Steamed Dumplings in a Bowl (Dumpling Hack)

I saw this Steamed Dumplings in a Bowl recipe trending on social media and I thought it was such a brilliant idea. If you love dumplings or wantons, you’ll love this hack. Instead of wrapping each dumpling one by one, you simply layer all the ingredients in a bowl.

The original creator of this recipe is April Liang @painkrrlapril. The version she shared is like a hybrid between dumplings and lasagna. You still get to enjoy the juicy meat, the nourishing fragrant soup, and dumpling skin together — just like regular dumplings but layered like a lasagna.

You can whip this up in less than 30 minutes, making it perfect for everyday meals.

I love cooking dishes that are healthy, nourishing and effortless to make. Other steamed dishes I tend to make on repeat are Steamed Trio Egg (Classic Chinese Steamed Egg),Steamed Ginger Chicken and Super Simple Steamed Salted Chicken.

Steamed Egg in a Bowl short tutorial:

I love using bamboo steamer baskets, which you can easily find on Amazon.

You can also use other types of steam equipment. However, they tend to produce more water condensation and cause the steam water to drip onto the food. The water condensation usually isn’t much, but to prevent it, you can wrap the lid with a cloth.

What other recipes you may like:

If you like this Steamed Egg with Fish Slices, you may also love my Steamed Eggs with Minced Pork, Steamed Tofu with Minced Pork or Steamed Minced Pork with Tianjin Preserved Vegetables.

Ingredients 材料：

• 300 grams minced pork 300克猪肉末
• 2-3 layers Napa cabbage 2-3 片大白菜

Seasoning for pork 肉调味料:

• 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4茶匙盐
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar 1/4茶匙糖
• 1 teaspoon light soy sauce 1茶匙生抽
• 2 tablespoon Shaoxing wine 2汤匙绍兴酒
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch 1茶匙玉米淀粉
• few drops of sesame oil 几滴芝麻油
• 5-6 tablespoon water 5-6汤匙水

Garnish 装饰：

• Chili oil or any fragrant oil 辣椒油或任何香料油
• 1 tablespoon coriander/spring onion 1 汤匙香菜/葱花
• 20 grams ginger, julienned 20克生姜，切丝

Method:

Season the Minced Pork

• Add your preferred seasonings or you can follow my ingredients. You can also add some chopped prawns.
• Mix in a generous amount of water or chicken stock to create a juicy, soupy filling. Mix until the the minced pork absorbs all the water.

Assemble in a Bowl

• Place a layer of seasoned minced pork at the bottom.
• Top with one piece of wonton or dumpling skin.
• Add some Napa cabbage.
• Add another layer of minced pork and top with another dumpling skin.

Steam

• Pour water into a wok/steamer and bring the water to a boil. Place the dumplings onto the steam rack. Steam on high heat for about 10 minutes or until cooked through.

Serve

• Enjoy immediately while it’s hot, juicy, and soupy.

Cooking tips:

Add enough water or stock — this is crucial for getting a juicy, soupy filling. Without enough liquid, the filling will turn out dry.
Use your favourite seasoning — the flavour is flexible; adjust based on what you enjoy.
Napa cabbage adds sweetness — it add freshness, sweetness and moisture. You can cut the stems of the Napa cabbage into small cubes and mix into the pork. Use the leaves to layer the dish.
Layering matters — alternating minced pork, skin, and cabbage creates texture and helps the soup collect inside.
Steam on high heat — this cooks the pork through quickly while keeping the soup locked in.
Use a heatproof bowl — deep enough to hold the layers and allow the soup to accumulate. You can also experiment with a bigger bowl and layer the ingredients like lasagna.

You might enjoy these other recipes:

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