You may also be able to buy fresh, uncooked dumplings. Ask around at local restaurants that serve fresh dumplings.
Add different ingredients to customize the filling. For instance, you can make a filling out of pork and cabbage or out of vegetables. [2] X Research source
Freezing is especially important for filled dumplings. The dough will absorb moisture from the filling and fall apart when you cook it.
Frozen homemade dumplings do not need to be thawed. If you buy preserved dumplings, like the kind from your supermarket freezer aisle, you can usually let them thaw for about 15 minutes as you boil to the water or prepare a dipping sauce. If you have a particularly big pot or small dumplings, you may be able to cook the dumplings in larger batches.
You can also try adding 1⁄2 cup (120 mL) of cold water to the pot after the dumplings rise. Wait for the water to boil and the dumplings to float again. Repeat this until they are cooked through. [8] X Research source
You can pour the pot’s contents into a strainer as well to drain the water.
Raw homemade dumplings should be put in a resealable freezer bag. Squeeze as much air out of the bag as you can. The dumplings will last at least 2 weeks in the freezer, possibly a few months, and can quickly be cooked when you need them.
Another way is to buy prepared dough or frozen drop dumplings. Defrost frozen dumplings first.
Keep the dumplings relatively small, about the size of a spoon. Large dumplings have a tendency to cook unevenly, which means you get a mouthful of raw dough when you bite into them.
You can use a slotted spoon to remove the dumplings if you boiled them in water or don’t want the broth.
The broth can last about 1 week in the refrigerator and 3 months in the freezer, so you may be better off making fresh dumplings and adding them to the broth when you want to use it again. You can try storing the dumplings in the freezer, but chances are they will get mushy and not taste very good even when separated from the liquid.
Make sure the pan is non-stick or cast iron so the dumplings don’t stick and tear apart when you move them later.
Potstickers are basically the same as Chinese dumplings except they are seared and boiled in a pan. They may be smaller and thinner than dumplings boiled in a pot. The amount of potstickers you can cook at a time depends on the size of your pan and dumplings.
Swirling the liquids around in the pot a little leads to a better sear, so make sure all the dumplings get covered.
The potstickers should also have a golden brown crust on the bottom. You can lift them with tongs to check. If they don’t, leave the cover off the pan and cook them until they brown.
Frozen dumplings may need the extra cooking time. For fresh potstickers, you may need to use a little more water to get them to finish without burning.
The best time to make the dipping sauce is while you wait for the water to boil. If you make fresh dumplings, you can also do it while waiting for the dough to rise. Customize the dipping sauce with different ingredients like rice wine vinegar and scallions.
They also store well in the freezer. Lay them out on parchment paper to freeze for 30 minutes, then move them into a resealable bag. They should last about 3 months.
