Pork and Chive Dumplings

Dumplings are a popular dish for Lunar New Year, but they’re fun to eat year-round. They come in different shapes and colors, including coin-pouch and tael shapes which symbolize wealth and fortune. 

For this recipe, the dumplings have pointy ears on both ends and a round bubble in the middle. With the yellow color of the wonton wrapper, they resemble a tael, the golden nuggets of currency in ancient China. They are a lucky omen to welcome the start of the Lunar New Year. 

There are so many wonderful combinations for filling dumplings, usually involving a protein and a vegetable. In this recipe, I use ground pork and Chinese chives, an iconic duo with an umami hit from the pork and a mild garlicky flavor from the chives.

What are Chinese Chives?

Chinese chives resemble small, thin scallions with flat leaves and are commonly used in Chinese cuisine. They are different from the other chives in that they have a delicious garlicky flavor. 

Look for fresh Chinese chives at the supermarket near the scallions and at Asian grocery stores.

Choosing a Dumpling Wrapper

Most dumpling wrappers come in two shapes: squares and circles. The square wrappers are used in this recipe to create the sharp points of the tael-shaped dumpling, but circular ones will work as well. 

Dumpling wrappers usually come in white, yellow, and sometimes green. The white dumpling wrappers are wheat-based so they are softer, making them easier to pleat into a coin pouch-style dumpling. They are also the most commonly used dumpling wrapper since they pan-fry beautifully with a seared crust. 

Wonton wrappers are made using egg yolks, giving them a yellow color. They are more paper-like, so pleating might require a little more finesse and skills. Wontons are commonly boiled and steamed but can be pan-fried as well. 

Since yellow resembles gold, wonton wrappers are the ideal choice for this Lunar New Year celebration recipe.

Steaming Chinese Dumplings

Steaming is a very common method in Chinese cooking. It is often considered to be a healthier or more mindful way of cooking since it doesn’t require oil. Steaming highlights natural flavors, so it is really important to have high-quality and fresh ingredients. It’s also a great cooking method for maintaining the delicate shape and folding of tael-shaped pork and chive dumplings. 

Steaming food might feel like an intimidating process, but it is actually one of the easiest cooking methods. It takes away a lot of the guesswork since water evaporates into steam at its boiling point (212°F). This means the temperature of the steam will remain the same as long as the water is boiling, so you don’t have to worry too much about the heat level. 

Another perk: steaming tends to be very forgiving since the heat is evenly distributed and gentle. A few minutes over the suggested time will not cause your food to be charred or burned—just make sure all of the water doesn’t evaporate.

Bamboo Steamers

A bamboo steamer, also known as a bamboo steam basket, is a dependable method for steaming food. There is about an inch between the bamboo stage and the pan surface so steam can pass through without the boiling water touching the food and diluting the flavors. 

Additional bamboo baskets can be stacked on top, and small slits in the bamboo allow the steam to travel through the baskets and cook multiple baskets of food at the same time. 

How to Steam Without a Bamboo Steamer

There are a variety of ways to steam food at home. In fact, you might already have all the necessary utensils and cookware to steam. In Chinese cooking, a wok is the default choice in cooking, including steaming. The shallow and wide surface makes it an ideal choice to steam.

A stainless steel rack (often included with woks) allows you to add water to the wok and place a plate of food on top of the rack without the water touching the plate. Use a heatproof plate that will fit inside the wok with the lid on top.

Alternatively, you can invert a small stainless steel or heat-safe bowl (which acts as a rack) in a pot and place the plate of food on top of the inverted bowl. Ensure the plate will fit with the lid on top and use just enough water to allow the water to bubble up and boil without touching the plate. 

Tools for Avoiding a Sticky Situation

All dumpling wrappers have a tendency to stick to the cooking surface when steamed, which makes it difficult to avoid tearing the delicate skin. There are a few solutions to this: 

• In restaurants, they use steamer paper, which is designed for steaming without disintegrating in the presence of water. They are disposable and do not imbue any flavor to the dumplings. 
• An alternative solution would be to use thinly sliced cucumber, carrots, or napa cabbage leaves and place the dumplings on top. This will provide a stick-free surface between the bamboo and the dumplings. It also cooks the vegetables at the same time, which is a fun addition to your meal. Depending on your personal preference, it might add a touch of flavor from the cucumber and carrots, too. 
• If you do not happen to have extra vegetables around, you can line the bamboo steamer or plate with parchment paper. 

Lunar New Year Eats

• Nian Gao (Baked Sticky Rice Cake with Red Bean Paste)
• Fried Spring Rolls
• Tteokguk (Korean Rice Cake Soup)
• Whole Steamed Fish
• Galbi Jjim 갈비찜 (Korean Braised Short Ribs)