Pan-Fried Dumplings (Guotie)
Juicy pork and cabbage dumplings, seared golden and crisp on one side and steamed tender on the other — the home cook's version of China's favourite dumpling snack.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Make the dough
Mix the flour and salt in a bowl, then pour in the warm water while stirring with chopsticks or a spoon. Knead by hand for 5–8 minutes until you get a smooth, firm but not sticky dough. Cover and let it rest 30 minutes so the gluten relaxes — this is what lets the wrappers roll out thin without tearing or snapping back.
- 300 g flour
- 180 ml warm water
- 1/4 tsp salt
✅ Done when: the dough is smooth and springs back slowly when you press it
Salt the cabbage
Toss the chopped cabbage with the salt and let it sit for 10 minutes to draw out its water. Squeeze it firmly by handfuls (or wrap it in a clean cloth and twist) to remove as much liquid as possible. This step matters: watery cabbage will make the filling loose and the dumplings soggy instead of juicy.
- 300 g
- 1 tsp salt
✅ Done when: the cabbage feels dry, has shrunk in volume, and no more liquid comes out when pressed
Season the filling
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Shape the dumplings
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Sear the bottoms
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Steam until cooked
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Crisp and serve
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Make the dough
Mix the flour and salt in a bowl, then pour in the warm water while stirring with chopsticks or a spoon. Knead by hand for 5–8 minutes until you get a smooth, firm but not sticky dough. Cover and let it rest 30 minutes so the gluten relaxes — this is what lets the wrappers roll out thin without tearing or snapping back.
- 300 g flour
- 180 ml warm water
- 1/4 tsp salt
✅ Done when: the dough is smooth and springs back slowly when you press it
Salt the cabbage
Toss the chopped cabbage with the salt and let it sit for 10 minutes to draw out its water. Squeeze it firmly by handfuls (or wrap it in a clean cloth and twist) to remove as much liquid as possible. This step matters: watery cabbage will make the filling loose and the dumplings soggy instead of juicy.
- 300 g
- 1 tsp salt
✅ Done when: the cabbage feels dry, has shrunk in volume, and no more liquid comes out when pressed
Season the filling
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Shape the dumplings
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Sear the bottoms
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Steam until cooked
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Crisp and serve
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The Story Behind the Dish
Boiled dumplings, jiaozi, have been central to Chinese home cooking and New Year celebrations for centuries, their folded shape said to resemble old silver ingots and symbolize prosperity. Guotie, the pan-fried version, is believed to have grown out of a practical habit: reheating leftover boiled dumplings in a hot pan with a splash of water, which crisped the skins without drying out the filling inside.
Over time this reheating trick became a dish in its own right, especially popular as street food and breakfast fare in northern China, from Beijing's old lanes to busy night markets, where the sound and smell of dumplings sizzling in big flat pans is part of the everyday street scene.
⭐ Why It's Famous
The contrast between the crisp, golden seared base and the tender, juicy pork and cabbage filling makes guotie one of China's most loved snacks, equally at home in a family kitchen or a bustling dumpling shop.
💡 Fun Fact
The name "guotie" literally means "pot stick" — a nod to how the dumplings are seared directly against the hot surface of the pan until their bottoms are almost stuck fast with crispness.
Northern China
39.90°N, 116.41°E
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