Juicy and super flavorful Chinese boiled dumplings filled with snow pea leaves and shrimp (豆苗蝦水餃). This is the recipe to try especially if you’ve never made dumplings before. Using pre-made wrappers, it's easy and quick to make.
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Boiled dumplings (also known as jiaozi or shui jiao in Mandarin, Chinese) are a staple in Taiwan and a common school lunch if you don’t have parents that pack you homemade biàndang 便當 (lunchboxes).
Why snow pea leaves? They're tender and have a wonderfully light and nutty flavor. Not to mention, they also taste so good with shrimp, especially in dumplings. A staple vegetable in Taiwanese and Chinese cuisine, these delicate shoots are in season during Spring.
This recipe is inspired by my favorite dish from a vegetarian dim sum restaurant in NYC.
They're great for an everyday meal and for Lunar New Year celebrations. Folding dumplings always take me back to wonderful childhood memories of Taiwan.
Note: Chinese New Year is actually an inaccurate name for Lunar New Year. It's celebrated by many different Asian cultures. I sometimes use "Chinese New Year" when I talk about the traditions specific to Taiwanese and Chinese cultures that I grew up with.
🥟 main ingredients
- snow pea leaves - You can find them at farmers markets and Asian grocery stores in the Spring, or as early as late December. They’re also called pea tendrils, pea shoots, or snow pea tips. Both the leaves and stalks are edible. pro tip: You can tell how tender the stalks are by bending them. Tender stalks should make a light crunch sound and yield easily when pinched. Pea shoots that look like large microgreens or leaves from fava greens make great substitutions.
- spring garlic (green garlic) - A young garlic with a mild flavor that won’t overpower the delicious snow pea leaves. These are in season around the same time, so I always jump at the opportunity to cook with the two together. Fresh minced garlic also works if you can’t find green garlic.
- shrimp - You can use already peeled and deveined shrimp if you're short on time. I try to buy wild shrimp that I peel and clean myself when possible, but know that it's not always possible. For sustainable options, you can refer to the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch list.
- dumpling wrappers - Though not the same as handmade wrappers, these are a huge time saver. I’ve tested many packaged dumpling wrappers for years. So far, the Fung’s Village brand feels very close to homemade ones. You should be able to find it at a 99 Ranch Market in CA, NV, OR, WA, TX, MA, NJ, MD, and VA.
This recipe uses wrappers made with wheat flour (sometimes the packaging will call them “gyoza wrappers” or 水餃皮). Gyoza wrappers from Japanese markets would work as well. Try to pick a brand with wrappers that look thinner than others and make sure they don’t look dry or cracked.
🎥 cooking video
Watch the video below for a virtual cooking class at your own pace. I show every step of this recipe in The Sound of Cooking® video series. See the full collection of cooking videos on YouTube or browse any other recipe right here on my website.
Turn on your volume to hear the sounds of cooking. Cooking can be meditative and is a great opportunity to slow down, relax, and engage in your senses. Read more on our about page.
this cooking video shows you:
- how to make an easy filling
- how to blanch and shock snow pea leaves
- how to fold and boil Chinese dumplings
- a quick way to cut shrimp (something I learned from Chef Cheng in culinary school)
🔪 step by step instructions
I’m going to go through each step in detail below, including step-by-step photos on how to fold dumplings. If you’re in a hurry, click here to jump straight to the recipe.
make the dumpling filling
Wash and roughly chop the snow pea leaves (photo 1 above). Prepare an ice bath by combining 1 quart of water and 2 cups of ice in a medium mixing bowl.
Fill a medium saucepan with water, bring to a boil, and add 2 tablespoons of salt.
Blanch the snow pea leaves by cooking them in boiling water just until they turn bright green (about 30 seconds) and strain (photos 2-3 above). It helps to cook them in the strainer if you have one that fits.
Immediately shock the cooked pea leaves in the ice bath until they’re thoroughly cooled, then remove from the ice bath and allow excess water to drain (photo 4 above).
pro tip: Try not to leave the cooked greens in the ice bath for too long to preserve their flavor and nutrients.
