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    Home » Recipes » Chinese

    Steamed Pork & Chive Money Bag Dumplings (Beggar's Purse Dumplings)

    Published: Jul 26, 2022 · Modified: Dec 5, 2022 by Kelly · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe

    Chinese money bag dumplings (sometimes called beggar's purses) are as delicious as they are cute. Little bites of juicy deliciousness, these dumplings are traditional Lunar New Year food typically enjoyed throughout the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) as a way to represent and bring good luck and fortune in the coming year. The purses (wrappers) are usually yellow to represent bags of gold and can be filled with just about any kind of dumpling filling you enjoy.

    raw money bag dumplings or beggar's purse dumplings on a sheet tray

    Pork and Chive Money Bag Dumplings

    For this recipe, I've used fatty house-ground pork, chives, sautéed Nappa cabbage, and carrots (for a little added natural sweetness), plus a mix of ginger-infused Shaoxing wine, soy, sesame, and white pepper.

    Since it's not currently Chinese New Year, I'm using store-bought wonton wrappers instead of making them from scratch because I had a pack in the freezer I needed to use up.

    Sometimes, convenience is everything. However, if you want to make these dumplings 100% from scratch, check out my 2-ingredient dumpling dough, homemade wonton wrappers using all-purpose flour, or my favorite wonton dough made with bread flour (both are a nice shade of yellow), or make beautiful colored money bag dumplings with these Naturally Colored Dumpling Wrappers (For Chinese New Year (春节). They're all really easy to make but take just a bit more time. 

    For anyone who may be new to making dumplings or for kids helping out in the kitchen, you'll find easy-to-follow step-by-step photos below.

    Jump to:
    • Pork and Chive Money Bag Dumplings
    • How to Make Better Pork Dumplings at Home (7 Best Tips)
    • How to Assemble Money Bag Dumplings and Wontons (Beggar's Purses) 
    • Pork & Chive Money Bag Dumpling Ingredients
    • How to Make Pork & Chive Money Bag Dumplings (Beggar's Purse Dumplings w/Step-by-Step Photos
    • More Money Bag Dumpling Filling Options
    • Looking for a Few More Dim Sum or Asian-Inspired Dishes?
    • 📖 Recipe
    bronze sculpture of a bag of money on the railing inside the subway station, NYC (Chelsea Stop)
    just ground fatty pork meat sitting in a bowl with Chinese money bag dumpling seasonings
    fatty ground pork and Chinese seasonings beat together in a bowl until no visible liquid remains and the meat is fluffy
    pork dumpling mix with chives and sautéed carrots and cabbage

    How to Make Better Pork Dumplings at Home (7 Best Tips)

    Money Bag dumplings and wontons can be filled with a mixture of seafood, meat, or veggies (or all of the above), and they can be vegetarian or even vegan, depending on your preferences.

    There's no right or wrong filling, but there are a few techniques and tips that are key to getting a tender, flavorful, juicy filling when working with meats like pork or chicken.

    When making dumplings at home, homemade wrappers reign supreme because they're delicious, and you can make the dumplings as thick or thin (or as large) as you like.

    Homemade wrappers are a must if you want to make xiaolongbao (Shanghai soup dumplings). But your family isn't going to mind if you use storebought wrappers instead.

    Chinese Pork and Green Bean Stir-Fry with Glass noodles ingredients on a cutting board

    When seasoning dumpling fillings, balance is key. And it helps to have a well-stocked Chinese pantry, but having even just a few basic ingredients will render delicious dumplings with a few helpful hints.

    Below are the 7 Best Tips and techniques I've learned from some very talented Chinese chefs, friends, and family while living in Chengdu, and they'll definitely help elevate your dumpling-making skills. 

    Tip 1. When making pork dumplings, grind or chop your own fatty cuts of meat (like pork belly and pork shoulder) using a cleaver, food processor, or food grinder for better-tasting dumpling fillings.

