How to Cook the Perfect Japanese Dumplings

I have briefly explained how to cook our Japanese pork dumplings before, but this time I will introduce it in greater detail.

First, let’s talk about the difference between Japanese dumplings and Chinese dumplings.

The typical Chinese dumplings are “water” dumplings, so the skin is thick and the texture is chewy.
In Japan, dumplings that are grilled on a frying pan are common, and the skin is thin and the grilled surface is crisp.

In Japan, when making dumpling skin, a little more salt is added to flour and water. The texture of the dough changes considerably depending on the amount of salt.
In addition, after combining the ingredients, a process called aging is performed. The dough is sealed and stored at room temperature for 1-2 hours.
After that, the dough is shaped, but by stacking two doughs and applying pressure/kneading many times over, even a thin dough is made strong enough not to tear.
We exclusively use dumpling skins that are imported from Japan, so you can enjoy the authentic taste of Japanese grilled dumplings.

No matter how good the ingredients though, the most crucial step is how to cook them.
Japanese dumplings are sensitive about the method of cooking, so if you make a mistake, they will be ruined.

I will start explaining the cooking procedure in detail now.

Necessary tools:
Non-stick frying pan
A lid that fits the size of a frying pan

Please be sure to prepare these items.

Procedure:

1. Boil water in a pot.
2. Lightly warm the frying pan and apply a thin layer of salad oil to the surface. Wipe off excess oil.
3. Place the dumplings on a frying pan with the flat side down.
   Please arrange them neatly in the same direction. Also, leave a little gap between the dumplings. If the dumplings are touching each other, the skin will stick and tear when peeled off.
4. After lightly grilling the bottom of the dumplings, add the hot water prepared in the pot to appoximately 1/3 or less of the height of the dumplings as a guide.
   Please be sure to add boiling water. If the water is at room temperature, the cooking process will take too long and the texture of the skin will deteriorate. Also, if you add more than one-third of the hot water, the dumplings will be over-boiled and lose their texture.
   Please keep in mind that the next step is a steaming process to cook the ingredients. Cover the frying pan with lid and steam on medium heat for 3 minutes. Be sure to use the timer.
5. After 3 minutes, discard the excess hot water. At this time, make good use of the lid to prevent the dumplings from falling.
   After discarding the water, rearrange the dumplings and heat until the frying pan is dry.
6. When the water is completely gone, add sesame oil around the dumplings.
   Please note that if you add too much, it will become oily.
   Also, do not sprinkle sesame oil on the dumplings.
   Move the frying pan so that the sesame oil spreads over the bottom of the dumplings.
7. Continue heating on medium heat, check the bottom, and when you get a beautiful grilled skin, place the dumplings on a plate with the bottom facing up.
   If you arrange them bottom-side down, the crispy skin will soften, so please be careful.

This completes the perfect Japanese-style grilled dumplings!

The accompanying sauce is your choice, but in Japan, vinegar, soy sauce, and chili oil are generally combined to your personal preference.
You can also add chili oil to the Ponzu Sauce available on our online shop to make a delicious dipping sauce.

Please try making authentic Japanese grilled dumplings at home!