Pinch off the shrimp tail shells if needed (photo 1 above).
On a non-porous cutting board meant for raw seafood, line up the shrimp from left to right and cut into bite-sized pieces. Place shrimp into a large mixing bowl (photos 2-4 above).
prepare the aromatics
Cut the ends off of the green garlic and mince the whole stalk, similar to the way you would slice scallions but taking the extra step to mince the white part (bulb). Don't have green garlic? You can substitute with 1 large clove of garlic, minced.
Peel and mince 1 teaspoon of fresh ginger. Did you know that ginger is typically used with seafood in Chinese cuisine? It’s said to balance out the seafood scent or flavor (腥味).
Add the minced ginger, rice cooking wine, ground white pepper, salt, and sesame oil to the bowl of shrimp (photos 1-2 above).
Give it a stir with chopsticks and then add the minced green garlic (photo 3). Add the snow pea leaves at the end before a final mix (photo 4).
fill and fold dumplings
Prepare your “folding station” with the following:
- A clean and flat work surface
- A small bowl of water for dipping your fingers in
- A slightly damp clean kitchen towel or paper towel
- One small (half) baking sheet lined with parchment paper
- Another sheet of parchment paper of the same size for your second layer of dumplings
- Dumpling filling
- Small offset spatula. A butter knife or a small spoon would work too.
- Dumpling wrappers
Place a small amount of filling (slightly less than 1 tablespoon) in the center of each wrapper, leaving about ½ inch of wrapper clear all around (photos 1-2 above).
Wet the top half of the edge with water and fold it into a half-moon shape. Press the edges firmly to seal the dumpling, making sure to press out air pockets from the center out. Then, wet the top edge of your half-moon and pleat by folding and pinching, starting from the center (photos 3-4 above).
Make 2 more pleats on each side, making a total of five pleats (photos 5-6).
Place the completed dumplings on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Make sure to space them apart so they don’t stick together. Cover the dumplings with a clean kitchen towel while you’re folding the others so that the edges don’t dry up. Repeat until all the filling is used.
For a Chinese New Year tradition, add a slice of red chili pepper to the filling of one of the dumplings (photo 8). The person who ends up finding this dumpling will have good fortune for the year.
pro tip: You can make large batches of dumplings quicker by using an assembly line method. Line up 4-6 dumplings wrappers and then add the filling to all of them before folding. Repeat in batches. I make up to 6 at a time when using pre-made wrappers since they tend to dry up quicker.
boil dumplings
Fill a medium pot with water and bring to a boil. Gently drop the dumplings in and give them a stir to prevent the dumplings from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Lower the heat to medium and cook until the dumplings float to the top and the wrappers turn slightly translucent (about 2 to 3 minutes).
You can also tell they’re done when you see the shrimp turn pink through the wrappers as shown in the photo above.
Remove dumplings with a slotted spoon and serve hot with or without a dipping sauce.
To make an optional dipping sauce, stir together 1 tablespoon soy sauce, ⅛ teaspoon fresh red chili, and ⅛ teaspoon sesame oil in each sauce bowl. You can substitute a small squeeze of sriracha for the fresh chili if you like.
💭 faq and expert tips
Place the completed dumplings on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Make sure to space them apart so they don’t stick together. To add a second layer of dumplings, place a sheet of parchment paper in-between.
Wrap the baking sheet well with plastic wrap and freeze. Transfer the frozen dumplings to another airtight container once solid and keep in the freezer until you’re ready to cook them.
They can be frozen for up to 2 weeks.
When ready, cook them in boiling water straight from the freezer (not defrosted). It's that simple!
Don’t worry, they will taste just as good! This is a common question that comes up when I use to teach dumpling classes.
Folding is part of the fun and I always encourage fun over fuss. Getting a consistent fold just takes practice. Plus, it’s more enjoyable to fold dumplings with family members and everyone's will look a little different.
