Recipe: Pork and Cabbage Dumplings

We love dumplings!  Whilst dumplings can be bought easily from an Asian grocery shop, we love to make our own so we know exactly what is inside.  Here is a yummy recipe that you can make at home with your kids.  

There is a little bit of preparation before starting this recipe - measuring out the ingredients and finely slicing the cabbage and chives.  You will be the best judge whether your kids can help with this or not. If you can't find Shaoxing wine, just leave it out.  

Kids will need supervision during the "steaming" part of this recipe depending on whether you steam on a stove top, steam over or electric steamer like I did.  Tongs might be helpful to remove the dumplings after cooking.

Ingredients

300g pork mince
150g Chinese cabbage (wombok) finely chopped.
1 Tab oyster sauce
1 Tab chopped chives
1 Tab Shaoxing rice wine
1 packet Gow gee wrappers
Water
Salt and Pepper (good pinch)

Ingredients for pork and cabbage dumplings.

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Equipment needed

Mixing bowl
2 Teaspoons
2 Plates
Steamer

Equipment needed for pork and cabbage dumplings.

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Method

1.       Place pork mince, Chinese cabbage, oyster sauce, chives and Shaoxing rice wine, salt and pepper into the mixing bowl.

2.       Mix with your hands until all ingredients are combined. Wash and dry your hands.
3.       Spread out a layer of Gow gee wrappers onto a plate.
4.       Place a heaped teaspoon of meat onto a wrapper.
5.       Using your finger spread some water on the edge of one wrapper.
6.       Fold the wrapper over covering the meat and press down.

7.       Press the wrapper together and pleat.  (To pleat pinch the wrapper and fold over, repeat).
8.       Repeat steps 3-7 until all of the filling mixture is used.
9.       Steam the dumplings in a single layer for approximately 12 minutes.  

10.    Serve dumplings with a dipping sauce or with a noodle soup.

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Hmmm... I'm not sure why I said 2 plates but I suppose it means you can lay out more wrappers or maybe it was for the finished dumplings...

You can buy ready made dumpling dipping sauce from your local Asian grocery store or supermarket. Grownups might want some chilli sauce too!

You can find an extended version of this recipe with photographs for each step at the Your Kids OT shop.  All recipes have been designed for kids (with adult supervision) or for children with a disability. 

Have you made dumplings before?  Enjoy!

Looking for more recipes to get your Kids in the Kitchen? Try these...

Anzac Slice

Banana Sour Cream Muffins

Chocolate Fudge