Dumpling

A dumpling is a piece of dough cooked by boiling, steaming or frying. Some are wrapped around a filling of meat, vegetables or cheese, such as Chinese jiaozi, Japanese gyoza, Polish pierogi and Nepali momo. Others are plain lumps of dough or batter, such as the ones simmered on top of a stew. Almost every cuisine has its own.

How to do it

These steps are for filled dumplings with a thin wheat wrapper.

1. Mix flour and water into a firm dough, knead until smooth, and rest it covered for 30 minutes. Or use bought wrappers.
2. Make a filling that is moist but not wet, such as ground pork with cabbage, ginger and soy sauce. Salt and squeeze watery vegetables first.
3. Roll the dough into thin rounds about 8 cm (3 inches) across.
4. Put a spoon of filling in the middle. Wet the edge, fold in half, and press out the air. Crimp or pleat the edge to seal.
5. Boil them in plenty of water for 5 to 8 minutes, until they float and the filling is cooked. Or steam them on a lined steamer for 8 to 12 minutes.
6. For potstickers, pan-fry the bottoms until golden, add a splash of water, cover, and steam until the water is gone and the bottoms crisp again.

How to tell it is done

The wrapper is glossy and slightly see-through. The filling is firm and hot all the way through. For pork or chicken, it should reach 74°C (165°F) in the center.

How to store it

Freeze uncooked dumplings in a single layer on a floured tray, not touching. This is a flash freeze. When hard, move them to a bag. Cook from frozen, adding a few minutes.

Common mistakes

• A wet filling. It soaks the wrapper and bursts it.
• Air pockets. They puff up and split the seal.
• Overfilling. You cannot seal the edges.
• Crowding the pot. They stick together.

In recipes

"Dumpling" alone can mean very different things, so look at the method. Italian gnocchi are a kind of plain dumpling.