How to make dumplings from scratch

Do you want to know how to make dumplings from scratch? Dumplings can be your comfort food or just one of those Chinese takeout cravings. Even if it’s meat you stuff in them or veggies, that flavorful filling encased in a soft dumpling dough is what makes a dumpling scrumptious. Any dumpling recipe will come out great with the right filling ingredients.

Some of the ingredients you can use to create dumplings from scratch can be around your pantry. Better than the frozen ones, folks! We suggest you try the homemade dumpling recipes that will bring that warmth from the inside.

How do you make dumplings?

This homemade recipe is everything you want in your dumpling, chewy and plump, bursting with flavors from fresh green onion, ginger, and sesame oil. Continue reading as we guide you through a step-by-step guide on how to cook dumplings from scratch.

For the dumpling dough:

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon margarine
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon white sugar

How to prepare:

1. In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir in butter until soft.
2. Add in milk and mix well until well-combined to make a soft dough.
3. Divide the dough into equal parts depending on how many you’d like to make.
4. Roll the dough into a thin log and repeat with the remaining doughs.
5. Flour the dough lightly and roll one piece into a thin circle.
6. Drop the formed dough into the boiling stew. The chicken stock will taste great.
7. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes with the lid on. Voila! You have made your dumplings from scratch.

Since a dumpling is so much better with filling, here are the recipes for your dumplings filling. Enjoy these fluffy dumplings made from scratch in just 30 minutes or even less.

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Parsley Dumplings

1. Follow the dumpling dough recipe above.
2. Add 1 tablespoon parsley flakes to the dry ingredients before rolling it and dropping dumplings on your stew or stock.

Pork Dumplings

Ingredients ( For 12 pieces dumplings )

• 1 cup green onion
• 1 cup shredded red cabbage (optional)
• Three cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• Two tablespoons minced ginger
• 1/4 lb ground pork (114 grams)
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

How to prepare:

1. Follow the dumpling dough recipe above.
2. Mix cabbage, garlic, green onions, ginger, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Mix until well-combined. This is the veggie mixture that you can opt to use with other dumpling filling recipes.
3. Combine ground pork with a teaspoon of salt, pepper, and the veggie mixture ( Step #2). Stir until well incorporated.
4. Assemble dumpling dough in a baking sheet, add one tablespoon of filling to the middle of the dumpling wrapper.
5. You are using your finger—coat half of the wrapper with water.
6. Fold the dampened half of the wrapper over the filling.
7. With your fingers, pleat edges to seal.
8. Repeat with the remaining wrapper and filling.
9. Steam for about 5 minutes. Coat three, or you can opt to fry over medium heat until bottoms start to brown.

Veggie Dumplings

Ingredients ( For 12 pieces dumplings )

• 1 cup green onion
• 1 cup shredded red cabbage
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• Two tablespoons minced ginger
• ¾ cup diced carrots ( 90 grams)
• ¾ cup diced mushroom

How to prepare:

1. Follow the dumpling dough recipe above.
2. Mix cabbage, garlic, green onions, ginger, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Mix until well-combined. This is the veggie mixture that you can use with other dumpling filling recipes such as pork, chicken, or shrimp.
3. Combine carrots and mushrooms, then microwave for 3 minutes until soft. Add 1 cup of the veggie mixture and mix until well incorporated.
4. Assemble dumpling dough, add one tablespoon of filling at the middle of the dumpling wrapper.
5. Using your finger, coat half of the wrapper with water.
6. Fold the dampened half of the wrapper over the filling.
7. With your fingers, pleat edges to seal.
8. Repeat with the remaining wrapper and filling.
9. Steam for about 5 minutes, or you can opt to fry over medium heat until bottoms start to brown.

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Homemade Chicken and Dumplings Recipe

First things first, let’s cover the dumplings before heading on to the dumpling soup. Preparing this dumpling from scratch will eat a few minutes of your time. Your whole fam will have already finished eating before you know it.

Using the same procedure of making dumplings from scratch mentioned above, put on your apron, and let’s get rolling!

