Join our experienced chef to master the art of making authentic Chinese dumplings (餃子) with two delicious filling varieties: traditional pork and celery, and a flavorful mushroom veggie option. We will start with the simple two-ingredient dough made completely from scratch, prepare our pork and vegetable fillings, shape and fold the dumplings, and then cook them to perfection. Your chef will guide you step-by-step through the entire process, from kneading the dough to mastering various folding shapes, and then we will cook the dumplings using your choice of steaming, frying, or boiling methods. We will finish by preparing a classic vinegar-soy dipping sauce. You will create fresh dumplings that last for days, and you may even have enough to freeze for future quick meals.
No prior cooking experience is required to succeed in this class.
Your Group Will:
- Prepare dumpling dough from scratch
- Hand-fold beautiful dumplings using your choice of filling options (pork or vegetarian)
- Create an authentic dumpling dipping sauce entirely from scratch
- Cook and enjoy your delicious homemade dumplings
Materials Needed to Participate Fully:
Dumpling Dough:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1 cup additional for shaping. Gluten-free flour is available for those with dietary requirements.
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 tablespoons black vinegar, or 1 tablespoon rice vinegar as an alternative
Vegetable Filling:
- 1 tablespoon neutral-flavored cooking oil such as vegetable, corn, soy, canola, sunflower, avocado, or grapeseed
- 1 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, or substitute eggplant, tofu, zucchini, or canned chickpeas if preferred
- One medium carrot, finely minced
- One celery rib, finely chopped
- 3 to 4 scallions, sliced
- Two fresh garlic cloves, minced
- 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, grated
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice wine or white wine, or 1 tablespoon rice vinegar as a substitute
- Salt and pepper to taste
Pork and Scallion Filling:
- 12 ounces ground pork with 80/20 or 70/30 meat-to-fat ratio, or ground pork shoulder. Acceptable substitutes include 12 ounces of ground chicken thighs with skin and fat, 12 ounces of 80/20 ground beef, or 12 ounces of ground turkey mixed with 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Four fresh scallions, or 1/2 bunch of fresh chives
- Two celery ribs, finely minced
- 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, minced
- Four fresh garlic cloves, minced
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
Vinegar-Soy Dipping Sauce:
- 1/4 cup black vinegar or unseasoned rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon of honey for balance
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil, with or without chili
- 1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger, sliced thin
- One scallion, sliced
Essential Tools:
- Rolling pin for shaping dough
- Large pot with a metal colander for boiling, or a steamer for steaming dumplings
- Large saute pan with a fitted lid
- Bench or bowl scraper for dough work
- Tea kettle or pot for boiling water
- Stand mixer or large mixing bowl
- Separate bowls for organizing filling ingredients
- Wooden spoon or rubber spatula
- Two measuring spoons or tablespoons
- Sheet tray for storing prepared dumplings
How It Works:
- Your group will connect with our professional chef instructor and host via Zoom or your preferred web conferencing software
- The chef will walk your group through the complete dumpling-making process with detailed step-by-step guidance
- Participants will have opportunities to ask questions and receive personalized help directly from the chef instructor
- By the end, everyone will have mastered dumpling-making skills and will enjoy eating their dumplings together
- Your group is welcome to stay, eat together, and spend quality time chatting with one another
