Pan-Fried Dumplings with Pork, Napa Cabbage, and Chinese Chive

Dumplings symbolize prosperity as they are stuffed and their shape is similar to .  Square Nasoya egg roll wrappers is used here but you can use wonton wrappers.  You can find it at Walmart..  Each piece is cut in four 3-inch circles. A round cookie cutters is used to cut through a few wrappers at a time.

3/4 lb ground pork
3/4 lb napa cabbage
3 oz chinese chive/garlic chive, tough ends removed, washed, drained, and minced (about 1 cup)
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp sugar
1 Tbs soy sauce
1 tsp grated ginger  ( use fresh or frozen ginger)
1 tsp Shaoxing wine  or dry sherry
1 package nasoya egg roll wrapper (1 lb)
6-8 Tbsp vegetable oil

Soy Dip
   2 Tbs soy sauce
   2 Tbs vinegar
   2 Tbs sake  or water
   1.5 Tbs sugar
   1 tsp sesame oil
   1 small  garlic clove, finely minced or crushed
   1 red small Thai chili, seeded and thinly sliced
   1 green onion, thinly sliced

1. Make dipping sauce:  mix all ingredients of soy dip together.
2. Bring 4 cups water to a boil.  Add cabbage, cook for 1 minute.  Drain and quickly  plunge cabbage into cold water.  Drain well and squeeze to remove excess water.  Thinly slice and finely chop, squeeze out again as much water as possible.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine pork, sugar, salt,  soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, wine, cabbage, and chive.  Gently stir and let it rest for at least 1 hour or overnight in the fridge for flavor to develop.
4. Put a heap teaspoon filling in center.  Moist the edge with water.  Fold circle over filling to make a half circle and pinch together once at the top.  Use the thumb and index fingers make 3-4 pleats at each side and pinch together  to seal.  Each dumpling should resembles a small crescent.  Arrange them on a silicon lined baking sheet, cover loosely with plastic wrap or slightly damp kitchen towel.   Repeat until all dumplings are filled.
5. Heat 2 Tbs oil in a 12 inch skillet (non stick skillet helps to prevent sticking) over medium high heat.  Careful arrange dumplings pleat side up around edge of skillet without touching each other. and then in the center of skillet.  Immediately turn the heat down to medium low.  Fry until bottom is golden brown about 1 minutes.  Add 1/4 cup water, cover.  Cook until most water absorbed about 10 minutes.  If water evaporates fast, add 1/4 cup water and continue to cook until dumplings are cooked through-no pink in the center.  Remove the cover, and turn up the heat to medium, cook undisturbed until all the water evaporated and the bottom is golden brown and crisp. 
6. Remove the dumplings with a thin spatula.  Carefully transfer them to a platter with the browned side up.  Serve immediately with soy dip.

*Note:

• Dumpling can be formed 1 day ahead, chill in 1 layer without touching on silicon lined baking trays or frozen on the tray and bagged.  Frozen dumplings are cooked straight from freezer which need a little longer to cook but the flavor is still very good.