    If this isn't an option for you, buy at least an 80:20 (pork to fat ) ratio of pre-ground fatty ground pork. A 75:25 ratio is even better. The fattier the pork the more flavor and juiciness the filling will have. If you have to use lean cuts, add additional fat to the filling (like pork lard, chopped fatback, vegetable oil, or even olive oil (for plant-based dumplings). 

    Ground pork coming out of the Kitchenaid food grinder attachment.

    Tip 2. Thoroughly beat the dumpling seasonings and sauces into the meat mixture in one direction only (clockwise or counterclockwise) using chopsticks or a fork until it's bouncy, fluffy, and looks visibly lighter and almost paste-like (this is a process called Daxian (打馅) which means “beat the filling”. 

    Don't simply toss it all together and call it a day. This process of mixing the pork until it reaches the right consistency works the proteins in the meat and helps give dumpling fillings a springy pleasant "bite". If you're doing this by hand, it usually takes anywhere between 5 to 8 minutes to reach the right consistency for larger batches of filling, but it can take less time for smaller quantities.

    If you're mixing it with the paddle attachment using a stand mixer, on medium speed (speed #2 in a KitchenAid Mixer), it takes about 4 to 5 minutes.

    Chicken dumpling filling in a bowl ready to start filling dumpling wrappers.
    All of the har gow ingredients except the bamboo shoots whipped for 5 minutes in one direction to create a cohesive bouncy shrimp filling.

    There is no precise or exact amount of time for this process, because it depends on the protein you're working (i.e. shrimp, scallops, crab, chicken, pork, beef), how vigourously you're whipping the mixture, and how much filling you're working with (single batch vs. triple batch).

    The more you make dumpling fillings you'll get a better idea for the perfect texture. When in doubt, don't overmix it, or the filling will end up like rubbery pucks instead of tender, juicy bites. You just want the filling to "bounce" when you tap it with a chopstick and for all the liquid and fat to be absorbed.

    Tip 3. Add enough liquid and fat to your dumpling filling to help make it moist and juicy. Dumpling filling should never be wet or have visible liquid in the bowl because excess moisture causes the wrappers to tear open.

    However, the filling should have enough absorbed liquid (and fat) whipped into it so that when it's cooked, the dumplings have a light, plumpy, juicy "bite" to them.

    Common liquids include chicken stock, vegetable stock, water, or ginger-infused water, plus the other liquid seasonings most often used like oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, etc.).

    When making vegetable, chicken, or shrimp dumplings ↓ (when fatty pork is not also added to the mix), lard or vegetable oil is often added to give them more moisture.

    Har gow Dumpling ingredients (except the bamboo shoots) added to a mixing bowl including extra fat for juicy dumplings.

    Tip 4. If you don't want to bite down on ginger when eating dumplings, do what my Sichuanese friends do and first infuse the seasoning liquid with julienned (or sliced) ginger for at least 20 minutes or up to overnight, then remove the ginger pieces before combining the rest of the dumpling seasoning ingredients. 

    I'm not sure why this method had never occurred to me before, but it's a brilliant tip. I'm not a huge fan of eating discernable bits of ginger in my dumplings, nor do I want the fillings to be overly flavored with too much ginger. So, for me, this is the best way to add perfectly balanced ginger flavor to dumpling fillings. Also, it's easier than grating ginger on a Microplane. 

    Ginger matchsticks marinating in soy sauce to infuse the flavor and without adding actual ginger to the dumpling filling.
    Fresh ginger infusing water to be used in classic Sichuan wontons dumping filling - showing traditional chinese method of adding ginger flavor to dumpling fillings without adding actual ginger pieces.

    Tip 5. Add any vegetables, like fresh cabbage, carrots, scallions, etc., to the seasoned dumpling filling as the last step just before filling the dumplings (and after the seasoned pork mixture has already been marinated for a while to allow the flavors to meld together). OR alternatively, cook the water out of the vegetables and immediately add them the whipped dumpling filling.

    Season the pork mixture and refrigerate it to develop the flavor. Add vegetables just before filling and cooking (or freezing) the dumplings to prevent excess moisture from weakening the wrappers.

