Back to Dishes
Handmade dumplings — steamed, high-protein light meal Heritage

Healthy Handmade Dumplings

Thin-skinned dumplings hand-folded daily, filled with minced pork, Napa cabbage, and aromatic ginger. Steamed to order and served with our house black vinegar-chili dipping sauce — a clean, high-protein take on a comfort classic.

Ingredients

Hand-rolled dumpling skinMinced porkNapa cabbageGingerScallionsSesame oilBlack vinegar-chili sauce

Nutrition Facts

360
kcal
22g
protein
38g
carbs
12g
fat
3g
fiber
Add to Order View Meal Plans
HOW IT'S MADE

How It's Made

From sourcing to plating, every step honours light cooking — low oil, low salt — to keep each ingredient’s true flavour.

Handmade dumplings — made in the Oriental Bite kitchen From our kitchen
STEP 01

Make the Dough

Bread flour and water are kneaded into a smooth dough, then rested so the wrappers turn out supple and tear-free.

STEP 02

Prep the Filling

Minced pork, cabbage and shrimp are blended with scallion-ginger water and sesame oil for a juicy filling.

STEP 03

Roll & Fold

The dough is rolled into ropes, cut into portions, and shaped into thin-edged round wrappers, then pleated by hand.

STEP 04

Steam & Plate

Steamed or boiled until the wrappers turn translucent and the filling aromatic, served hot with a vinegar dip.

Healthy Dumpling Recipe

The exact ratios our test kitchen uses — lean enough for a fat-loss day, satisfying enough to still feel like comfort food.

Ingredients (makes ~24 dumplings)

  • Wrappers: 24 thin round dumpling skins — or 200g flour plus 100ml water if you roll your own
  • Protein: 250g lean minced chicken or pork, or 200g crumbled tofu for a plant-based version
  • Vegetables: 200g Napa cabbage, finely chopped and squeezed dry
  • Aromatics: 1 tbsp grated ginger, 3 scallions, 1 tsp white pepper
  • Seasoning: 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1/2 tsp salt
  • To serve: black vinegar and chili dipping sauce

Why it’s light: water-rich cabbage adds volume for almost no calories, and the filling is steamed rather than fried — roughly 60 kcal per dumpling against 90–110 for a pork-and-oil version.

Method

  1. Salt the cabbage. Toss with 1/2 tsp salt, rest 10 minutes, then squeeze out as much water as you can — this keeps dumplings from going soggy.
  2. Mix the filling. Combine the protein, squeezed cabbage, ginger, scallions and seasoning. Stir in one direction until it turns slightly sticky.
  3. Fill and fold. One teaspoon of filling per skin; wet the edge, fold, pinch, then pleat along one side.
  4. Cook. Steam 8–10 minutes, or pan-sear in 1 tsp oil then add 3 tbsp water and cover for 6 minutes — the guo tie method.
  5. Serve. Straight into the black vinegar-chili sauce, while the skins are still glossy.
~60
kcal / piece
4g
protein
25 min
hands-on

Prefer to skip the folding? Our handmade dumplings follow this exact spec. Pair with a herbal chicken quinoa bowl, or browse the full menu.

Oriental Ingredients & Their Nature

Every ingredient here is chosen for its xing wei — its nature and flavour — and for what Chinese food therapy has traditionally used it for.

Chicken Chicken
Warm · Sweet

Traditionally used to build qi and blood — the universal restorative of Chinese home cooking.

Ginger Ginger
Warm · Pungent

Traditionally used to warm the middle, disperse cold and settle the stomach.

Shiitake Shiitake
Neutral · Sweet

Traditionally used to support qi and the stomach, and prized for its deep savoury flavour.

Nori Nori
Cool · Salty

Traditionally used to soften and to clear mild heat — the sea mineral of the Chinese coast.

Nature, flavour and traditional use follow classic Chinese food-therapy references (traditional materia dietetica). This is food, not medicine — we describe how an ingredient is traditionally used, and make no claim to treat or cure anything.

KUNG FU PRINCIPLE

Shaolin’s dumplings are steamed, never fried. The shape is centuries old; the method is the whole point. This is kung fu inspired healthy food, not a diet in disguise.

Explore the seven schools →

Related reading

Is Chinese Food Healthy? 7 Myths Debunked

Seven common myths about Chinese food, checked against nutrition facts.

Chinese Takeout Calories, Dish by Dish — Lighter Swaps

Takeout calories, dish by dish — and lighter swaps that keep the flavour.

Frequently Asked Questions

Real questions from our fitness-minded customers

How many calories are in the Handmade Dumplings?

Each serving is about 360 kcal with 22g of protein, 38g of carbs and 12g of fat.

Can I freeze the Handmade Dumplings?

Freeze them uncooked on a tray, then bag up; cook straight from frozen. Never refreeze after cooking.

Is the Handmade Dumplings good for lighter living?

Yes — at about 360 kcal with 22g protein and 3g fiber, it keeps most people full 4–5 hours.

Are the Handmade Dumplings deep-fried?

No — steamed or pan-seared with a little oil, all the comfort at a fraction of the fat.

What makes these dumplings healthy?

A lean protein filling, water-rich Napa cabbage for volume at almost no calories, and steaming or light pan-sear instead of deep-frying — about 60 kcal and 4g protein per dumpling.

Can I make this dumpling recipe vegetarian?

Yes. Swap the meat for 200g crumbled firm tofu (pressed dry) or finely chopped shiitake, keeping the same cabbage, ginger and seasoning.