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon margarine
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon white sugar

How to prepare:

For the dumplings:

1. Mix the dry ingredients: Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
2. Add wet ingredients: Stir in butter until soft.
3. Cook dumplings: Drop dumplings into boiling stew.

For the chicken soup – Ingredients:

• Onion
• Carrots
• Celery
• Garlic
• Butter
• All-purpose flour
• Evaporated milk
• Shredded cooked chicken
• Chicken stock
• Thyme
• Salt and pepper

How to prepare:

1. With medium-high heat, melt butter in a large pot. Drop the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes until the veggies are tender. Mix in the garlic and cook for another minute.
2. Toss the flour over the veggies and cook for a minute. Continue stirring.
3. Pour the broth and evaporated milk. Stir until evenly combined.
4. Let the soup boil and reduce to a simmer. Follow the dumpling dough recipe described above.
5. Drop the dumplings into your soup. Put them around the edges and not all at the center.
6. Mix in the shredded chicken. Cover with lid and let it simmer for 15 minutes.

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How do you make dumplings without a steamer?

Since you already know how to cook dumplings from scratch using various fillings, you can start cooking and share it with your family. Oh, what if you don’t have a steamer in your kitchen? There’s a hack we’ll share with you so you can still enjoy that hot, fresh, steaming pork or chicken dumplings. Here’s the secret hack you can share with those without steamers at home.

What you need:

• Aluminum Foil
• Large pot
• Ceramic plate

How to:

1. Form three large balls of aluminum foil. It’s not necessary to make them tightly packed. They’ll have to be in the same shape and size.
2. Put the balls inside your large pot.
3. Lay a ceramic plate on top to check if it’s equally level
4. Add a few inches of water, let it boil, then lower heat to a medium simmer.
5. Rub a little sesame oil on the ceramic plate, then put in as many dumplings as it can fill. Don’t overcrowd the dumplings.

What’s in your dumpling?

Defining dumplings can be in a pretty wide variation – wontons, ravioli, matzoh balls, empanadas, samosas, and mochi. You’re probably most familiar with what your usual Chinese take-out menu has to offer.

Each dumpling has a corresponding name depending on the filling. Later on, you can incorporate these into your dumpling recipes. Read below to learn more about what’s inside your dumpling.

• Jiaozi – Chinese steamed or fried wheat dumplings filled with ginger, scallions, and ground pork
• Gyoza – the Japanese version filled with pork
• Shumai – steamed dumplings filled with shrimp
• Mandu – Korean version of dumpling filled with vegetable and cellophane noodles.

These are also other ingredients we’re sure you’ll find in your pantry to fill in your dumplings.

• Ground meat
• Fish
• Cheese
• Vegetables
• Fruits and Sweets

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Dumplings FAQs

Can you use plain instead of self-raising flour?

Most successful dumpling recipes didn’t incorporate self-raising flour. You can make restaurant-quality dumplings using all-purpose flour. The ingredients that make your dumpling bursting with flavor are what matters the most.

Though by using self-raising flour, your dumplings can rise better. Here’s a trick if you don’t have self-raising flour at home. Just add two teaspoons of baking powder for each 150g/60z/1 cup of plain flour. Sift them together in a bowl before use.

Why are my dumplings gooey?

Everybody wants their dumpling fluffy and light, not the gooey type. Ditch the oils and fats if you don’t want your dumplings to be gooey.

That being said, you better replace oil with soft margarine or butter. Never use oil. You’ll achieve that perfect dough texture and puffed-up dumplings.

Do you cook dumpling filling first?

If you cook the meat right away, it’ll be wet rather than sticky. But if the meat is gelatinous, you can mince it after cooking. This will separate the filling from the wrapper during steaming or frying.

This is where the flour is used as a meat binder. Add a little flour to the meat before mincing to hold it together. Suffice to say, it’s better not to cook the filling, but if you prefer it cooked, sprinkle a little flour into the filling mixture.

Key Takeaway

Keep in mind that in trying new recipes, there’s no tried and tested. It would be best if you used a little creativity in following the recipes, and you’ll surely achieve that oh-so-fluffy dumplings you’re craving for.

Homemade recipes are always the winner. Start gathering your ingredients and cook away from them. Coat your dumplings from scratch.

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