    Using raw vegetables in dumpling fillings adds nice moisture to dumplings as they cook, but you can also sautè them quickly to remove the moisture (like I do in this recipe) and add them to the pork mixture before refrigerating.

    Carrots and cabbage added to a skillet to saute.
    Closeup showing there is no liquid in the cabbage and carrot mixture so it's ready for adding the dumpling filling.

    Tip 6. Cook or freeze dumplings right away to avoid having the wrappers tear. Dumplings should be cooked or frozen promptly after filling to prevent the wrappers from drying out and cracking or becoming too moist and tearing.

    I like to prepare 3 small parchment-lined trays with a bit of cornstarch sprinkled over them, and as I fill up the first tray, I pop it into the freezer and work on filling up the second tray.

    A parchment paper-lined sheet tray with a line of bright yellow dumplings, white dumplings, green dumplings, pink dumplings, and purple dumplings all different shapes.
    Perfectly pleated chicken dumplings on a sheet tray ready to be steamed.

    Usually, by the time I've finished the 2nd tray of dumplings, the first batch is almost semi-frozen enough to plop them into a freezer bag without them sticking together or losing their shape. Don't do this too early though -- if they need a bit more time to firm up, keep them on the tray until they're good and frozen so your hard work doesn't go to waste. 

    Tip 7. Always cook a small amount of dumpling filling to taste it and adjust the seasonings before assembling all of the dumplings.

    Testing the dumpling filling by frying a small amount in a skillet means you always know exactly what the filling will taste like and it's your last chance to adjust the seasonings.  

    Frying two small test pieces of the shrimp burger paste to ensure it's perfectly seasoned before chilling the mixture and finishing the shrimp burgers.
    Pan frying a small portion of a chicken and pork dumpling filling to understand if the seasonings need any adjustments before filling the dumpling wrappers.
    just steamed homemade money bag dumplings or beggar's purses in a bamboo steamer sitting on top of nappa cabbage leaves
    Side view of the Gilt Bronze lions flanking the south face of the Gate of Heavenly Purity inside The Forbidden City.
    Gilt Bronze lions flanking the south face of the Gate of Heavenly Purity inside The Forbidden City.

    How to Assemble Money Bag Dumplings and Wontons (Beggar's Purses) 

    Whether you're making your own dumpling or wonton wrappers from scratch or using storebought, making Money Bag or Beggar's Purse dumplings and wontons is very easy.

    For 100% authentic money bag dumplings, you'll need to use yellow dumpling wrappers like Hong Kong wrappers, yellow tofu sheets. Dumplings are filled, sealed, and tied at the tops using blanched chives, scallions, or cilantro stems.

    dumpling filling, wonton wrappers, and a bowl with egg wash in it read to start assembling the money bag dumplings

    Below are the basic steps in how to assemble money bag wontons or dumplings. If using storebought round dumpling wrappers, roll each one out using a rolling pin until it's just slightly larger which will give you a slightly thinner wrapper and more of a "top' to your money bags. 

    Step 1. Place a round dumpling wrapper or square wonton wrapper in the palm of your hand and add about 2 teaspoons (10g) of filling to the center.

    my hand holding a wonton wrapper

    Step 2. Using your finger, brush two opposite sides of the wonton square with an egg wash or cornstarch slurry and close the wrapper at the top, and bring up all sides to the center, while simultaneously squeezing out any air around the filling to create the "money bag" or "purse". Give it a pinch to close it in the middle.

    a mound of pork dumpling filling in the middle of a wonton wrapper being held in my hand
    my fingers pinching the first top of the wontons together to start gathering and forming the money bag dumplings
    a money bag wonton sealed just before tying a scallion tie around it to close it up

    Step 3. Tie the money bags/purses with chives, sliced scallions (green parts), or cilantro stems that have been blanched and excess water removed, and tie a knot to seal. 

    a money bag wonton sealed and tied with a scallion tied around it

    Pork & Chive Money Bag Dumpling Ingredients

    dumpling and potsticker filling ingredients on a cutting board

    For this dumpling filling, I ground the meat myself using fatty pork shoulder steaks that I popped into the freezer for a few minutes until they were semi-frozen (making it easier to grind). However, you can buy fatty pre-ground pork to make these dumplings even easier to prepare. 

