A bag of dumplings in the freezer means dinner in ten minutes. Chinese dumplings can be boiled, steamed or pan-fried, and dim sum favourites like siu mai and char siu buns steam straight from frozen. Always follow the cooking instructions on the pack and make sure they are piping hot all the way through.
These are the classic northern Chinese dumplings, often eaten at Chinese New Year. To boil them, drop them from frozen into a big pan of boiling water and stir gently so they do not stick. They are usually ready a few minutes after they float, but check the pack.
For crisp-bottomed dumplings, fry them flat side down in a little oil until golden, add a splash of water, cover with a lid and steam until the water has gone and they are cooked through.
Open-topped pork and prawn dumplings, a dim sum classic. Steam them in a lined steamer basket.
Soft, fluffy steamed buns filled with sweet barbecue pork. Steam them from frozen until hot right through the middle.
Delicate steamed prawn dumplings. Steam them in a single layer so they do not stick together.
Wontons have thin, silky wrappers and are often served in a clear broth. Cook them in boiling water or stock, then serve in hot broth with spring onion, a few drops of sesame oil and some greens.
Round gyoza wrappers work well for jiaozi and potstickers; square wonton pastry is for wontons. Defrost them first, and keep them under a damp tea towel while you work so they do not dry out.
Line your steamer with baking paper (with a few holes poked in it) or cabbage leaves, and leave a little space between each dumpling.
Mix black vinegar, light soy sauce and chilli oil for a classic dip: see the recipe in your first Chinese pantry. Our pick: Chinkiang black vinegar with Chiu Chow chilli oil.
In Cantonese, yum cha means “drink tea”: a morning or lunchtime outing for tea and dim sum, shared by the whole table.
