Of all the dishes my mom makes, her Pork and leek dumplings have to be my all-time favorite. Every member of my family gets a large bag of them every time we come home for the holidays. The filling is an absolute game-changer. Something about pork and leek makes for an amazing combination.

How to prepare the leeks

Leeks have a milder flavor than chives or scallions, which is why I do not feel the need to cook them beforehand. I highly recommend chopping them as finely as possible. Personally, I do not like the texture of chunky vegetables in my filling so I aim for very thin slices.

How long to mix the filling?

You want to mix the mixture for as long as possible before you get tired. I usually mix for about 4 minutes. The idea is that the more you mix, the more bouncy and juicy the filling will be. I personally hate when dumpling fillings are fluffy and fall apart so I always make sure to mix it thoroughly. I used a pair of latex gloves and mixed with my hands.

mixing pork and leek filling with hands.

Freezing the dumplings

After you wrap the dumplings, you can freeze them to eat later. I usually put them on a baking sheet dusted with some cornstarch and freeze them for 2 hours until they are semi-solid. Once they are solid, I place them in a zipper-lock bag for long-term storage.

When it's time to cook them, you do not need to defrost them beforehand. Just cook them straight from frozen with a couple of extra minutes added to the cooking time.

Pork & Leek Dumplings

These dumplings make for a wonderful meal prep and they taste delicious as well. The filling is savory and very aromatic from the leeks. I hope you enjoy these as much as my family does.

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Prep Time 50

Cook Time 10

Total Time 1

Course Main Course

Cuisine Chinese

Servings 8 people

Ingredients

4 cups leeks (finely chopped; about 2 large leeks)
2 pounds ground pork
¼ cup oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar

For wrapping

2 packages dumpling wrappers
flour (for dusting)

Instructions

In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients (except the dumpling wrappers). Use your hands to mix and massage the mixture for 3-4 minutes. The meat should get more pasty and sticky as you go.
Prepare a baking sheet dusted with flour (or cornstarch) and a small bowl of water.
To fill a dumpling, place one tablespoon of filling in the center of a wrapper. Dip your finger in the bowl of water and wet the edges of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper in half and pleat the edges until sealed. Place the dumpling on the baking sheet.
Repeat for all the dumplings. You can either cook them right away or freeze them for later.
To cook the dumplings, you can boil, steam, or pan-fry. I decided to pan-fry today. Heat a nonstick pan with one tablespoon of oil. Add the dumplings and cook until the bottom is brown. Add ⅓ cup of water and close the lid. Steam for 4-5 minutes until cooked through. Remove the lid and cook for another 1-2 minutes until the bottom is crispy.