Four Popular ways to fold Dumplings

1: The Half Moon

This Chinese technique is exactly what it sounds like. You simply fold the circular dumpling wrapper in half!

This is for the total beginner to dumpling making, or those who want to make a lot of dumplings very quickly.

It may seem like a bit of a cop-out, but believe me, even these simply-made dumplings will cook up great. In fact, this is how many frozen packaged dumplings are folded by machine.

1. Take a square Dumpling wrapper, and use your index finger to dab the edges of the wrapper with water.

2. Place 2 teaspoons of filling in the middle of the wrapper.

1. Fold the wrapper in half.

2. Thoroughly press the edges together so you get an airtight seal. 

Because there are no pleats in this dumpling, it is especially important to ensure that they are tightly sealed so they don’t come apart during cooking.

Make sure your wrappers are under a damp towel and don’t dry out. Dried out dumpling wrappers are difficult to seal!

 

3. Use the palm of your hand to flatten the bottom of the dumpling, so it sits upright. 

And there you have it your first Half Moon Dumpling.

2: The Pleat

This method is for those who are ready to try their hand at a beginner pleating technique. It involves just two pleats, and can really up the appearance of your dumplings with a couple simple folds.

Method:

1. Fold the dumpling wrapper in half, pinching it together at the meeting point at the top.

 

2. Take the side of the wrapper facing away from you, and fold one side of it in towards the middle. 

3. Do the same on the other side. 

(In the photo below, you can see more clearly what I mean by folding it in towards the middle.)

This is what the dumpling should look like at this point:

4. Finally, press and seal to make sure it’s airtight. 

All Done!

 

The One-Directional Pleat

This method is how I’ve been making dumplings for years. It’s how my grandma originally taught me to make them, and I think they’re quite pretty!

Basically, you make several equally spaced pleats, all going in the same direction (left to right, or right to left). As you get better at it, you can put more pleats into your dumplings to make them even more delicate and pretty-looking.

Have your dumpling wrapper ready and moistened, with a spoonful of filling in the middle?

Here’s how to do it:

1. Start by pinching the dumpling wrapper together at one of the bottom corners. (Left or right doesn’t matter, just do what feels natural.) 

2. Take the side of the dumpling wrapper facing away from you, and pleat it towards the corner you’ve already sealed. 

3. Continue pleating in that direction.

4. When you’ve reached the other end, seal the dumpling completely, making sure that it is airtight. You may need some additional water to ensure that the pleats stay closed.

Just make sure none of the oily filling or moisture from the filling gets elsewhere on the outside of the wrapper, or it may be difficult to seal.

 

There you go all done, now you can steam your dumpling and enjoy!