You may have seen dumplings served this way at a Chinese Restaurant, where they are elegantly connected by a crispy web-like lattice crust - a Crispy Dumpling Skirt! In only 15 minutes, you can impress the family and elevate any plate of pan-fried dumplings to the next level.
Forgive the outdated photos - I shared this back in 2020! I'll be updating this recipe with new and better images soon!
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Why You'll Love This Crispy Dumpling Skirt
You will be shocked how simple this recipe is - mix cornstarch, salt, and water to make a slurry, pour it into a pan along with your fresh or frozen dumplings, cover, and watch it crisp up creating a golden "skirt." Plus, I'll bet money you already have cornstarch and salt in your pantry. This lattice will wow your family and friends, and I'll also include a quick dumpling sauce to dip it in!
Ingredients For Crispy Dumpling Skirt
- Cornstarch: You can also use potato starch. Some recipes swap for all-purpose flour, although the skirt texture will be slightly different.
- Water
- Salt
- Dumplings: Use fresh or frozen - mandoo, gyoza, potstickers, etc.
- Oil: Use any neutral oil - vegetable, avocado, canola, etc.
- Green onions: optional garnish.
- Dumpling dipping sauce: ingredients will be provided in the recipe card below.
How To Make A Crispy Dumpling Skirt
Heat oil in pan and lay down dumplings. Mix cornstarch, salt, and water in a measuring cup. Pour into pan when dumplings make a sizzling sound. Liquid should come up ⅓ of the way up for frozen dumplings, ¼ of the way for fresh.
Cover with lid and steam for 5-7 minutes.
Uncover when the boiling sound turns into a frying sound. This indicates the water in the slurry is evaporating.
You will slowly see the edge of the skirt separating and lifting up from the pan. Turn off the heat.
To transfer dumplings to a plate, hold plate face-down on top the dumplings with one hand. Then invert pan upside-down turning plate right-side up at the same time.
Separate dumplings from the crispy skirt and enjoy with your favorite dipping sauce.
Suzy's Tips For Success
- Nonstick pan seems to work the best: A 10-inch round pan will do the trick.
- Do not overcrowd the pan: Arrange 10-12 dumplings in a flower pattern. Adding more or using too big a pan will make it hard to flip over. If you also want more of the crispy skirt, add less dumplings.
- Stir cornstarch slurry right before pouring into the pan: The cornstarch tends to settle at the bottom, so be sure to mix well if it's been sitting.
- Add the right amount of liquid: For fresh dumplings, add enough cornstarch slurry to cover ¼ of the dumplings. Frozen dumplings will need slightly more time, so add ⅓ of the way up.
- Listen for the sounds: The change in cooking sounds will tell you when these dumplings are ready, regardless if you used fresh or frozen dumplings. After adding oil and dumplings into the pan, wait for sizzling sounds to add the slurry. Then as you steam them covered, you will hear a boiling sound as the water from the slurry starts to evaporate. Once it changes back to a frying sound, it's time to uncover the pan. The skirt edges will release from the pan, and you can effortlessly flip the entire skirt onto a plate.
How To Store/Reheat Crispy Dumplings
These dumplings are best enjoyed immediately. Store leftovers in airtight containers in fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, spritz or brush dumplings with oil and place in air fryer at 350ºF (175ºC) for 6-8 minutes until crispy, flipping halfway.
FAQ
Yes! Use fresh homemade dumplings or frozen store-bought. Use slightly more liquid slurry for the skirt if using frozen as it needs more cook time.
Definitely! Some use a mixture of both flour and cornstarch. The texture will differ slightly, as cornstarch usually gets you a crispier skirt.
Nope! We are frying just one side of the dumplings, then covering pan with a lid allowing the trapped steam to do the rest. This creates two amazing textures to the dumpling skin - the crispy pan-fried side but also the soft chewy side that didn't hit the pan.
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Equipment
- 10 or 12-inch nonstick frying pan
- 10 or 12-inch serving plate
Ingredients
Dumpling Skirt
- ¾ cup water
- 1½ tablespoon cornstarch
- 1½ tablespoon oil for frying
- 10-12 any dumplings
- 1 green onion for garnish
Dumpling Sauce
- 1 tablespoon hot water
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon garlic
- 1 tsp chili oil
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- pinch sesame seeds
Instructions
- Combine water, salt, and cornstarch in a measuring cup or bowl and mix. Set aside.
- Heat oil in frying pan. Add the dumplings and arrange in a flower pattern. Do not over-crowd the pan, as this will make it difficult to flip onto the plate. You can fit 10-12, but add less dumplings if you want more of the crispy skirt. Cook 2-3 minutes or until you hear a distinct sizzling sound.
- Mix the cornstarch slurry once more, as cornstarch tends to settle to the bottom. Pour in the mixture. For fresh dumplings, add enough to cover ¼ of the way up. For frozen, have the liquid cover ⅓ of the dumplings to allow for more cook time.
- Steam dumplings covered for 5-6 minutes. First, you will hear a boiling sound as the water from the slurry begins to evaporate. As it changes, listen for the frying sound to uncover the pan. The dumpling skirt will have formed and the edges will release from the pan.
- To transfer dumplings to a plate, hold plate face-down on top the dumplings with one hand. Then invert frying pan upside-down turning plate right-side up at the same time. Garnish with green onions.
- To make the dumpling sauce, first dissolve sugar in hot water. Then stir in the remaining ingredients.
Nutrition
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