The “Nostalgic” Frozen Appetizer I Put Out Every Christmas Eve (It’s My Family’s Decades-Old Tradition)
When I was growing up, being what I called “half-Jewish” meant the best of both worlds during the holidays. While my family spent most of the festive season trimming the tree and prepping for our mom’s side’s Christmas feast, we always anticipated a tradition from our Jewish dad: Chinese food on Christmas Eve. Before the chaos of ripped wrapping paper and rowdy cousins took over, we’d dig into eggy fried rice and lacquered spare ribs.
These days, instead of takeout, I keep my freezer stocked with Dumpling Daughter’s Pork and Chive Dumplings. Nothing beats settling in with a steaming plate of these bad boys before diving into Christmas dinner — it’s my favorite way to honor both sides of my holiday heritage.
What’s So Great About Dumpling Daughter Dumplings?
Dumplings are one of my favorite foods, and although I love folding my own now and then as a fun meditative culinary project, during the holidays when I’m already icing cookies, wrapping gifts, and decorating trees, I like to keep the starters simple. Sure, I can order dumplings for delivery, but they often turn sad and gummy before they even hit your plate. Not these freezer heroes!
Dumpling Daughter’s dumplings emerge from your kitchen plump and juicy, and won’t last long enough to get cold. Whether you’re team Pork & Chive (my personal fave) or Chicken & Cabbage, each dumpling is like a little flavor bomb wrapped in pillowy dough. The meat is delightfully seasoned with fresh chives that actually taste fresh, and the wrapper hits that sweet spot between chewy and tender.
Dumpling Daughter Pork & Chive Dumplings
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$9.99
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My mom used to live within walking distance of a Dumpling Daughter brick-and-mortar location outside Boston, which is where I first fell in love with the recipe for these one-bite delights. She moved about eight years ago, and as soon as the familiar red box appeared in the freezer aisle of my local grocery store, I started stocking up for every holiday season. (You can also order them online directly from Dumpling Daughter.)
What’s the Best Way to Serve Dumpling Daughter Pork and Chive Dumplings?
The box directs you to boil the dumplings, but I recommend pan-frying for extra crunch and caramelized color. I arrange the dumplings in a large oil-slicked cast iron skillet over medium heat. When I hear sizzling, I cook them for two to three minutes, until one side is nicely blistered, then flip them and sear the other side for a couple of minutes.
To seal in moisture and ensure they’re cooked through, I add about a half cup of water or broth, immediately cover the skillet, and steam the dumplings for another three to four minutes. They’re then pretty quickly devoured after a swim in soy sauce or, if I’m feeling fancy, a mixture of soy sauce, black vinegar, and minced Chinese chives. Mmm, tastes like Christmastime.
Buy: Dumpling Daughter Pork and Chive Dumplings, $9.99 for 12 dumplings at Instacart
What’s your favorite frozen holiday appetizer to serve? Tell us about it in the comments below.
