Money Bag Dumplings – Lunar New Year
Steamed money bag dumplings are the perfect appetizers to have for Lunar New Year. These dumplings symbolizes wealth, prosperity, and good fortune.
As Lunar New Year approaches, many cultures celebrate with delicious food that carry symbolic meaning. Dumplings are one of the most classic dishes during Lunar New Year celebrations because they symbolize wealth, prosperity, and good fortune. People believe that the more dumplings you eat, the more money you’ll make throughout the year!
Looking for more Lunar New Year Recipes? Check out Crispy Fried Chicken Wontons, Fried Sesame Balls, and Chicken Chow Mein Recipe.
What Are Money bag Dumplings?
Money bag dumplings are small bite-sized dumplings that shape like a traditional fabric money pouch tied at the top. The filling is savory and usually contains a combination of ground meat, vegetables, ginger, garlic, sauces, and seasonings. You can use any filling you like. You could even use filling from other dishes, such as wontons and kimchi mandu. People believed that eating these money bag dumplings could bring financial success for the upcoming year.
Ingredients
For the dumpling wrapper, it is best to use yellow dumpling wrapper so it resembles golden money pouch. You can either purchase pre-made dumplings wrappers or make your own.
- Dumpling Wrapper
- Ground Pork
- Napa Cabbage
- Salt
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Green Onion
- Soy Sauce
- Shaoxing Wine
- Oyster Sauce
- Sesame Oil
- Sugar
- White Pepper
- Egg
- Chives
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Step 1: In a bowl, mix chopped cabbage and 1 tbsp of salt. Let it sit for 15 minutes
Step 2: Squeeze the liquid out of the cabbage. Set it aside.
Step 3: Add all the dumpling filling ingredients in a large bowl.
Step 4: Mix until the meat filling forms a sticky paste.
Step 5: Roll each dumpling wrapper to create more surface area to fold.
Step 6: Place 1 tbsp of filling into the center of the wrapper.
Step 7: Bundle the edges together to form a small pouch. Pinch to seal.
Step 8: Wrap chives around the dumplings and tie it closed.
Step 9: Place the dumplings in a bamboo steamer.
Step 10: Cover and steam over boiling water for about 10 minutes or until cooked through.
Serve
Serve the money bag dumplings hot with dipping sauce.
Recipe Video
Substitutions
- Protein – instead of ground pork, you can use chicken, beef, shrimp, tofu, mushroom.
- Vegetable – you can substitute napa cabbage with chives, bok choy, shepherd’s purse, spinach, or more green onions.
- Wrapper – if you can’t find traditional dumplings wrappers, you can use wonton wrappers, gyoza wrappers, rice paper, tofu skin, or napa cabbage leaves.
- Chives – you can also use cilantro stems or the green part of scallions.
Equipment
Storage
It is best to enjoy these money bag dumplings immediately. However, you can store the leftover dumplings in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Top Tip
- Always cover the dumpling wrappers with a damp towel or place it in an air tight container to prevent the wrappers from drying out.
Recipe
Print
Money Bag Dumplings – Lunar New Year
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 10
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 40 money bag dumplings 1x
Description
These steamed money bag dumplings are the perfect appetizers to have for Lunar New Year. These dumplings symbolizes wealth, prosperity, and good fortune.
Ingredients
- 1 pack yellow dumpling wrapper (about 40–50 wrappers)
- 1 lb ground pork
- 4 cups napa cabbage, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp salt (to mix with cabbage)
- 3 clove garlic, mined
- 2 tsp ginger, grated
- 2 green onion, chopped
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp seame oil
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 1 large egg
- 40 fresh chives
Instructions
- In a bowl, add chopped cabbage and 1 tablespoon of salt. Mix and let it sit for 15 minutes. Squeeze the liquid out of the cabbage and set it aside. Make sure to squeeze as much water out as possible.
- In another bowl, add ground pork, drained cabbage, garlic, ginger, green onion, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, oyster sauce, sesame oil, sugar, salt, white pepper, and egg. Mix well until it forms a sticky paste.
- Roll each dumpling wrapper a few times, this will create more surface area so it can hold more filling. Place 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of the wrapper. Bundle the wrapper over filling and squeeze tight to seal.
- Take a piece of fresh chive and tie it around the dumpling to seal the top of the money bag.
- Place the assembled dumplings in a bamboo steamer or any steamer lined with parchment paper. Steam over boiling water for about 10 minutes or until the filling is cooked through.
- Serve hot with your desired dipping sauce. Enjoy!
