Dumpling dough: how to boil or pan-fry for the perfect bite

Ingredients for Boiled or pan-fried dumpling dough

• 240 g plain flour

• 0.5 g kosher salt

• 180 ml lukewarm water

• 1 egg white

How to make Boiled or pan-fried dumpling dough

1. Mix the Dough: Add the flour to a wide mixing bowl and stir in the salt. Stir in the water and egg white using your fingers. The mixture will appear shaggy, similar to biscuit dough. As the dough comes together, run an open palm around the edge of the bowl and fold the flour into the centre while spinning the bowl with your other hand, until it forms a rough clump. It’s acceptable for there to be pockets of dry flour.

2. Knead the Dough: Lightly dust your work surface with flour and turn the dough out of the bowl. Dust your hands with flour and shape the dough into a log about the width of your hand. Knead the dough by pushing your hands and wrists into the log and rolling it forward. Roll it back and push again. Repeat a few times until the log moves easily, adding more flour if it sticks. Spin the log 90 degrees, reshape it into a horizontal log, and knead a few more times, adding flour as necessary. Use only as much flour as needed to prevent the dough from drying out. As you knead, the dough will become firmer and tougher, resembling the texture of a gummy bear. It is ready when smooth to the touch, like the surface of a pearl, not tacky, with no cracks or pockets of dry flour. There may be some lumps. Return the dough to your work bowl and cover with cling film. Allow it to rest for 15–30 minutes. While the dough relaxes, prepare your filling.

3. Knead Again: Dust your work surface with a little more flour, then knead the dough as before. Work out all the lumps; after about ten kneads, you should have satin-smooth dough that forms a clean ball that you can easily push into, similar to the gel of a shoe insert.

4. Portion the Dough: Shape your dough into a log, dust a dough scraper with flour, and cut the dough into four equal sections. Roll each section into a log and chop it into six pieces, resulting in a total of twenty-four balls of dough, each about 2.5 cm in diameter. Toss the balls with a light coating of flour and cover with a lightly moistened towel.

5. Roll the Dough into Wrappers: Gently flatten the balls of dough into disks, then lightly roll an Asian-style rolling pin across them to flatten them further. Hold one disk by its edge and firmly but gently roll the pin from the disk’s edge to its centre. Roll the same edge a few more times, applying more pressure at the edge than in the centre. Use your other hand to rotate the dough disk and expose a new edge; roll again. Continue until all edges are rolled out and the wrapper measures about 7.5–10 cm in diameter. Hold the rolled-out wrapper up to the light; if you can see through it faintly, your wrapper is ready. If not, keep rolling. Roll the edges to half the thickness of the centre of the wrappers. As you gain speed, your active hand will simply roll the pin back and forth while your other hand rotates the wrapper. As long as your hands maintain these fixed motions, you’ll easily create even, round wrappers, though they don’t need to be perfectly uniform. Place the freshly rolled wrappers under a lightly moistened towel to keep them from drying out.

Disclaimer
While every effort has been made to ensure the information is accurate and up to date, individual needs may vary and dietary requirements can differ based on personal health conditions. Always check food labels and allergen information before preparing or consuming any recipe. If you have specific health concerns, allergies, intolerances, or are following a medically prescribed diet, seek advice from your GP, pharmacist, or a registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet or lifestyle.