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Looking for a dim sum recipe you can easily make at home? Try my Shrimp and Chive Dumplings! Packed with juicy shrimp and fresh chives, they are simple to prepare and perfect for beginners.
The Best Shrimp And Chive Dumpling
I wanted to make pan fried shrimp and chive dumplings (韭菜虾饺), but didn’t have the patience to make the wheat starch skin from scratch. I craved shrimp and chives dumplings and I wanted them fast; recalling a trick I’d seen at dim sum restaurants, I decided to cheat a bit.
The solution? Wrapping the shrimp and chive dumpling in regular dumpling or potsticker wrappers, or even wonton skins. So, I opted for wonton skins.
Here’s my easy shrimp and chive dumplings recipe — a popular pan-fried option on dim sum menus. With just 5 easy steps, this recipe is beginner-friendly, allowing you to satisfy your cravings with these dumplings in no time. These dumplings instantly perked me up with the first bite. The shrimp ‘crunch’ and ‘bounce’ in my mouth, just as delicious as those served at dim sum restaurants!
For more shrimp dim sum recipes, check out my Shrimp Wrapped in Tofu Skin, and Fried Shrimp Wontons recipes!
Check out my Chinese Chicken Dumplings recipe next for more easy and delicious dumpling!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Beginner-friendly. With just 5 easy-to-follow steps, my recipe is perfect for beginners who want to try making dumplings at home without feeling overwhelmed.
- Affordability. It’s a budget-friendly option compared to restaurant dumplings, allowing you to enjoy a delicious homemade meal without breaking the bank.
- Consistent results. The recipe is foolproof, ensuring that you always end up with dumplings that look and taste delicious, just like my other favorite steamed dumplings.
- Versatility. These dumplings can be enjoyed in many ways—as a snack, appetizer, or main dish—making them versatile for different meals and occasions.
Ingredients
- Shrimps – adds a sweet and savory taste and a satisfying texture when cooked.
- Chives – adds a mild onion-like flavor and freshness to the filling.
- Egg white – to make the shrimp bouncy in texture.
- Tapioca starch – acts as a binder and helps to thicken the filling mixture.
- Wonton skin – thin and delicate, allowing for easy wrapping and cooking. You can use regular potsticker or dumpling wrappers, but they are round in shape, making them smaller and harder to fold.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients.
How To Make Shrimp and Chive Dumplings
Step 1. Clean and rinse the shrimps with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. Mix the soy-vinegar dipping sauce and set aside.
Step 2. Cut the shrimps into small pieces (about 3-4 pieces per shrimp), add chives and mix well. Marinate the filling with the rest of the ingredients for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
Step 3. Lay a wonton skin on a flat surface. Dab your index finger with some water and trace it along the four outer edges of the wonton skin. Add a teaspoon of the filling and fold the wonton skin towards the middle.
Step 4. Dab some water onto the wonton skin to seal it tightly. The dumplings should look somewhat round. Repeat the process until all the filling is used up.
Step 5. Heat up a pan over medium to low heat and add some oil. Transfer all dumplings into the pan and cover it with a lid. Pan-fry the dumplings on one side until golden brown, then flip them over to pan-fry the other side. (Add more oil to the pan if necessary.)
Helpful Tips For Home Cooks
- Use fresh ingredients. Opt for fresh shrimp and chives for best flavor and texture.
- Keep the wonton wrappers covered. Wonton wrappers can dry out quickly, so keep them covered with a damp cloth or plastic wrap while assembling dumplings.
- Ensure the edges of the wonton wrappers are sealed tightly to prevent filling from leaking during cooking.
- Use a non-stick pan and enough oil to ensure dumplings don’t stick and achieve a crispy texture.
- Try to make sure each dumpling has the same amount of filling so they cook evenly.
- If you use wonton skins like I did, buy those that are not yellowish, but pale white or grayish-white in color.
- Check out my Crunchy Shrimp recipe to uncover the secret to achieving a springy texture and mouthfeel where the shrimp bounce in your mouth and crunch with every bite.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can prepare the dumplings ahead of time and keep them in the refrigerator for a few hours before cooking. It’s best not to freeze fresh dumplings because they might lose their texture and flavor.
