Preparation
10 minutes
Cooking
30 minutes
Difficulty
Easy
On chilly days, enjoying a hot, crispy, and fragrant cake dish is unparalleled, right? Let’s get cooking with TasteVN to make crispy fried dumplings (potstickers) filled with meat using this extremely appealing and simple air fryer method!
Ingredients for Air Fryer Meat-Filled Dumplings For 10 dumplings
Dumpling wrappers 10 pieces Ground pork 200 gr Quail eggs 10 eggs Carrot 1 piece Dried wood ear mushrooms 20 gr Dried shiitake mushrooms 20 gr Dried vermicelli 20 gr Green onions 2 stalks Cooking oil a little Seasoning/ground pepper a little
How to Choose Fresh Ingredients
How to choose fresh pork
- Good pork will have a bright pink color, a dry surface, a slightly tacky texture, tender meat fibers, and when pressed, it should be elastic.
- Avoid buying pork that is dark, slimy, or has an unusual odor.
- You can buy pre-ground pork, but for safety, it’s better to buy whole pieces of pork and ask the seller to grind it for you, or you can also grind it yourself using a meat grinder at home.
How to choose and buy fresh shiitake mushrooms
- Fresh shiitake mushrooms should have a cap of moderate size, a slightly brownish-yellow color, and a tightly curved shape rather than spreading out. Choose mushrooms with short stems and a characteristic fragrant smell.
- For mushrooms with a dark brown color, check by cutting into the cap; if you see a milky white substance coming out, it is a toxic mushroom.
- Avoid buying mushrooms that are bruised, have a foul smell, are soft and mushy, or show signs of mold.
How to choose and buy fresh carrots
- When buying, you should select carrots that are of moderate size, have a straight, elongated shape towards the tail, with smooth skin, and feel firm and slightly hard in hand.
- Additionally, good and nutritious carrots will have a bright, deep orange color, with fresh green leaves firmly attached to the root.
- Avoid choosing carrots with wilted tops, slimy stems, and dark spots; if pressed, they should feel soft.
- Moreover, carrots that are too large, especially those with thick and heavy tops, are likely to be old, fibrous, and low in nutrients.
Where to buy dumpling wrappers
- You can easily find fresh dumpling wrappers at traditional markets or buy frozen dumpling wrappers at supermarkets as well as grocery stores.
- Additionally, you can make them at home following the guide on how to make dumpling wrappers at home from TasteVN below.
Tools required
How to prepare Dumplings (fried pastry) with meat filling using an air fryer
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Prepare the filling ingredients for the dumplings
Soak the shiitake mushrooms and wood ear mushrooms in water for about 30 minutes until they expand, then cut off the stems, wash thoroughly, drain, and chop finely.
Peel the carrot, rinse it briefly in water, and chop it into small pieces. Trim the roots off the green onions, rinse them in water, and chop them similarly to the carrots and mushrooms.
Soak the vermicelli until softened and then cut into small strands. Boil the quail eggs until cooked and then peel off the shells.
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Mix the filling
Add ground pork to a bowl, then add shiitake mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, green onions, carrots, and chopped vermicelli, season with 1 teaspoon of seasoning, and 1/2 teaspoon of ground pepper. Mix the ingredients well to combine and absorb the flavors.
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Wrap the filling and fold the dumplings
Scoop about 1/2 tablespoon of filling into the center of the dough piece, then place a quail egg on top.
Next, fold it in half and pinch the edges tightly, then twist the edges of the dough to shape the dumpling. Wrap the dumplings in the same way until all the ingredients are used up.
An easier wrapping method is to place the filling in the center, fold the dough in half, and use a fork to press the edges firmly.
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Fry the dumplings
You brush a thin layer of oil on the dumplings and place them on the frying tray.
Put the dumplings into the air fryer and proceed to bake at a temperature of 180 degrees Celsius for 15 – 20 minutes until the dumpling skin is golden and crispy, releasing a fragrant aroma.
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Final product
The fried dumplings (pillow cake) with meat made using an air fryer are completed with an attractive aroma and a very beautiful golden crispy skin, blending with the moist and flavorful meat filling inside, making it very appealing.
The pillow cake is suitable for snacking or light eating between meals, you can dip it with sweet and sour fish sauce to enhance the flavor of the dish!
The article above guides you on how to make meat-filled dumplings (pillow cakes) fried in an air fryer with a crunchy, delicious, and fragrant result that you can easily succeed in making at home! Give it a try right away!