    FOR THE FILLING 

    • 1 pound of pre-ground fatty pork (OR 1 pound fatty pork shoulder meat) (450g)
    • ½ pound (about 2 ½ cups) napa cabbage, shredded and finely chopped (225g)
    • ½ pound (about 2 ½ cups) carrots, julienned (or grated) (225g)
    • 7 tablespoons (2 ½ ounces) chives (or scallions, green parts only) finely minced (25g)*
    • 6 to 7 slices fresh ginger (½ ounce), (10g)
    • 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (30g)**
    • 2 tablespoons light soy sauce (30g) (or sub regular soy)
    • 2 tablespoons chicken or vegetable stock (or ginger-infused water) (30g)***
    • ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil (2g)
    • ¼ teaspoon white pepper (0.5g)
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste (2g)

    FOR ASSEMBLING THE DUMPLINGS

    • 1 egg, whisked (OR 1 tablespoon cornstarch (7.5g) plus ½ cup of water (118g) (cornstarch slurry to seal dumplings)
    • 1 package of wonton or dumpling wrappers (50 to 60ct) (300 to 400g)
    • 4 scallions (green parts only), longe chives, or cilantro stems (for tying the money bags)

    EASY DUMPLING DIPPING SAUCE

    • 2 tablespoons regular soy sauce (30g)
    • 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar, or more to taste (5g)
    • ¼ teaspoon toasted sesame oil, or more to taste (1g)
    • 1 tablespoon warm water (15g)
    • 1 teaspoon sugar (5g)
    • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds (3g)
    • chili oil or sambal to taste (optional)

    *If using scallions (which often have a more pungent flavor as compared to chives, you may want to reduce the amount by half or according to your taste. 

    **If you use high-quality unsalted Shaoxing wine, you may need to increase the amount of salt you add. If you can't find Shaoxing wine, use dry sherry in a 1:1 ratio. If you're thinking about using mirin, it's acceptable if that's all you've got (but it really has a totally different flavor than Shaoxing wine and it's also a bit sweet). 

    ***If using water instead of chicken stock or vegetable stock in the filling, add a few slices of ginger to the water and allow it to infuse for at least 20 minutes before using. When you test fry a little dumpling filling to check for seasonings, you may find that you need to add just a bit more salt to the mixture, or a dash of soy sauce. 

    How to Make Pork & Chive Money Bag Dumplings (Beggar's Purse Dumplings w/Step-by-Step Photos

    Dumplings of any kind are easy to make at home, and if you have a larger family, prepping an assembly line makes it go even faster. But if it's just you, a bowl of filling, and a stack of wrappers, don't worry because once you start assembling, the process moves quickly.  

    For this pork dumpling filling, I sauté the carrots and cabbage for two reasons -- to remove any excess moisture and to condense the flavors and bring out their natural sweetness (which tastes great in dumplings). *Check out the other dumpling fillings below that you can substitute for this pork filling!

    Step 1. Steep the ginger in the pork filling seasoning. Add the Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, and ginger to a small bowl and allow the mixture to infuse for 30 minutes or up to an hour while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

    Step 2. Grind the pork (or use pre-ground fatty pork). Place the pork into the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes to firm up and make it easier to slice and move through the grinder but do not let it freeze solid.

    Cut the pork shoulder into 2-inch cubes. Attach the KitchenAid food grinder attachment with the larger die, and start adding the meat and grinding. You may choose to grind the meat a second time, but I typically just give it all a quick chop with a knife on the cutting board to make sure all the pieces are nice and small. 

    Sliced pork shoulder.
    Cubed pork shoulder ready to grind.
    Adding pork to the food grinding attachment.
    Ground pork coming out of the Kitchenaid food grinder attachment.
    Ground pork added to a chopping board and chopping manually using a chef's knife for the perfect size.
    The perfect consistency of the pork for dumpling filling.