When the dumplings have a crispy bottom.
Yes, the dumplings can be steamed or boiled. Adjust cooking times accordingly to ensure they are fully cooked.
Popular dipping sauces include soy sauce, black vinegar, chili oil, or a combination of these. You can also mix in minced garlic, ginger, or sesame oil for added flavor.
Store leftover cooked dumplings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Reheat them pan-frying until heated through.
This pan fried dumplings are 164 calories per serving.
What To Serve With This Recipe
For a complete homemade dim sum meal at home, I recommend the following recipes:
I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.
Other Recipes You Might Like
Shrimp and Chive Dumplings
Ingredients
- 12 oz. shrimps, peeled and deveined, medium to big size
- 1 oz. chives, cut into very short pieces
- 1 teaspoon egg white
- 1/2 teaspoon tapioca starch, 菱粉
- 1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
- 3 dashes white pepper powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon oil
- wonton skin
- some cooking oil , for pan-frying
Soy-Vinegar Dipping Sauce:
- 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar
Instructions
- Clean and rinse the shrimps with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. Mix the soy-vinegar dipping sauce and set aside.
- Cut the shrimps into small pieces (about 3-4 pieces per shrimp), add chives and mix well. Marinate the filling with the rest of the ingredients for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Lay a wonton skin on a flat surface. Dab your index finger with some water and trace it along the four outer edges of the wonton skin. Add a teaspoon of the filling and fold the wonton skin towards the middle.
- Dab some water onto the wonton skin to seal it tightly. The dumplings should look somewhat round. Repeat the process until all the filling is used up.
- Heat up a pan over medium to low heat and add some oil. Transfer all dumplings into the pan and cover it with a lid. Pan-fry the dumplings on one side until golden brown, then flip them over to pan-fry the other side. (Add more oil to the pan if necessary.)
Notes
- Use fresh ingredients. Opt for fresh shrimp and chives for best flavor and texture.
- Keep the wonton wrappers covered. Wonton wrappers can dry out quickly, so keep them covered with a damp cloth or plastic wrap while assembling dumplings.
- Ensure the edges of the wonton wrappers are sealed tightly to prevent filling from leaking during cooking.
- Use a non-stick pan and enough oil to ensure dumplings don’t stick and achieve a crispy texture.
- Try to make sure each dumpling has the same amount of filling so they cook evenly.
- If you use wonton skins like I did, buy those that are not yellowish, but pale white or grayish-white in color.
- Check out my Crunchy Shrimp recipe to uncover the secret to achieving a springy texture and mouthfeel where the shrimp bounce in your mouth and crunch with every bite.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can I use potato starch instead? I donโt hang tapioca starch in my pantry.
Yes, you can!
made your egg drop soup minus the tomatoes and chicken for my wife who just had stomach surgery and she loved it
Thanks for trying my egg drop soup recipe. Please give me 5 stars ratings in the future if you love my recipes! :)
Iโm not sure if there is anyone out there that LOVES dim sum as much as me. There arenโt any more dim sum restaurants near me anymore.Itโs not like we had a lot to begin with, but now, NONE. I could cry! Anyway, I have decided that if I want it, Iโve got to make it! Now once again Iโm at a loss. I cannot find the right dim sum wrappers. The store has the won ton skins, but I believe those are the ones for frying. You know, the crunchy ones. Please tell me where to buy them. From scratch would be too difficult for me. Heck Iโm old. lol HELP, Iโm desperate!
Hi Audrey. If you find fresh wonton skins, you can use those. They can be used for steaming, boiling or frying. Hope you find good dim sum soon.
What are the egg whites used for?
To make the shrimp bouncy in texture.
Can I make a bunch of these and freeze them ?
Iโve heard you can only make ahead and freeze if you donโt use previously frozen shrimp. Otherwise if you use fresh shrimp, yes you can.
Thank you for this recipe! I don’t have a food scale, do you know by volume what the ratio of chive to shrimp to should be, roughly?
It doesn’t matter. If you like chives use more, less if you don’t like it that much.