Jiaozi (dumplings) have two main symbolic meanings during the Lunar New Year.
First, they represent prosperity because they are shaped like old Chinese money called yuanbao (元寶). Traditionally, a single coin is put inside one of the dumplings for a lucky person to find. My grandmother used to do this!
The second meaning is family unity since many families spend this time making dumplings together.
A simple vegetable dish like stir-fried water spinach would work great! For dessert, you can make this super easy kabocha squash porridge with tang yuan (sweet rice balls).
COOKING WITH KIDS - what can kid chefs help with?
- mix the dumpling filling
- Help with filling and folding dumplings
Let me know if you have any questions at all in the comments below.
Happy cooking! ~ Cin
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Disclosure: The recipe below may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon
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snow pea leaves and shrimp boiled dumplings 豆苗蝦水餃
watch it step-by-step: the sound of cooking® video
ingredients
dumplings
- 1 quart water for an ice bath
- 2 cups ice
- 2 tablespoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt, (use half the amount if using sea salt or table salt)
- 1 bunch snow pea leaves, roughly chopped (about 5 cups)
- ½ pound peeled and deveined shrimp
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon rice cooking wine, (Taiwan michiu)
- ⅛ teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, (use half the amount if using sea salt or table salt)
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 stalks green garlic, ends removed and minced (can subsitute with 1 large clove of garlic, peeled and minced)
- 1 pack Chinese dumpling wrappers, (see notes)
- 1 small mild red chili pepper, optional for a Chinese New Year tradition (see notes)
optional dipping sauce
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce, low sodium, divided
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil, divided
- ½ teaspoon minced fresh red chili pepper, divided (see notes)
*The Instacart button above is an affiliate link, which means we do make a small profit from your purchases (your price is not affected by this commission).
instructions
make the dumpling filling
- Prepare an ice bath by combining 1 quart of water and 2 cups of ice in a medium mixing bowl.
- Fill a medium saucepan with water, bring to a boil, and add 2 tablespoons of salt.
- Blanch the snow pea leaves by cooking them in boiling water just until they turn bright green (about 30 seconds) and strain. It helps to cook them in the strainer if you have one that fits. Immediately shock them in the ice bath until they’re thoroughly cooled. Then, remove from the ice bath and allow excess water to drain. Note: try not to leave the cooked greens in the ice bath for too long to preserve their flavor and nutrients.
- On a non-porous cutting board, line up the shrimp from left to right and cut into bite-sized pieces. (See the post or video for visuals on this technique for quickly cutting shrimp).
- Place the prepared shrimp into a large mixing bowl. Add the minced ginger, rice cooking wine, ground white pepper, salt, and sesame oil. Give it a stir with chopsticks and then add the minced green garlic. Add the snow pea leaves at the end before a final mix.
assemble and fold the dumplings
- Place a small amount of filling (slightly less than 1 tablespoon) in the center of each wrapper, leaving about ½ inch of wrapper clear all around.
- Wet the top half of the edge with water and fold it into a half-moon shape.
- Press the edges firmly to seal the dumpling, making sure to press out air pockets from the center out.
- Then, wet the top edge of your half-moon and pleat by folding and pinching, starting from the center. Make 2 more pleats on each side, making a total of five pleats. (I walk through this process step-by-step in the video and in the post above).
- Place the completed dumplings on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Make sure to space them apart so they don’t stick together. Cover the dumplings with a clean kitchen towel while you’re folding the others so that the edges don’t dry up.
- Repeat until all the filling is used.
boil dumplings
- Fill a medium pot with water and bring to a boil. Gently drop the dumplings in and give them a stir to prevent the dumplings from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Lower the heat to medium and cook until the dumplings float to the top and the wrappers turn slightly translucent (about 2 to 3 minutes). You can also tell they’re done when you see the shrimp turn pink through the wrappers.