    Step 3. Sauté the cabbage and carrots. Add 1 teaspoon (5 g) of extra virgin olive oil to a skillet set over medium heat, add the chopped cabbage and carrots, a pinch of salt, and cook until the vegetables are tender and no moisture remains in the pan (about 20 minutes). Remove the mixture to a bowl to cool completely.

    Carrots and cabbage added to a skillet to saute.
    Cooked cabbage and carrots with no moisture left ready to be added to the moneybag dumpling filling.
    Closeup showing there is no liquid in the cabbage and carrot mixture so it's ready for adding the dumpling filling.

    Step 4. Chop the chives. Finely mince the chives and set aside.

    Finely minced chives on a cutting board ready for adding to moneybag dumpling filling.

    Step 5. Blanch the money bag "ties". Bring a small pot of water to boil and add chives or sliced scallions or cilantro stems and blanch them for about 45 seconds. Remove them to a bowl of ice water to chill and stop them from cooking. When cooled through, squeeze out all of the water from the stems and place on a kitchen towel or paper towel until ready to use. 

    Sliced scallions and chive stems ready to be blanched.
    Slicing scallions (green parts only) to make ties for the money bag dumplings.
    Scallions and chives in an ice water bath to stop the cooking.
    Squeezing out the excess water from the cooled scallions and chives using my hand.
    Water removed from the chves and scallions and ready to be rested on a paper towel.
    Blanched scallions and chives that have been squeezed dry and are lying on a paper towel nice and orderly ready to be used.

    Step 6. Make & chill the pork filling. Remove the ginger from the pork filling seasoning and add the white pepper and toasted sesame oil and stir to combine. Add the ground pork and salt to a large mixing bowl with the pork filling seasoning and 2 tablespoons of chicken stock (or ginger-infused water or vegetable stock).

    Stir the mixture in one direction (clockwise) with chopsticks, or a fork until it becomes visibly "fluffy" and all of the ingredients are well combined and almost paste-like (about 8 to 10 minutes). At this point, the meat should have absorbed all of the liquid. Cover and place the mixture into the fridge to chill and allow the flavors to blossom for at least 15 minutes (or up to an hour).

    Removed the ginger from the soy mixture.
    Adding white pepper and seasonings to the dumpling seasoning sauce.
    Adding toasted sesame oil to the money bag dumpling seasoning sauce.
    Ground pork added to the dumpling seasoning sauce.
    Stirring the moneybag meat mixture in one direction with the dumpling seasoning sauce.

    Step 7. Test the flavor of the pork filling. Before you chill the mixture, make sure it tastes great first! Pan fry a small amount of filling in a lightly oiled skillet to make sure the seasonings are just right. Adjust the salt and any seasonings as needed. Once the filling tastes just right, add the chives, sautéed cabbage, and carrots and stir well to combine. 

    Frying two small test pieces of the shrimp burger paste to ensure it's perfectly seasoned before chilling the mixture and finishing the shrimp burgers.
    Chives, cabbage, and carrots added to the pork dumpling filling.
    Pork dumpling filling complete with chives and sautéed carrots and cabbage ready to be chilled.

    Step 8. Assemble the dumplings. Add about 2 teaspoons (10g) of pork filling to the center of each wrapper. Using your finger, brush two opposite sides of the wonton square with an egg wash or cornstarch slurry, close the wrapper at the top, and bring up all sides to the center, while simultaneously squeezing out any air around the filling to create the "money bag" or "purse".

    Give it a pinch to close it in the middle. Tie the money bags with blanched chives, sliced scallions, or cilantro stems, and place the filled dumplings/wontons on a parchment-lined tray sprinkled with a little corn starch without touching each other.

    a mound of pork dumpling filling in the middle of a wonton wrapper being held in my hand
    my fingers pinching the first top of the wontons together to start gathering and forming the money bag dumplings
    a money bag wonton sealed just before tying a scallion tie around it to close it up
    a money bag wonton sealed and tied with a scallion tied around it

    Step 9. Steam the dumplings. Add a couple of inches of water to a large sauté pan or wok and bring to a boil. Line a bamboo steamer with whole cabbage leaves or parchment paper and add the dumplings and make sure they don't touch one another.

