Karon Liu: Five steps to taking dumplings from frozen to perfectly pan fried (2024)

FAQs

How to perfectly pan-fry frozen dumplings? ›

How to pan-fry frozen dumplings. In a nonstick pan over medium-high heat, add ½ cup of water and 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Place the frozen potstickers flat side-down and cover the pan with a lid for 8 to 12 minutes, until all the water has evaporated and the flat side of each potsticker is golden.

Place frozen potstickers in a steamer. Steam for 7-10 minutes or until potstickers are hot*. Serve immediately with dipping sauce.

Depending on the number of dumplings you're cooking, bring a medium to large pot of water to a boil. Drop in the dumplings, and stir immediately so they don't stick to the bottom of the pot. Bring back to a boil, and boil for 6-8 minutes, depending on their size, until cooked through.

Do you need to defrost frozen dumplings? No, you do not need to defrost frozen dumplings before cooking, you can take them straight from the freezer to the pan. If you wanted a faster cooking time, let the dumplings partially thaw for 10 minutes before cooking.

Once your water boils a third time, your dumplings should be done. To test for doneness, take one dumpling out and pierce it with a fork. It should be tender, and steam should escape from the pierced section.

Pour two tablespoons of oil into the pan or wok.

For a more authentic Chinese recipe, use sesame or peanut oil. You can also use vegetable or olive oil if you prefer. For the healthiest option, use olive oil (it has the highest amount of heart-healthy fat--monounsaturated fat--of any oil.)

Pour a little oil into the pan then add the potstickers. When the bottom part of the potstickers turns light brown, pour in cold water or slurry (explained later) then immediately cover with a lid. Uncover when the water evaporates. Cook another 30 seconds or so to crisp up.

Potstickers are a type of dumpling that is pan-fried on one side, giving it a crispy texture. They are typically filled with meat and vegetables and served with a dipping sauce. Dumplings, on the other hand, can be boiled, steamed, or pan-fried and are usually filled with meat or vegetables.

Why wont my potstickers come out of the pan? ›

Tip for dumplings sticking to your pan:

To make sure your pan is at the correct temperature, try the water droplet test. Heat up your pan, when you think it is hot enough, splash a few droplets of water into your pan: 1. If the droplets sit and start bubbling, it's not hot enough.

For Crispy Dumplings Use the Classic Steam-Fry

Essentially, you fry the frozen dumplings, then add water to the pan and cover them to steam through, then fry them again once the water evaporates. This double-frying creates an extra-crisp bottom crust.

Dumplings such as siu mai and har gow have delicate skins so they should be packaged carefully. I freeze uncooked siu mai just like pot stickers but I store them in a freezer container. Har gow are usually precooked before being frozen, but their wheat starch-based wrappers require special handling.

If you're cooking from frozen, then use enough water to cover the bottom third of the dumplings. Turn your stove to medium-high heat and cover the pan. Raise the heat on the burner so the water starts to evaporate. As soon as you see steam rising from the water, put the lid on your pan so your dumplings start cooking.

How do I prevent dumpling dough from sticking to pot? Use a good non-stick frying pan. Add some oil in the frying pan. Add some water and cover the lid for few minutes while cooking the dumpling.