Gaomi Fried Dumplings

Gaomi Fried Dumplings

　　Gaomi Fried Dumplings are a specialty snack from Gaomi City, Weifang, Shandong Province. They are characterized by their large, snow-white, fluffy buns with soft and tender wrappers, generous and savory fillings, exquisite starch glaze, perfectly controlled cooking, crispy golden crusts, and rich oily aroma.

　　This traditional folk delicacy, Gaomi Fried Dumplings, boasts a long history and has been immensely popular across urban and rural areas. It originated during the Qing Dynasty and reached a unique peak during the Republic of China period, often given as gifts to family and friends. Especially in the 1930s, Lin San’s Fried Dumplings, located by the South River Bay in the county town, were famed across the region. After liberation, with the improvement of people’s living standards, Gaomi Fried Dumplings became widely available in both cities and villages, becoming a staple food for the local people. Today, in Gaomi city, nearly every restaurant and eatery features these dumplings as a signature noodle dish. They come in two popular varieties—vegetarian and meat-filled—to cater to different tastes, all with excellent flavor. This also caught the attention of outsiders, leading to the opening of Gaomi Fried Dumpling shops in some major cities. Before long, Gaomi Fried Dumplings were honored as a “Famous Snack of Shandong,” establishing their own distinctive brand.

　　Gaomi Fried Dumplings use high-quality ingredients, primarily fresh pork, fresh Chinese chives, fresh Chinese cabbage, and premium wheat flour, along with side ingredients such as dried shrimps, wood ear mushrooms, and various seasonings, all carefully prepared. The dumplings are known for their large, white, fluffy buns with soft and tender wrappers, generous and savory fillings, exquisite starch glaze, perfectly controlled cooking, crispy golden crusts, and rich oily aroma.

　　How to Make Gaomi Fried Dumplings:

　　Ingredients:

　　Dough: 300g flour, 150g water, 4g yeast, a little sugar and salt;

　　Filling: 280g fatty pork, 250g Chinese chives, a little salt, chicken essence, minced ginger, cooking wine, soy sauce, peanut oil, and sesame oil.

　　Preparation:

　　1. Heat or cool water to around 40°C, dissolve dry yeast in it, let it sit for 10 minutes to activate;

　　2. Mix flour + sugar + salt + yeast water (do not let yeast directly contact salt, which may affect activity), stir into dough, knead until smooth, then place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp cloth or pot lid—just make sure the surface doesn’t dry out—and ferment at 30°C for 60–80 minutes until it doubles or triples in size. When a finger dipped in dry flour makes a hole that doesn’t shrink back, it’s ready;

　　3. Remove the fermented dough, punch it down, divide into two portions, and preferably cover with a damp cloth to rest briefly;

　　4. Roll each portion into a log, cut into pieces, roll into round wrappers, fill with stuffing, shape into dumplings about 1–2 times larger than normal jiaozi, then cover with a damp cloth and let them rest and ferment slightly again;

　　5. Heat a bit more oil than you would for stir-frying in a flat-bottomed pan, place the dumplings in and lightly pan-fry them (be careful not to use too high heat). Mix a bowl of water with a little flour to make a starchy slurry, pour it into the pan so it covers one-third to one-half of the dumplings, cover with a lid, and simmer over low heat until the water evaporates and the crispy crust forms—that’s it.