Pan-Fried Beef Dumplings with Soy-Miso Dip

Crisp-bottomed beef dumplings are filled with napa cabbage, scallions, ginger, and garlic, then served with a tangy soy-miso dip.

72 min

6 servings (about 4 dumplings each)

Golden-bottomed beef dumplings with pleated tops sit beside a bowl of soy-miso dip.

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef

6 oz napa cabbage, finely chopped

3 scallions, thinly sliced

1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves, finely grated

2 tbsp soy sauce for the filling

1 tbsp toasted sesame oil for the filling

1 tsp granulated sugar

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

24 round dumpling wrappers

2 tbsp neutral oil, divided among 3 batches

1 1/8 cups water, divided for sealing and steaming

2 tbsp soy sauce for the dip

1 tbsp white miso

1 tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar

1 tsp toasted sesame oil for the dip

1 tbsp water for the dip

Equipment

Large lidded skillet · Parchment-lined tray · Small mixing bowl · Instant-read thermometer

Keep seams clean

Brush water only around the wrapper edge and keep filling away from the seam so each pleat can seal without gaps.

Freeze on a tray first

Freeze uncooked dumplings separately until firm before bagging; cook them straight from frozen and extend covered steaming by about 2 minutes.

Prepare filling and dip

01. Salt cabbage for 10 minutes, then squeeze firmly until nearly dry; excess moisture can loosen the filling and wet the wrappers.

02. Stir beef with cabbage, scallions, ginger, garlic, filling soy, sesame oil, sugar, and pepper in one direction until tacky.

03. Whisk dip soy sauce, white miso, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and water until smooth.

Fill and seal

04. Keep wrappers under a barely damp towel and use about 1 scant tablespoon filling per wrapper; leave a clean rim so the wet pleats seal tightly.

Brown and steam

05. Brown 8 dumplings at a time in 2 teaspoons oil, flat-side down, until they release easily and turn golden.

06. Pour 1/3 cup water down the pan edge, cover immediately, and steam until the filling reaches 160 F; uncover to dry the bottoms.

07. Repeat the oil, browning, steaming, and uncovering sequence in two more batches, checking each reaches 160 F.

Serve or freeze

08. Serve the dumplings browned-side up with the dip while hot and crisp.

09. Freeze uncooked extras on a tray until firm, bag for up to 2 months, and cook from frozen with about 2 extra covered minutes.