    Once the water is boiling, add the steamer basket on top and cover with the lid to steam the dumplings until cooked through (about 8 minutes for fresh dumplings and 10 minutes for frozen dumplings). Be sure not to add too much water to ensure the dumplings are never in contact with any water as they steam.

    On the other hand, if you didn't add enough water, just add a little more hot or boiling water to the pan as needed but be very careful because the steam can burn you. Remove the dumplings to a serving platter and serve with the dipping sauce, Enjoy!

    Raw just-filled money bag dumplings or beggar's purse dumplings on a sheet tray.
    pork and chive money bag dumpling filling with sautéed carrots and nappa cabbage in a bowl with a pair of chopsticks

    Step 10. Make the dumpling dipping sauce. Combine 1 teaspoon of sugar with warm water to dissolve. Add all other ingredients, adjust seasonings if necessary and set aside. 

    More Money Bag Dumpling Filling Options

    Whether you're looking for a juicy shrimp Teochew dumpling filling, Har Gow Shrimp filling, or our favorite chicken dumpling filling, you can use any of these delicious fillings to make Money Bag Dumplings!

    • Har Gow dumplings drizzled with homemade sichuan crispy chili oil.
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      Chinese Chicken and Zucchini Dumplings w/Video (Chicken Jiaozi)
    • a layer of stacked golden brown and glossy pork and chive potstickers plated on top of sauteed cabbage with crispy spring rolls in the background
      Best Pork and Chive Potstickers w/Sautéed Napa Cabbage & Carrots
    • golden brown Chinese potstickers in a cast iron ckillet
      Easy Pork Potsticker Recipe (Cantonese Style Jiaozi)
    • a stack of dumpling wrappers with chopsticks in the background
      2-Ingredient Dumpling Wrappers (Easy Chinese Dumpling Dough)
    • a single stack of cornstarch dusted square homemade wonton wrappers
      Thin & Chewy Homemade Wonton Wrappers (Using All-Purpose Flour)
    • zigzagged square wonton wrappers cut out and ready to be filled
      Easy Homemade Wonton Wrappers (Using Bread Flour)
    • The best shrimp burger recipe served up in red burger baskets on a vintage carhop tray - crispy shrimp burgers on two potato buns with burger toppings including spicy wasabi mayo, shredded cabbage, pickles, cilantro and shallots with twice-fried french fries for a real classic drive in burger experience.
      Crispy Shrimp Burger Recipe (Homemade Teochew Shrimp Patties + Video)

    Looking for a Few More Dim Sum or Asian-Inspired Dishes?

    If you love the flavors typically found in Asian or Chinese cuisine or are looking for new inspired dishes to celebrate the Lunar New Year or your next dim sum brunch, here are a few of our favorite recipes to get you started:

    • Chinese chicken dumplings and pork dumplings being turned into potstickers in a cast iron skillet (with all different colored dumpling wrappers)
      Naturally Colored Dumpling Wrappers (For Chinese New Year (春节)
    • Crispy golden brown firecracker shrimp spring rolls stacked on a serving platter with the tails sticking out of each end.
      Chili Oil Firecracker Shrimp Spring Rolls (With Video)
    • A small shallow ramekin dish with a dollop of chili oil cream cheese dip with a pool of extra chili oil drizzled in the middle well and a large homemade fried wonton chip tucked into the side.
      Chili Oil Cream Cheese Dip (w/Homemade Wonton Chips)
    • Traditional Chinese Wonton Soup in a bowl with homemade chicken broth glistening with bits of oil and fresh cilantro leaves and crispy fried homemade wonton strips.
      Authentic Sichuan Wonton Soup (Long Chāo Shǒu 龙抄手)
    • A shallow bowl filled with homemade Sichuan wontons in chili oil and wonton sauce with crispy pork and chives.
      Vivian's Spicy Sichuan Chili Oil Wontons (Hóng Yoú Chāo Shǒu 红油抄手)
    • Top down view of chili oil in a glass Mason jar with a spoon in it and toasted sesame seeds floating on the top.
      Chef Liu’s Sichuan Chili Oil Recipe (Xiangla Hongyou 香辣红油)
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    • an oval platter of Singapore Mei Fun noodles with shrimp, carrots, cabbage, scallions
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    • 3 super golden brown crispy spring rolls on a pink and peach tray decorated with Chinese fans
      Easy Pork and Chive Spring Rolls w/Glass Noodles

