Chicken stock jelly melts inside these dumplings during frying, creating soup broth that magically appears when you bite in.
Homemade Crispy Pan-Fried Dumplings
Get ready to indulge in the ultimate comfort food with my scrumptious Shanghai shengjian baos! These delightful pan-fried dumplings are packed with savory pork and aromatic ginger, delivering an explosion of flavor with every juicy bite. Trust me, the crispy bottom and soft, fluffy top make every minute of prep worthwhile!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
The Story
These beauties emerged from Northern China's Shandong province during the Song Dynasty when Mongolian horsemen demanded portable protein parcels that could survive brutal winter campaigns—Chinese cooks brilliantly engineered yeast-raised wrappers that stayed tender even when frozen solid, creating the world's first military MRE that actually tasted like something other than cardboard and despair.
Regional Twist
In Shanghai's Huangpu district, they triple the spring onions and add finely diced bamboo shoots to the pork filling, then finish with Chinkiang black vinegar mixed with julienned ginger instead of plain black vinegar.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
450
Protein
28g
Carbs
42g
Fat
15g
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- ¼ head chinese cabbage
- 1 whole egg
- 1 bunch green onions
- 250 g pork
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- 250 g all-purpose flour
- chicken stock jelly (to taste)
- instant dried yeast (to taste)
- light soy sauce (to taste)
- 140 ml lukewarm water
- salt (to taste)
- sesame oil (to taste)
- sugar (to taste)
- white pepper (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Mix all the dry dough ingredients together, and slowly add in the water as you mix simultaneously. Once a shaggy dough comes together, knead for 5-10 mins, before letting it rest and proof for 1 hour.
- 2
While the dough proofs, make the filling by combining the meat and all the seasoning together.
- 3
Mix and stir in the same direction to help the protein strands develop until the minced meat changes texture.
- 4
After 1 hour, deflate the dough and knead again for 5-10 mins until smooth. Divide into equal sized pieces and roll out each piece.
- 5
Fill with some filling and seal. Don't worry too much about the pleat as they’re cooked seam-side down.
- 6
When frying, crisp and brown the dumplings bottoms first with some oil on medium-high heat before adding a generous splash of water. Cover with a lid, turn to medium heat and steam until the water evaporates.
- 7
Sprinkle on some chopped spring onions and sesame seeds for garnish, and serve with black vinegar and chili oil.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Keep your lukewarm water at exactly 100-110°F when mixing with yeast because temperatures above 120°F kill the yeast while below 95°F slows activation significantly.ingredient100-110°F
- ✓Mix your pork filling in one direction for 3-4 minutes until it becomes sticky and pale because this develops myosin proteins that create a bouncy, cohesive texture.technique3-4 minutes
- ✓Salt your chopped cabbage with 1 tsp salt and let sit for 15 minutes, then squeeze out excess water because cabbage releases 60-70% of its moisture content, preventing soggy dumplings.timing15 minutes, 60-70% moisture
- ✓Use a 2:1 water-to-oil ratio when steaming after browning because this creates enough steam pressure to cook the filling while the oil prevents sticking.technique2:1 ratio
- ✓Roll your dough pieces to 3-4mm thickness with edges slightly thinner than center because thick edges create doughy seams while thin centers tear under filling weight.technique3-4mm thickness
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Chicken stock jelly melts inside these dumplings during frying, creating soup broth that magically appears when you bite in.
Homemade Crispy Pan-Fried Dumplings
Get ready to indulge in the ultimate comfort food with my scrumptious Shanghai shengjian baos! These delightful pan-fried dumplings are packed with savory pork and aromatic ginger, delivering an explosion of flavor with every juicy bite. Trust me, the crispy bottom and soft, fluffy top make every minute of prep worthwhile!
The Story
These beauties emerged from Northern China's Shandong province during the Song Dynasty when Mongolian horsemen demanded portable protein parcels that could survive brutal winter campaigns—Chinese cooks brilliantly engineered yeast-raised wrappers that stayed tender even when frozen solid, creating the world's first military MRE that actually tasted like something other than cardboard and despair.
Regional Twist
In Shanghai's Huangpu district, they triple the spring onions and add finely diced bamboo shoots to the pork filling, then finish with Chinkiang black vinegar mixed with julienned ginger instead of plain black vinegar.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
450
Protein
28g
Carbs
42g
Fat
15g
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- ¼ head chinese cabbage
- 1 whole egg
- 1 bunch green onions
- 250 g pork
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- 250 g all-purpose flour
- chicken stock jelly (to taste)
- instant dried yeast (to taste)
- light soy sauce (to taste)
- 140 ml lukewarm water
- salt (to taste)
- sesame oil (to taste)
- sugar (to taste)
- white pepper (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Mix all the dry dough ingredients together, and slowly add in the water as you mix simultaneously. Once a shaggy dough comes together, knead for 5-10 mins, before letting it rest and proof for 1 hour.
- 2
While the dough proofs, make the filling by combining the meat and all the seasoning together.
- 3
Mix and stir in the same direction to help the protein strands develop until the minced meat changes texture.
- 4
After 1 hour, deflate the dough and knead again for 5-10 mins until smooth. Divide into equal sized pieces and roll out each piece.
- 5
Fill with some filling and seal. Don't worry too much about the pleat as they’re cooked seam-side down.
- 6
When frying, crisp and brown the dumplings bottoms first with some oil on medium-high heat before adding a generous splash of water. Cover with a lid, turn to medium heat and steam until the water evaporates.
- 7
Sprinkle on some chopped spring onions and sesame seeds for garnish, and serve with black vinegar and chili oil.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Keep your lukewarm water at exactly 100-110°F when mixing with yeast because temperatures above 120°F kill the yeast while below 95°F slows activation significantly.ingredient100-110°F
- ✓Mix your pork filling in one direction for 3-4 minutes until it becomes sticky and pale because this develops myosin proteins that create a bouncy, cohesive texture.technique3-4 minutes
- ✓Salt your chopped cabbage with 1 tsp salt and let sit for 15 minutes, then squeeze out excess water because cabbage releases 60-70% of its moisture content, preventing soggy dumplings.timing15 minutes, 60-70% moisture
- ✓Use a 2:1 water-to-oil ratio when steaming after browning because this creates enough steam pressure to cook the filling while the oil prevents sticking.technique2:1 ratio
- ✓Roll your dough pieces to 3-4mm thickness with edges slightly thinner than center because thick edges create doughy seams while thin centers tear under filling weight.technique3-4mm thickness