oil (for frying)
1/2 Knorr chicken cube (or similar)
For serving:
soy sauce
vinegar
crushed garlic
Preparation method
1. The dough
Place the flour in a large bowl. Gradually pour in the hot water, mixing with a spoon or your hands until everything comes together into a soft, non-sticky dough. Knead for about 3-4 minutes on a floured surface until it becomes elastic. Cover with a clean towel and let it rest for an hour. The dough will relax and roll out more easily.
2. The filling
Finely chop the cabbage, sprinkle a little salt over it, and let it drain for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, put the ground meat, roughly chopped green onion, crushed garlic, grated ginger, one tablespoon of water, sesame oil, soy sauce, a pinch of salt (be careful, the soy sauce is already salty), pepper, and chili in a food processor. Blend everything for a few seconds until it is well combined.
After the cabbage has sat with salt, squeeze it well to remove excess water. Mix it with one tablespoon of starch and the meat mixture. Let the filling sit in the fridge for about an hour.
3. Shaping the dumplings
Tear off pieces of dough about the size of a walnut and roll each into a thin, round shape on a floured surface. Place a tablespoon of filling in the center. Wet the edge of the circle with a little water, then fold the dough over the filling to form a crescent shape. Pinch the top edge with your fingers, making pleats on one side. The edges must be well sealed so that the filling does not leak during cooking.
4. Cooking
Heat 4 tablespoons of sesame oil in a non-stick pan. Place the dumplings with the pleats facing up and fry them until they are golden brown on the bottom. Do not move them too much to avoid breaking. Once browned, pour in hot water until it nearly covers them halfway. Add half a Knorr cube. Cover and let them cook for 5-6 minutes, until the water has mostly evaporated. Carefully remove them and place them on a plate.
5. Serving sauce
Mix soy sauce with vinegar and a little crushed garlic. It doesn't need anything else; the flavor is balanced this way.
Why I make this recipe often
I love it because I don't have to search for complicated ingredients, and the dumplings turn out tasty and can be adapted based on what I have in the fridge. They can be prepared in advance, and the dough step isn't hard after the first few attempts.
Tips and variations
Tips
If it's your first time shaping dumplings, don't rush the pleats; the most important thing is to seal the edges well.
You can work with lightly floured hands to prevent the dough from sticking.
If the dough dries out, always cover it while you're not working with it.
Substitutions
Ground beef can easily be substituted with pork or even chicken.
Regular soy sauce works too; there's no need for special varieties.
If you don't want chili, you can omit it without losing much flavor.
Variations
You can add a bit of grated carrot to the filling if you like.
They can also be made vegetarian, with mushrooms, cabbage, and carrot.
If you want a more subtle flavor, reduce the amount of ginger.
Serving ideas
The dumplings are best hot, with the simple vinegar and soy sauce. They can also be served with a little finely chopped green onion on top.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can the dumplings be made a day in advance?
Yes, you can shape them and keep them in the fridge, well covered. It's best to cook them before serving.
2. What if I don't have a non-stick pan?
Regular pans work too, but you need to be careful about sticking; use more oil and check to make sure they don't stick.
3. Can I freeze the dumplings before cooking them?
Yes, they can be frozen raw on a tray and then transferred to a bag. Cook them directly from the freezer, but they will need a little more time.
4. Can the dough be made with room temperature water?
It can work, but the texture won't be as elastic; hot water helps it stretch better.
5. What can I substitute for the Knorr cube?
You can use plain salt or a bit of clear broth if you have it on hand.
Nutritional values
Approximately, for one serving (1/4 of the recipe): 330-350 kcal, 12-15g protein, 35-40g carbohydrates, 14-16g fats. These values may vary depending on the type of meat used and the amount of oil absorbed during cooking.
Storage and reheating
Fresh dumplings are the best, but if you have leftovers, you can keep them in the fridge, covered, for up to 2 days. To reheat, use the pan again with a little water or oil, not the microwave – this way the texture stays better. After freezing, cook them directly, do not thaw.