Beata Dumplings have been part of my life for as long as I can remember. In Poland, we call them pierogi, and they can be made in so many different ways that there are entire restaurants (pierogarnia) dedicated to them. Pierogi can be boiled, fried, or baked; filled with savoury or sweet fillings; and served with a variety of toppings and sauces.
A few weeks ago, we had an international dish day at school, and I chose to represent my country with sauerkraut and mushroom pierogi, served with caramelised onion oil. This is the version that often appears on a traditional Polish Christmas table.
Since dumplings are one of my favourite dishes — and I find them incredibly versatile — I’ve made them several times during culinary school. The first time, I made tortellini for the Black Box Challenge. We were supposed to create something flavourful using simple, everyday ingredients. So I made a potato, kale, and caramelised onion tortellini: one served on a bed of kale and walnut pesto, and the other with a garlicky marinara sauce, garnished with almond parmesan.
The second time, I made gyoza 餃子, the pan-fried Japanese dumplings. The task was to make a soup, and we decided on a satay peanut ramen with handmade noodles. In Japanese ramen shops, gyoza often accompanies ramen, so it was a no-brainer to add them on the side.
And most recently, I’ve done countless versions of dumplings in preparation for the upcoming Master Chef Challenge. I worked hard to find the perfect dough and shape for boiled dumplings — something stretchy but tender to the bite. I did a bit of “scientific” research and some hands-on experimenting, and here’s what I discovered:
Using hot water to make dumpling dough results in a softer, more tender texture — perfect for boiled or steamed dumplings. The heat partially cooks the starch in the flour, which limits gluten development and makes the dough easier to roll and bite through. On the other hand, cold water encourages more gluten formation, leading to a stronger, chewier dough that’s ideal for pan-frying, where you want the wrapper to hold its shape and crisp up. There’s also a warm water method, somewhere in between, offering a balance of softness and elasticity. In the end, the temperature of the water isn’t just a technical detail — it’s what determines whether your dumpling skin turns out delicate and silky or firm and bouncy.
For my challenge, hot water dough was the clear winner. Here is my go-to recipe for a tender, soft dumpling dough, perfect for boiling or steaming.
Perfect Dumpling Dough
Ingredients
- 250 grams all-purpose flour
- 130 ml boiling water
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Mix dough: In a bowl, add flour, oil and salt. Slowly pour in hot water while stirring with a fork or chopsticks. Form the dough into a ball and rest for 10 minutes to let the dough hydrate. This will decrease the kneading time.
- Knead: Knead on a clean surface for 5–8 minutes until smooth and soft.
- Rest: Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let rest 30 minutes.
- The dough can be now used to make perfect dumpling wrappers and filled with your favourite filling. Personally, I love cabbage, tofu and shiitake mushroom filling.
