Pork & Chive Dumplings (Jiaozi)
Hand-folded Chinese dumplings with a juicy pork-and-chive filling, boiled or pan-fried into potstickers. The wrapper-pleating is meditative, the dipping sauce sharp with black vinegar — and a freezer full of them is its own reward.
Make a filling of ground pork, chopped Chinese chives, ginger, soy, sesame oil, and a splash of stock beaten in for juiciness. Spoon onto round wrappers, fold and pleat sealed. Boil until they float plus 2 minutes, or pan-fry into potstickers (fry, add water, cover, steam, then crisp). Serve with black vinegar and chili oil.
- Beat a little stock or water into the filling — it makes the dumplings juicy inside rather than dense.
- Don't overfill: a teaspoon-plus per wrapper, well sealed, or they burst.
- Make a big batch and freeze raw — cook from frozen anytime, no thawing.
Equipment
- Large bowl
- Round dumpling wrappers (or make dough)
- Large pot or nonstick pan with lid
Ingredients
Filling
- 400 g ground pork, not too lean
- 150 g Chinese chives (or napa cabbage), finely chopped
- 15 g ginger, grated
- 30 ml light soy sauce
- 10 ml toasted sesame oil
- 10 ml Shaoxing wine
- 60 ml chicken stock or water, beaten in gradually
- 3 g salt
- White pepper
Wrappers & dipping
- About 40 round dumpling wrappers
- Small bowl of water (to seal)
- 45 ml Chinkiang black vinegar
- Chili oil and slivered ginger, to serve
Method
- STEP01
Combine the pork, ginger, soy, sesame oil, Shaoxing, salt, and pepper. Beat in the stock a little at a time, stirring in one direction, until it's absorbed and the filling is sticky and slightly fluffy — this keeps the dumplings juicy. Fold in the chopped chives last.
- STEP02
Hold a wrapper in your palm. Place a heaped teaspoon of filling in the center. Wet the edge with a fingertip of water.
- STEP03
Fold into a half-moon. Starting at one end, pleat the front edge against the flat back edge, pressing each pleat sealed. Stand the finished dumpling on its base. Repeat — you'll find a rhythm.
- STEP04
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add dumplings in batches; stir gently so they don't stick. When they float, add a cup of cold water, return to a boil, and cook until they float again (about 6–8 minutes total).
- STEP05
Heat oil in a nonstick pan, arrange dumplings flat-side down, and fry until golden. Add ½ cup water, cover immediately, and steam 6 minutes until the water evaporates, then uncover and crisp the bottoms.
- STEP06
Mix the black vinegar with a little chili oil and slivered ginger for dipping. Serve the dumplings hot.
Make ahead
Dumplings are the ultimate make-ahead. Fold a big batch and freeze raw on trays, then transfer to bags. Boil or pan-fry straight from frozen, adding a couple of minutes.
Storage
Cooked dumplings keep 2 days; re-crisp in a pan. Raw dumplings freeze for months — that's the point. Freeze on a tray then bag, and cook from frozen.
Variations
Pork & napa cabbage
Swap the chives for finely chopped, salted, and squeezed napa cabbage — the most classic northern filling.
Prawn & pork
Replace a third of the pork with chopped raw prawns for a bouncy, sweet filling.
Vegetarian
Use a mix of egg, mushroom, chives, and vermicelli; or tofu and greens. Bind with extra sesame oil.
Serve with
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition values are estimates based on the metric measurements. Adjust as needed.
Frequently asked
How do I keep the filling juicy?
Beat stock or water into the pork gradually, stirring vigorously in one direction until it's absorbed and the mixture turns sticky and a little fluffy. That bound-in liquid becomes juicy soup inside the cooked dumpling. Dense, dry filling means you skipped this step.
Boiled or pan-fried?
Both are traditional. Boiled (shuijiao) are the everyday northern-Chinese way — tender and clean. Pan-fried potstickers (guotie) are crisp on the bottom and steamed on top. Same dumplings, two textures; freeze a batch and do both.
Can I use store-bought wrappers?
Absolutely — round dumpling wrappers from the Asian grocer's fridge or freezer are what most home cooks use. Making dough from scratch is rewarding but the wrappers are excellent and save an hour.
Why do mine burst when boiling?
Usually overfilling or a poor seal. Use a heaped teaspoon, keep the rim clean, and press every pleat firmly. Boil at a steady (not violent) boil, and add the splash of cold water to control it.
What are Chinese chives?
Garlic chives (jiucai) — flat, grass-like, with a mild garlic-onion flavor. They're the classic pairing with pork. If you can't find them, finely sliced regular chives plus a clove of garlic, or napa cabbage, both work.
Cooked this? Rate it.
Real ratings from real cooks. We only show a score once enough of you have weighed in — no fabricated stars.