Steaming Broth: Cooking Delicious Dumplings The Right Way

Steamed dumplings are a fun cooking project and a great activity for a weekend or date night. They are also a type of dim sum, traditionally enjoyed as a snack or during a meal as an appetiser or main dish.

To cook steamed dumplings in broth, you will need to make the dumpling filling, assemble the dumplings, and then cook them.

For the filling, you can use ground pork, crab, tofu, vegetables, or a combination of these ingredients. Season with scallions, Chinese light soy sauce, Shaoxing rice wine, garlic, ginger, and white pepper.

To assemble the dumplings, use store-bought dumpling wrappers or make your own by combining all-purpose flour and water. Place a heaping teaspoon of filling in the centre of each wrapper, dab the edges with water, and fold in half. Press to seal, and then fold 3-4 pleats into the sealed edge.

To cook, place the dumplings in a bamboo steamer over simmering water and steam for 10-15 minutes. Serve immediately with a dipping sauce such as tamari or chilli oil.

Preparing the broth

Firstly, decide on the type of broth you want to use. You can choose from a variety of options, such as chicken bone broth, chicken broth, turkey broth, or beef broth. If you want to stick to the traditional way of making steamed dumplings, pork broth is the way to go. However, it might be challenging to find pork broth in regular grocery stores.

If you opt for chicken broth, you can easily make it at home. All you need are chicken backs and necks, vegetable oil, ginger, green onions, and water. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C), and place a Dutch oven or heavy pot with oil inside to heat up for about 5-10 minutes. Once heated, transfer the pot to a trivet and add the chicken backs, spreading the ginger and green onions on top. Add a quarter cup of water, cover the pot, and return it to the oven. Roast this mixture for around 50 minutes, or until you have about half a cup of chicken broth in the bottom of the pot.

After removing the pot from the oven, let it cool for a few minutes before discarding the chicken backs. Strain the chicken broth using a mesh strainer over a heat-proof bowl. Once the broth has cooled completely, transfer it to a sealed container and place it in the refrigerator overnight.

The next day, you will find that the broth has congealed, with a layer of fat on top. Scrape off this fat and set it aside in a small bowl. Slice the chicken gelatin into thin strips and then further into small cubes. Coarsely mince or chop it into bits. Weigh the chopped gelatin, and if it's less than 4.4 ounces (120 grams), add a few spoonfuls of the reserved chicken fat to reach the desired amount.

Now that you have your broth ready, it's time to move on to the next steps of making steamed dumplings, which include preparing the wrappers and filling, assembling the dumplings, and steaming them.

Making the wrappers

To make the dough, start by mixing the flour and water in a bowl. You can adjust the amount of water and flour based on the consistency you want. The dough should be soft but not sticky. Once you have a shaggy mass, use your hands to gather and knead it into a ball. You can also use a stand mixer with a dough hook for this step.

After kneading the dough, cover it and let it rest for at least 30 minutes. This allows the dough to relax and makes it easier to roll out. The longer the dough rests, the softer it becomes.

Now, you can start rolling out the wrappers. A traditional method is to roll the dough into a long rope and cut it into small pieces. Flatten each piece with your palm and use a rolling pin to roll it out into a thin disc. The wrappers should be thicker in the middle and thinner around the edges. This ensures that the sealed edge of the dumpling is not too thick.

If you want to make the process easier, you can use a pasta maker to roll out the dough into thin sheets and then cut out the wrappers using a cookie cutter or the rim of a glass.

Freshly made dumpling wrappers are best used immediately. However, if you want to make them in advance, you can freeze them. Sprinkle flour or cornstarch between each wrapper to prevent sticking, pile them up, and place them in an airtight bag. Defrost them in the fridge before using.

Assembling the dumplings

Firstly, prepare your filling. For a vegetarian option, you can steam and crumble tempeh, then sauté it with shiitake mushrooms and tamari. Alternatively, you can use ground pork, scallions, Chinese light soy sauce, Shaoxing rice wine, garlic, ginger, and white pepper.

Next, prepare your dumpling wrappers. Combine all-purpose flour with very hot water to create a soft, pliable dough suitable for steaming. Use a stand mixer or your hands to beat the mixture until it forms a soft, smooth dough. Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes to an hour. Then, roll out the dough until it is very thin, aiming for about 1/16" thickness. Use a cookie cutter or shape the dough into rounds by hand.

Now, it's time to assemble the dumplings. Place a heaping teaspoon of filling in the centre of each wrapper. Use your finger to dab the edges of the wrapper with cold water. Fold the wrapper in half over the filling, pressing the edges together to seal. If using circular wrappers, create 3-4 pleats in the sealed edge of the wrapper, dabbing with water as needed. If using square wrappers, simply fold the dumplings diagonally to form a triangle. Repeat this process until all your dumplings are assembled.

Finally, place the assembled dumplings in a bamboo steamer, being careful not to let them touch. Cover with a lid and steam for 10-15 minutes, until they are cooked through. Enjoy your freshly steamed dumplings!

Steaming the dumplings

Next, fill your pan or pot with water to a depth of about one inch and bring it to a boil. Place your steaming vessel over the boiling water, ensuring that the water doesn't touch the steamer. Cover and steam for 10-15 minutes, depending on your filling. If you're using raw meat, steam for longer, whereas cooked ingredients will take less time.

Your dumplings are ready when the wrappers become slightly transparent and look plump and puffed. It's important to eat them right away, as the dumpling wrappers firm up as they cool.

Serving the dumplings

Once your dumplings are cooked, it's time to serve them up! Here are some tips to ensure your dumplings are enjoyed at their best:

Firstly, dumplings are best served hot and straight off the stove. The longer you leave them, the more the dumpling wrappers will absorb the soup and become soggy. So, it's best to eat them as soon as they're cool enough to do so.

If you're serving soup dumplings, there are a couple of ways to release the soup inside. You can either poke a hole with a chopstick or, if you're feeling adventurous, take a small bite with your teeth to release the soup. Drink the soup straight from the dumpling or pour it into a spoon and then enjoy the rest of your dumpling.

If you're serving dumplings in broth, you can add some fresh greens such as sliced green onions, fresh spinach, or baby bok choy. You can also add condiments such as chili crisp, sesame seeds, black vinegar, or cilantro.

If you're serving dumplings on their own, you can add a dipping sauce. Try tamari or chili oil for some extra salty/spicy flavour. You could also add some thin ginger strips and soak them in Chinkiang vinegar for a tangy addition.

Finally, if you have any leftovers, it's best not to save them as the dumplings will continue to soak up the broth and then fall apart. It's best to only make the amount you plan to eat.

Frequently asked questions