     

    Let's get started!

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    📖 Recipe

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    just steamed money bag dumplings sitting atop nappa

    Steamed Money Bag Dumplings (Pork and Chive Beggar's Purses)


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    • Author: biting at the bits
    • Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
    • Yield: 55 to 60 Dumplings 1x
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    These delicious pork and chive money bag dumplings will help you ring in the Chinese New Year with lots of luck and good fortune! Plus, they're really cute and people can't seem to ever get enough of them. Make ahead and freeze for serving larger crowds or for easy weeknight meals. We've used wonton wrappers for this recipe which makes it easy to assemble the pouches, but if you want to be 100% authentic, use yellow-colored wrappers like Hong Kong egg dumpling wrappers, tofu skins, or make your own using our homemade wonton recipe, or homemade 2-ingredient dumpling dough. 


    Ingredients

    Scale

    FOR THE FILLING 

    • 1 pound of pre-ground fatty pork (OR 1 pound fatty pork shoulder meat) (450g)
    • ½ pound (about 2 ½ cups) napa cabbage, shredded and finely chopped (225g)
    • ½ pound (about 2 ½ cups) carrots, julienned (or grated) (225g)
    • 7 tablespoons (2 ½ ounces) chives (or scallions, green parts only) finely minced (25g)*
    • 6 to 7 slices fresh ginger (½ ounce), (10g)
    • 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (30g)**
    • 2 tablespoons light soy sauce (30g) (or sub regular soy)
    • 2 tablespoons chicken or vegetable stock (or ginger-infused water) (30g)***
    • ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil (2g)
    • ¼ teaspoon white pepper (0.5g)
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste (2g)

    FOR ASSEMBLING THE DUMPLINGS 

    • 1 egg, whisked (OR 1 tablespoon cornstarch (7.5g) plus ½ cup of water (118g) (cornstarch slurry to seal the dumplings)
    • 1 package of wonton or dumpling wrappers (50 to 60ct) (300 to 400g)
    • 4 scallions (green parts only), longe chives, or cilantro stems (for tying the money bags)

    EASY DUMPLING DIPPING SAUCE

    • 2 tablespoons regular soy sauce (30g)
    • 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar, or more to taste (5g)
    • ¼ teaspoon toasted sesame oil, or more to taste (1g)
    • 1 tablespoon warm water (15g)
    • 1 teaspoon sugar (5g)
    • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds (3g)
    • chili oil or sambal to taste (optional)

    *If using scallions (which often have a more pungent flavor as compared to chives, you may want to reduce the amount by half or according to your taste. 

    **If you use high-quality unsalted Shaoxing wine, you may need to increase the amount of salt you add. If you can't find Shaoxing wine, use dry sherry in a 1:1 ratio. If you're thinking about using mirin, it's acceptable if that's all you've got (but it really has a totally different flavor than Shaoxing wine and it's also a bit sweet). 

    ***If using water instead of chicken stock or vegetable stock in the filling, add a few slices of ginger to the water and allow it to infuse for at least 20 minutes before using. When you test fry a little dumpling filling to check for seasonings, you may find that you need to add just a bit more salt to the mixture, or a dash of soy sauce. 


