These might just be the best homemade dumplings EVER! Juicy, rich, savory cumin lamb filling gets encased in a simultaneously crispy and chewy wrapper, coated in a spicy, mouth tingling, slightly sweet, and acidic blend of sauces plus a sprinkle of fresh herbs… are you drooling yet because I definitely did writing that! These spicy cumin lamb dumplings are taken to the next level with Fly by Jing‘s Sichuan chili crisp oil, dumpling sauce, and mala spice mix that are made with the highest quality ingredients straight from the founder’s hometown of Chengdu.
I’ve become obsessed with Fly by Jing (and love supporting an Asian-American woman-owned small business!), so I’m so pumped to be partnering with them to give you a 15% discount on your order with my code INDULGENTEATS15 so you can make these dumplings plus more recipes I’ll be sharing over the next several months! These spicy cumin lamb dumplings are the perfect starting point though, as they use everything in their sauce trio to produce an absolute umami explosion. I actually made these dumplings twice for two different groups of friends to test out the recipe to absolute RAVE reviews – everyone agreed these were some of the best dumplings they’ve ever had!
These dumplings are inspired by the spicy cumin lamb noodles from Xi’an Famous Foods, one of NYC’s most popular northern Chinese fast casual spots. I remember the first time I tried these noodles after moving to NYC and being blown away by the bold, unique flavor paired with chewy biang biang noodles. Prior to that moment, my only experiences with Chinese food was either Americanized Chinese takeout or Cantonese food from the dim sum spot in my NJ hometown and found prominently throughout NYC’s Chinatown at places like Hop Kee.
Sure, you can find spicy Sichuan-influenced Kung Pao chicken on many takeout menus, but the complex flavors of Shaanxi cuisine, coming from Sichuan’s neighboring province, were unlike anything I had ever encountered. This northwestern province of China features some of the richest and strongest flavors amongst the styles of Chinese cooking, from its heavy use of aromatic ingredients like garlic, onions, vinegar and cumin and richer proteins like beef and lamb (an Islamic influence due to the capital city Xi’an’s role as the starting point of the Silk Road).
Since the Shaanxi and Sichuan provinces are right next to each other, it’s only fitting to use ingredients straight from Chengdu to enhance the flavors of our dumplings, which replace the biang biang noodles with chewy dumpling skins. So in addition to typical dumpling additions like soy sauce, scallions, white pepper, fresh garlic and ginger, we’re using Fly by Jing’s Mala spice mix which has a blend of 11 herbs and spices like Erjingtiao chili and the prized Sichuan “tribute” pepper. “Mala” refers to the spicy numbing quality that makes Sichuan food soo addictive, so this mala spice mix makes these dumplings so flavorful even without any dipping sauce!
It will take some time to fold all of your dumplings, so to keep the dumpling wrappers from drying out, make sure to cover the wrappers and finished dumplings with wet paper towels or a clean wet kitchen towel to be more sustainable. I’m using this fun printed tea towel from a local HK company called Teresa’s Turkish Towels, and those in HK can get 15% off with my code INDULGENTEATS.
You can fold the whole batch of 40-50 dumplings, cook 10-20 dumplings to eat right away, and then save the leftovers to pan fry, boil, or steam for another meal. They will keep in the freezer for 2 to 3 months in a freezer bag or silicon bag, ready for you to top with your Fly by Jing chili oil and dumpling sauce. I can’t WAIT for you all to feast on these spicy cumin lamb dumplings at home, so give it a try and let me know how you like them!
Spicy Cumin Lamb Dumplings with Fly by Jing Chili Oil
Ingredients
For the dumpling filling:
- 1.5 cups shredded zucchini (1 small zucchini or 1/2 large zucchini)
- 1 lb. ground lamb (80% lean/20% fat ratio)
- 1.5 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1.5 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1.5 tbsp shaoxing wine
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp Fly by Jing mala spice mix*
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground white pepper
- 5 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 1.5 inch knob ginger, minced
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro (1 small bunch)
- 1 cup chopped scallions (1 bunch)
- 1 egg
For the dumplings:
- 40-50 round dumpling wrappers
- 3 tbsp. oil, like canola or peanut
- 1/4 cup water
For garnish:
- Fly by Jing Sichuan chili crisp oil*
- Fly by Jing Zhong dumpling sauce*
- Chinkiang vinegar
- Fried garlic
- Chopped scallions
- Fresh cilantro
Instructions
- If using frozen dumpling wrappers, set them aside to thaw on your kitchen counter while you prepare the rest of your ingredients.