- Remove dumplings with a slotted spoon and serve hot with or without a dipping sauce.
optional dipping sauce
- In each sauce bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon soy sauce, ⅛ teaspoon fresh red chili, and ⅛ teaspoon sesame oil.
equipment and highlighted ingredients
notes
for a Chinese New Year dumpling tradition: the lucky dumpling
Add a slice of red chili pepper to the filling of one of the dumplings. The person who ends up finding this dumpling will have good fortune for the year.free dumpling recipe PDF
Want a free PDF with this dumpling recipe plus two other filling options? Grab it here.
veenaazmanov says
This is such a unique and flavorful recipe. My kids love Chinese Cuisine and so definitely this one is special too. Thanks. I am in for it this weekend.
cindy chou says
So happy to hear! I hope you and your family enjoyed the dumplings!
Jenny says
I love your post! We love dumplings, but I never make them. You inspired me, so I will follow your guide and make them this weekend; They look amazing! Wish me luck! Thanks for a terrific post and recipe.
cindy chou says
Thank you so much, Jenny! You've probably already made them, but if not, good luck! I hope you enjoyed the process and the recipe 🙂
Holly says
A friend made these once for me and I'd love to try them myself. I think the key will be using the premade dumpling wrappers. Thanks for the step by step instructions!
cindy chou says
Premade dumpling wrappers are a huge time-saver and so helpful! Hope you're able to make your first dumplings soon 🙂
Amy says
I love making dumplings at home with my daughter but I've not made one with snow pea leaves before. And I actually like this vegetable so not sure why I never thought to use it! Love your fold and pleat method. Will try it this weekend!
cindy chou says
They're so fun to make as a family! I'm glad to hear you'll give the snow pea leaves and shrimp filling a try. Hope you enjoyed it!
Marissa says
Dumplings are one of my favorites! I love making them at home and make them often, though I can never get each one to fold the same way Thanks for sharing such detailed instructions. I'm looking forward to trying these next time!
cindy chou says
It's hard to get identical folds! You really have to get into a groove, but that only happens for me if I'm making super large batches. It's ok, they kind of all look the same once you cook them and definitely all taste the same 😛 Would love to hear how you like these once you give them a try!
Jamie says
I love the flavor of snow pea leaves! It's such a great idea adding them to dumplings with the shrimp. I can eat about a dozen of these!
cindy chou says
I agree, snow pea leaves taste so good! Glad you like the filling combo 🙂
Kim says
I grew up making these with my mom, but never really was too inspired to make them again... until I saw your post! It’s been the one thing I was looking forward to on my weekend off! Just finishing making these- and hands down the best dumpling recipe. Thank you for all the details and helpful tips!!
cindy chou says
Hi Kim, this just made my day! I know how precious time off is, especially when you usually work weekends, and feel honored that my recipe made it into your kitchen. So happy to hear you enjoyed the dumplings and thank you for taking the time to leave a comment and rating! 🙂
Kari says
My little one and I made dumplings some weekends ago together and it was such a great experience for us both! I love your tips here and will use them to improve on ours. Thanks
cindy chou says
That sounds lovely, Kari! My childhood memories of making dumplings with a grownup are some of my most treasured. Hope these tips help next time.
Kushigalu says
Love dumplings but never tried this filling. Sounds like wonderful combo. Pinned to try this soon.
cindy chou says
Dumplings are wonderful, aren't they? 🙂 Happy to hear you'll be giving this filling a try. Let me know if you have any questions!
Sam says
This looks so good and sounds super delicious. I love trying new recipes. Can't wait to pick up to ingredients and try these dumplings!
cindy chou says
Hi Sam! Happy to hear this recipe made it on your to-try list. Let me know if any questions come up!
Minil Chang says
Healthy ! fresh ! Delicious easy for cook when busy hurry time. You can make more keep in frozen, those beautiful dumplings you make!
YeeYan says
I learned to make dumplings from Cindy! Thanks for giving some history behind the dumplings and putting together such a complete visual guide. Love them!
cindy chou says
Thanks so much YeeYan! Happy to hear you love the visuals and appreciate your support! <3