Zhong Shuijiao – While every region in China can lay claim to their own special dumpling or dipping sauce, only Chengdu has the uniquely flavored crescent dumplings given to them in 1893 by Zhong Xisen. Although the dumplings are daintier than the thicker northern versions, it’s the special sauce that puts them in a class of their own. Considering the Chinese have been eating crescent shaped dumplings for more than a thousand years, these are an impressive feat.

Sichuan Zhong Crescent Dumplings

These dumplings are exceptionally slippery and even more delicious! They are easy to assemble and then boiled 4 times then served warm in bowls and covered with a special sauce of sweet soy and chili oil. Freeze any extra pre-cooked dumplings

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin

Course: Appetizer, Snack, Street Food

Cuisine: Chinese, Sichuan, Western China

Prep Time: 45

Cook Time: 45

Total Time: 1 30

Servings:

Author: My Hungry Traveler

Equipment

Large bowl
Large pot
small saucepan
Wire mesh scoop
Wire mesh strainer
Small lidded container

Ingredients

Special Flavor Soy Sauce Dressing

⅕ cup Dark soy sauce
⅔ cup water
5 tbsp Brown sugar
1 stick Cassia bark or cinnamon
½ tsp Fennel seeds
8 whole Sichuan peppercorns
1 Star anise
1 inch Ginger root, peeled, cut in two and smashed
½ cup Red chili oil with flakes
2 tbsp Garlic, chopped garlic in 2 tbsp water
1 tbsp Toasted sesame seeds

Pork Dumplings

1 lb Ground pork
15 stalks Scallions, minced
3 tbsp Ginger, minced
¼ cup Soy sauce
4 tsp Sesame oil
1½ tsp Salt
½ tsp Ground Sichuan pepper
60 round Dumpling wrappers (2 packages)
1 large Egg

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

Make Special Flavor Soy Sauce

Bring all the sauce ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan. Once boiling, lower heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes. It should be a bit syrupy. Allow to cool and then strain into a container. Cover and shake to combine. Set aside on the counter.

Make Dumpling Filling

In a large bowl, combine pork, scallions, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, ground Sichuan pepper, and egg. Stir to combine thoroughly.

Assemble Dumplings

If possible, recruit people to help make dumplings. Prep each workstation with unwrapped wrappers covered in a moist kitchen towel to keep them from drying out. Set up a small bowl of water to seal. Take 1 wrapper in your hand and, using the fingertips of your other hand, wet around the whole rim. Scoop 1 heaping tsp of pork filling and place in the center. Fold edges to meet and seal tightly. Set dumpling on a moist baking tray and cover with damp paper towels. Some or all of the dumplings may be frozen at this point.

Cook and Serve Dumplings

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Put 15 dumplings into the water. When water returns to a boil, add enough cold water to completely stop the boil. Repeat the process 3 more time. After the 4th boil-cool-boil cycle, their done. Scoop an equal number of cooked dumplings into into individual bowls. Repeat whole process with remaining dumplings. Add remaining cooked dumplings. Cover with 1 tbsp special soy sauce and 2 tsp chili oil to completely cover. Sprinkle with garlic and sesame seeds. Serve warm.

Nutrition

Sichuan Zhong Crescent Dumplings