    Instructions

    1. Steep the ginger in the pork filling seasoning. Add the Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, and ginger to a small bowl and allow the mixture to infuse for 30 minutes or up to an hour while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
    2. Grind the pork (or use pre-ground pork). Place the pork into the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes to firm up and make it easier to slice and move through the grinder but do not let it freeze solid. Cut the pork shoulder into 2-inch cubes. Attach the KitchenAid food grinder attachment with the larger die, and start adding the meat and grinding. You may choose to grind the meat a second time, but I typically just give it all a quick chop with a knife on the cutting board to make sure all the pieces are nice and small. 
    3. Sauté the cabbage and carrots. Add 1 teaspoon (5 g) of extra virgin olive oil to a skillet set over medium heat, add the chopped cabbage and carrots, a pinch of salt, and cook until the vegetables are tender and no moisture remains in the pan (about 20 minutes). Remove the mixture to a bowl to cool completely.
    4. Blanch the money bag "ties". Bring a small pot of water to boil and add chives or sliced scallions or cilantro stems and blanch them for about 45 seconds. Remove them to a bowl of ice water to chill and stop them from cooking. When cooled through, squeeze out all of the water from the stems and place on a kitchen towel or paper towel until ready to use. 
    5. Make + chill the pork filling. Remove the ginger from the pork filling seasoning and add the white pepper and toasted sesame oil and stir to combine. Add the ground pork and salt to a large mixing bowl with the pork filling seasoning and 2 tablespoons of chicken stock (or ginger-infused water or vegetable stock). Stir the mixture in one direction (clockwise) with chopsticks, or a fork until it becomes visibly "fluffy" and all of the ingredients are well combined and almost paste-like (about 8 to 10 minutes). At this point, the meat should have absorbed all of the liquid. Cover and place the mixture into the fridge to chill and allow the flavors to blossom for at least 15 minutes (or up to an hour).
    6. Make the dumpling dipping sauce. Combine 1 teaspoon of sugar with warm water to dissolve. Add all other ingredients, adjust seasonings if necessary and set aside. 
    7. Test the flavor of the pork filling. Pan fry a small amount of filling in a lightly oiled skillet to make sure the seasonings are just right. Adjust the salt and any seasonings as needed. Once the filling tastes just right, add the chives, sautéed cabbage, and carrots and stir well to combine. 
    8. Assemble the dumplings. Add about 2 teaspoons (10g) of pork filling to the center of each wrapper. Using your finger, brush two opposite sides of the wonton square with an egg wash or cornstarch slurry, close the wrapper at the top, and bring up all sides to the center, while simultaneously squeezing out any air around the filling to create the "money bag" or "purse". Give it a pinch to close it in the middle. Tie the money bags with blanched chives, sliced scallions, or cilantro stems, and place the filled dumplings/wontons on a parchment-lined tray sprinkled with a little corn starch without touching each other.
    9. Steam the money bag dumplings. Add a couple of inches of water to a large sauté pan or wok and bring to a boil. Line a bamboo steamer with whole cabbage leaves or parchment paper and add the dumplings and make sure they don't touch one another. Once the water is boiling, add the steamer basket on top and cover with the lid to steam the dumplings until cooked through (about 8 minutes for fresh dumplings and 10 minutes for frozen dumplings). Be sure not to add too much water and always make sure the dumplings are never in contact with any water as they steam. On the other hand, if you didn't add enough water, just add a little more hot or boiling water to the pan as needed but be very careful because the steam can burn you. Remove the dumplings to a serving platter and serve with the dipping sauce Enjoy!

    Notes

    See the main post for all tips and techniques for making the very best dumplings at home. 

    • A great trick I learned from my friends in Chengdu for how to get ginger flavor into dumpling fillings without ever biting into actual pieces of ginger: Infuse dumpling filling sauces (like soy sauce) with ginger matchsticks instead of actually grating or mincing them and adding them to the filling. It adds just enough fragrant ginger flavor without ever being overpowering.
    • Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
    • Cook Time: 15 minutes
    • Category: Dim Sum + Dumplings
    • Method: Steamed
    • Cuisine: Chinese

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 6 Money Bag Dumplings

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