RECIPE

Dumpling Wrappers

MARCH 12, 2021
LAST EDITED ON JUNE 2, 2021
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Dumpling is a classic food that many East Asians grew up eating. It’s one of those foods that we all ate when we were young, as soon as we could digest solid food.

This is also a very common food that many Chinese families make from scratch as a family activity. Unfortunately, my family is not one of them. In fact, I never made any dumplings (aside from Gok Jai – a deep fried sweet dumpling) until recently. 

I have been craving a good traditional Chinese dumpling for years since adapting the wheat-free lifestyle. The first gluten-free dumpling I’ve ever had was from Steambox Dumplings (now closed) in Toronto! They made some delicious fusion dumplings, but they were definitely nothing close to the ones I grew up eating. I miss dumplings with thin, soft wrappers stuffed with simple juicy pork and chives filling. They are so light that you can easily eat a dozen or two in one sitting.

Dumpling - Steambox

Steambox Dumplings in Toronto, photo taken in December, 2017

During the pandemic, I was researching and testing different wheat-free dumpling wrapper recipes. In all honestly, most of the ones I’ve found in English are very, very unstable. Most of them do not hold their shape, making them impossible to wrap the filling without ripping holes into them. With this frustration, I started looking into the Chinese gluten-free online communities. To my surprise, food allergies seems to be more commonly discussed and more Chinese communities are formed in the online space for those who suffer from wheat allergy! I came across a mother who shared a wheat-free wonton recipe that used a technique that I have not used since the last time I made mochi – pre-steaming the dough to make it more pliable, yet does not rip easily.

The original gluten-free wrapper recipe is meant for wontons, which has a softer, slippery texture. Adapting this method, I was able to create a version that is a little chewy (but not tough) and less slippery. It also worked out pretty good for as a wrapper for Har Gow (dim sum), although I am aiming to create a wrapper recipe that is more translucent and equally pliable for the classic dim sum dish. As an unfit person, the dough is definitely a bit difficult to roll out, but the result is so worth it. If you are somewhat fit, as in you exercise at least once a week, you are more fit than I am and will probably have no problem rolling out this dough. My core and arms were sore from making these!

These dumpling wrappers freeze very well, so I do encourage making a large batch and freezing them for future quick meals! In terms of cooking method, I’ve tried boiling, steaming, and pan-frying. To my surprise, I LOVED the pan-frying method the most. The shape holds up, and the bottom of the dumpling crisps up so well! Steaming is my second go-to, mess-free method of cooking them. The wrapper does not thin out as they steam, so these dumpling do not fall apart easily when you pick them up with chopsticks. The boiling method is not recommended. They become so soft and every dumpling just stick together, creating a large lump of dumpling.

Pan-fried method

Inside a pan-fried dumpling

Steamed method

Dumpling Wrappers

Yield: 32 x 3″ round dumpling wrappers

I have made halved the recipe and the quality turned out the same as the full recipe. So, if for whatever reason you do not have access to a freezer or cannot consume all 32 dumplings at once, definitely make half as these do not refrigerate well.

 
INGREDIENTS
    • 48g of glutinous rice flour (aka sweet rice flour, NOT rice flour)
    • 24g of white rice flour
    • 8g of tapioca starch
    • 4g of cornstarch
    • ½ tsp of fine sea salt
    • 1 tbsp of neutral cooking oil (avocado or canola)
    • 100g of room-temperature water
 
INSTRUCTIONS

Pre-Steaming

  1. Find a heat-safe, wide-bottom dish that will fit in a steamer. Grease the inside of the dish with some cooking oil. This will help us remove the dough from the dish later.
  2. Prepare the steamer and bring the water to a boil.
  3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together all the ingredients. Make sure to whisk everything together very well to create a thick, runny slurry.
  4. When the water for the steamer is boiling, give the slurry a quick mix again. Pour the slurry into the greased dish, and place the dish immediately into the steamer. Cover the steamer and let it steam for 12 minutes on low-heat, or until the slurry has turned into a silicone-textured dough thoroughly.
  5. Remove the dish from the steamer and let cool for 15 minutes.
  6. Meanwhile, prepare your favourite dumpling filling.

Rolling & Making the Wrappers

  1. On a clean, flat surface, generously dust the surface with white rice flour.
  2. Once the dough has cooled, peel it off of the dish and start kneading it into a ball with floured hands. Just keep adding more rice flour until the dough becomes less sticky. Use a bench scraper to loosen the dough from the surface if it gets stuck.
  3. Start rolling out a small portion of it on a well floured surface. Rotate and flip the dough around as you roll it out. Keep flouring the surface when you feel like the dough is sticking to the surface and rolling pin. You should be able to roll them to a very thin sheet that some light can pass through. You can tell it’s thin enough when you can see the your fingers thought them as you hold it, like when you make pasta.
  4. With a 3″ (or larger) round cookie cutter (or the rims of a cup), cut out as many wrappers as you can.
  5. Repeat step 3 & 4 until you can used up all the dough.
  6. You are ready to wrap them with your prepared filling! Place a generous 1 teaspoon of filling in the center of the wrapper. Gently stretch and fold one edge of the wrapper to the other, and give it good pinch to close up the dumpling. This wrapper is so pliable, you can crimp the edges with any design you wish! Repeat until you use up all the wrappers.
  7. Skip this step if you are cooking them immediately. If you are eating these later, freeze them in a tray for about 10-15 minutes before transferring them into a freezer-safe container. This will help keep the dumplings from sticking to each other.  

Cooking the Freshly Made Dumplings

  1. Pan-fry method: Heat up some cooking oil in a pan over medium heat. Place the fresh dumplings in a single layer, pleats facing up if possible, and let it cook until the bottom begins to brown. Add ⅓ cup of water, cover and let cook for 3-4 minutes. Then, uncover and let it continue cooking. When all the water has evaporated, and the bottom of the dumplings is crispy and has a nice golden brown colour, the dumplings are ready! Repeat until all the dumplings are cooked.
  2. Steam method: Prepare the steamer and bring the water to a boil. Meanwhile, in a heat-proof dish, line it with parchment paper or some vegetables like cabbage leaves or thin carrot slices. Place the fresh dumplings in a single layer, making sure they are not touching each other. Once the water is boiling, place the dish into the steamer, cover and let steam for 10 minutes, or until the filling is cooked completely. Remove from steamer.

Cooking the Frozen Dumplings

  1. Pan-fry method: Add some cooking oil in a pan. Place the frozen dumplings in a single layer, pleats facing up if possible, and ⅓ cup of water. Cover the pan and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Let it continue to cook covered until most of the water has evaporated. Uncover and it continue cooking until the bottom of the dumplings are crispy and golden brown. Remove from heat. 
  2. Steam method: Prepare the steamer and bring the water to a boil. Meanwhile, in a heat-proof dish, line it with parchment paper or some vegetables like cabbage leaves or thin carrot slices. Place the frozen dumplings in a single layer, making sure they are not touching each other. Once the water is boiling, place the dish into the steamer, cover and let steam for 15 – 20 minutes, or until the filling is cooked completely. Remove from steamer.

Serve immediately… with some Chinese sweet rice vinegar, tamari or chili oil with fresh herbs.

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