Pork Soup Dumplings Recipe - Jett's Kitchen (2024)

FAQs

Why are my soup dumplings gummy? ›

If you overcook your dumplings in the steamer or when boiling, the dough of the wrappers will have a gummy texture that isn't very pleasant, and your filling might get dry and tough. If you overcook them in the pan, you risk a similar gummy texture on top and a bitter, burnt crust on the bottom.

Watch Yan and a dumpling chef mix the dough for the wrappers, blend the filling so that it's "very, very smooth, and very light," fill the dumplings, pinch them closed, and finally stack them high in steamer baskets. The secret to getting that liquid center? Jellied soup.

Homemade dumplings can fall apart for a number of different reasons, or any combination of them. Often they burst during cooking because they have too much filling for the amount of dough. Some doughs are too dry, so the dumplings won't stay sealed. Others can be too wet and sticky and end up tearing.

Why is there no soup in my soup dumplings? There are a few possible culprits here. Overcooking dumplings can cause the soup inside to evaporate. But if they're left to cool for too long, the gelatin in the soup will solidify.

Don't Overwork the Dumpling Dough

Stir everything together until the wet and dry ingredients are combined and you don't see any more dry flour. The dough might look a little lumpy, but that's okay! Overworking the dough is one of the easiest ways to end up with tough dumplings.

I suspect the reason you notice a decidedly flour-y taste is because you aren't adding salt, or not using enough salt. Yes, even sweet baked goods need salt! Another thing you can use to counteract the raw, flour taste is to add flavorings to the batter or dough.

It may sound a bit strange and unusual for some, but vinegar is a common ingredient in some soup recipes, and there is a good reason for it. If you think about it, vinegar is really a flavor-enhancer (umami). That's why it is so often used in cooking, sauces, and salad dressings. The same is true with soups.

Be sure the liquid is hot before you add the dumpling dough. You can tell if the temperature is hot enough when the liquid is gently boiling with bubbles breaking on the surface. If you add the dough before the liquid is hot enough, the dumplings will end up soggy and undercooked.

Set aside some extra cubes so you can add supplement each dumpling if need be. The dough is made with basic all-purpose flour and hot water. Using hot, but not boiling, water helps to develop the gluten in the dough, which makes for stretchy, chewy dumplings.

You can steam dumplings in 8-10 minutes. To prevent your dumplings from sticking to your steamer, brush oil directly onto the base of your steamer and the base of dumplings, place your dumplings on lettuce leaves, or line your steamer with baking paper with small holes cut out to allow steam to come through.

How do you keep soup dumplings from leaking? ›

Each method has its benefits, but Futia's number one rule is to give the soup dumplings enough room to cook. “They can stick together or to the surface they're cooked on [if it's overcrowded], and you might end up tearing them when trying to remove them, causing the soup to leak out,” he notes.

Be sure to follow the cooking time recommended in your recipe, and check the dumplings regularly to make sure they are not overcooked. Using too much flour: If you use too much flour in your dumpling dough, the dumplings will be dense and tough. Be sure to measure the flour carefully and follow the recipe closely.

Sometimes called "soup dumplings," xiao long bao are a round, purse-shaped dumpling made of a relatively thick (thicker and doughier than jiaozi, for instance) wheat wrapper, which is crimped on the top. Although it's called a soup dumpling, xiao long bao are not actually filled with soup.

Cover and steam until fully cooked through (10 minutes for shrimp-only siu mai; 12–14 minutes for soup dumplings). Look for the dumpling skin to become slightly translucent, and for a visible well of liquid to form at the bottom of the dumpling. Serve immediately.

I drop the rolled dumplings into boiling chicken stock, and then simmer the rolled dumplings gently for 10 minutes while stirring so they don't stick to the bottom. Then I turn off the heat, and put the top on the pot to let them rest for 10 minutes before serving.

The liquid should be at a low/moderate steady boil. If it's boiling too hard, the dumpling dough can fall apart. Simmering broth might not be hot enough to raise the dumpling dough. Remove or tilt the lid after they've cooked so the dumplings don't over-steam and get soggy and dense.

If they are homemade fresh dumplings, just as making breads, a few pitches of flour or corn powder will prevent them to stick together. If those are frozen dumplings, don't use hot water to boil them, out the dumplings in a pot of cold water and then heating them up, then they won't stick.

Since excess liquid can make for soggy dumplings, cheesecloth can help drain water from cabbage, fat from pork, or other moisture from the filling ingredients. Place the food in the center of the cheesecloth, wrap tightly, and squeeze until all the moisture is removed. It can be repeated as needed.