Pan-Fried Pork and Cilantro Chinese Dumplings

Pan-fried Chinese dumplings are my ultimate favorite appetizer when at an Asian restaurant.

I’d for sure order them as my main meal if it weren’t for all of the other amazingly delicious options on the menu.

And when making these pan-fried Chinese dumplings (wontons, pot stickers; whichever you may like to call them) at home, they are every bit as tasty.

They’re easy than you might think to make too.

I think the hardest part, is finding the dog-gone wonton wrappers in the grocery store.

They’re normally located in the cooler section either in the deli or the produce department.  A quick tip is to check the pull date on the packages and make sure to pick the one with the longest pull date so they’re fresh.

I used wonton wrappers for this recipe because I couldn’t find gow gee wrappers which are round.  I used a cookie cutter to cut the square wonton wrappers into circles.

For the dipping sauce, just whisk together 5 ingredients.  Super simple.

Before we check out the ingredients, thank you so much for stopping by.

Now for the ingredients.

For the dumplings:  ground pork, wonton wrappers (square-shaped; will need to cut into circles with a round cookie cutter), or gow gee wrappers (round), ginger root, garlic, cilantro, egg, green onion, sugar, salt, pepper, corn starch, soy sauce (it’s camera shy and hiding in the back), canola oil, and water

For the dipping sauce:  soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, minced ginger root, and minced garlic

Here’s how to make it.

For the dipping sauce:

In a medium size bowl, add all ingredients and whisk together. Set aside.

For the dumplings:

In a large bowl, add the ground pork…

green onions,

ginger root,

cilantro,

garlic,

sugar,

corn starch,

soy sauce,

pepper,

salt…

…and…

egg.

Mix all ingredients together.

Lay a round wonton skin on a small plate.  Add a small amount of the pork mixture (about ½ teaspoon, heaping) on the wonton skin about 1/2 inch from the edge.

Using a pastry brush or your finger, put water around the inside edge of the wonton skin (about ½ inch from the outside edge towards the middle).

Fold the wonton skin over the meat…

…and gently, but tightly pinch the edges of the wonton together.

Set aside on a large parchment paper-lined cookie sheet or platter and cover with a damp paper towel to prevent them from drying out while making the remaining dumplings.

Heat a medium to large-size skillet on medium heat and add the canola oil (2 tablespoons per batch).  Add the dumplings…

…and let cook until the bottom side of the dumplings are golden brown.

Turn the heat off, transfer the dumplings back on to the cookie sheet or platter for just a moment; the pork mixture in the middle will not be thoroughly cooked yet; it still needs to be steamed.

Heat another medium to large-size skillet on medium heat and add the water (another skillet is used to avoid oil from popping when water is added).

As soon as the water starts to boil, transfer the dumplings into the pan, browned side-down.

Add as many dumplings to the boiling water as possible and…

…cover the pan.  Set the burner to low and steam the dumplings.

Let cook until the pork is thoroughly cooked and the water has evaporated (about 8 to 10 minutes).

Remove the lid and continue to cook for just a moment to brown the bottom sides of the dumplings.

Garnish with sprigs of cilantro….

…and serve immediately while hot…

…with dipping sauce.

and enjoy.