- Shred the zucchini with a cheese grater and toss in a bowl with a pinch of salt. Let it sit for 10 minutes, then use a clean towel or cheese cloth to wring out the excess moisture.
- Use your hands to combine the zucchini with all the remaining dumpling filling ingredients in a large bowl so all the seasonings are fully and evenly incorporated.
- Prepare to fold your dumplings: get a small bowl filled with water and wet some paper towels or a clean kitchen towel big enough to fit over a metal tray or plates to place your finished dumplings on – this will keep your dumplings and dumpling wrappers from drying out.
- To fold your dumplings, wet the edges of a dumpling wrapper with water – this will turn the flour coating your wrappers into glue!
- Use chopsticks or a spoon to place a tablespoon of filling in the center of the dumpling wrapper.
- Fold the wrapper in half like a taco, pinching together the center where the two ends of the wrapper meet. Then use your thumbs or index fingers to pull the right side of the wrapper toward the center to form a small pleat, repeating down the edge of the wrapper so you have 3 pleats on the right side. Now repeat on the left side, pulling the wrapper toward the center in the opposite direction, forming 3 pleats on that side. Press the edges, using a dab of water if necessary to seal the edges. Place your completed dumpling under the damp kitchen towel or paper towels and continue folding dumplings until you use all of the filling.
- I recommend pan frying the dumplings for the best flavor and texture, but you can also boil them by cooking them in a pot of boiling water for 8-10 minutes, or steam them in your rice cooker or with a bamboo steamer for 10-15 minutes until the wrappers are fully cooked.
- To pan fry the dumplings, heat 3 tbsp. oil over medium high heat in a skillet. Once the oil is shimmering, place the dumplings in the oil – I like to press the bottoms into the oil and then arrange them into a ring in the pan. Let them fry in the oil for 2-3 minutes, then add 1/4 cup of water and quickly cover the pan with a lid – this will steam the tops of the dumplings.
- Cook the dumplings covered for another 4-6 minutes until the water has evaporated and the dumpling skins are translucent and cooked through. Remove the lid and pan fry for another minute to really crisp up the bottom if needed, then transfer your cooked dumplings to a serving plate.
- Top the dumplings with Fly by Jing’s Sichuan chili crisp oil, Zhong dumpling sauce, chinkiang vinegar, fried garlic, chopped scallions, and fresh cilantro as desired and enjoy!
Notes
*Get 15% off your Fly by Jing order with my code INDULGENTEATS15. I highly recommend using their sauces and spice mixes to save yourself time and so you don’t sacrifice on flavor, but if you are not in their delivery range you can try the following substitutions:
- Instead of mala spice mix, try mixing ground numbing Sichuan peppercorns, ground spicy Sichuan chili powder, and mushroom powder
- Instead of the Sichuan chili crisp oil, try using another chili crisp oil like Lao Gan Ma
- Instead of the Zhong dumpling sauce, try using soy sauce mixed sesame oil, minced garlic and a bit of brown sugar (though again, this is missing so many of the spices and ingredients that make the dumpling sauce amazing!)
Followed this recipe to the tee, and it didn’t turn out that great :/
Ah what wasn’t great about them? The flavor, texture, etc? I’ve made these multiple times with groups of different friends and they’re always such a hit so would love more feedback!
I didn’t have the mala spice mix but these dumplings were still absolutely delicious! I think my oil was too hot when I put the dumplings in so they turned out a little burnt, but they didn’t taste burnt at all and were simply crispy. I used just under 50 dumpling skins and there was still leftover filling, so this recipe is perfect if you’re cooking for a group of 4-5 people (or make the batch and freeze for later)! I love these dumplings and can’t wait to make them again.