Pan-Fried Chicken and Cabbage Dumplings

To make the dumplings:

Step 1

In a large bowl, mix together the chicken, cabbage, ginger, and scallions until the mixture resembles a fine paste. Add the salt, sugar, chicken powder, white pepper, cornstarch, and toasted sesame oil and continue to stir for 3 to 5 minutes, until well incorporated.

Step 2

Dampen a towel under which to keep the rest of the dumpling wrappers while you work.

Step 3

Prepare a parchment-lined baking sheet on which to store the already prepared dumplings.

Step 4

Place 1½ teaspoons of filling in the center of each dumpling wrapper. Fold the dumpling into a half-moon shape. Hold the dumpling, seam-side up, between your thumb and index finger. Use the index finger and thumb of your other hand to pinch a section of the dumpling edge and pull it toward the web of the holding hand to make a small pleat. Repeat around the edge of the dumpling until you have between 6 and 8 pleats.

Step 5

DO AHEAD:After shaping, dumplings can be kept in the refrigerator for up to four days or frozen for up to three months.

Step 6

Set up a steamer: Fill a wok with enough water to come up to the lower rim of a steamer but not so much the waterline is above the food bed. (If you do want to DIY it, just use a plate in a pot. Fill a pot with ½ an inch of water. Then make a sort of tripod out of tinfoil by forming three golf ball– sized balls and placing them in the bottom of the pot, making sure their tops rest above the water- line. Rest the plate on the tinfoil, cover, and steam.) Bring water to a boil. Working in batches, add the dumplings, making sure to leave 1½ inches of space between each (they expand as they cook), and steam for 12 to 13 minutes. Let rest for a minute or so to tighten slightly. If you need more water— water tends to evaporate—add boiling, not cold, water so as not to stop the steaming.

Step 7

Heat the neutral oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the dumplings, pleat to the side, and pan-fry until golden brown, approximately 1 minute per side.

To make the dipping sauce:

Step 8

Place all ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk together until well mixed and the sugar dissolved.

Step 9

DO AHEAD:Dumpling Dipping Sauce can be kept covered in the refrigerator for up to three days.