I have tried so many commercially-made frozen Asian dumplings over the years and have been disappointed. Mushy flavorless fillings, unremarkable skins, and MSG are usually the culprits. But nevertheless, I always check the freezer cases at Asian markets for something new and interesting. Who knows, I may discover and learn something new.
Most recently, I bought a bag of frozen Asian dumplings made by WeiChuan, a company that produces Asian food products (frozen, canned, and dried) for sale in the United States. Their products are usually reliable. You may also know Weichuan from informative cookbooks such as Chinese Snacks, which I used as reference work when researching for Asian Dumplings.
A few weeks ago, I noticed a new dumpling promotion at Lion Foods in San Jose. It was for WeiChuan’s new line of Asian dumplings called the “Shan Dong Dumpling Series.” The dumplings are MSG-free (hurray!) and made in the U.S.A. Both points were touted on the packaging, reflecting WeiChuan’s understanding of consumer trends and concerns. No one wants to eat Melamine-laden dumplings.
A bit about Shandong: It’s a coastal province southeast of Beijing that’s renowned for good food, including hearty dumplings and noodles. Shandong cuisine is one of the core schools of cooking in China and its influence can be seen throughout northern Chinese dishes. There are also many Chinese-Koreans who live in Shandong: “You can see Korea across the way,” a Shandong restaurateur once joked to me.
The point here is that WeiChuan’s use of 山東 (shan dong) was my tip off. Don’t look for “Shandong” on the labels as WeiChuan markets the dumplings to Chinese people. You have to recognize a few Chinese characters to understand this; I possess basic skills in Mandarin. Now you have some insider’s knowledge to keep in your back pocket.
I bought a bag of pork and green bean dumplings for about $4. I know that the filling sounds weird but so what? You can put anything in a dumpling filling so long as you’re smart about it. (See my tips for making Asian dumpling filling from leftovers.)
I partially defrosted and then pan-fried the dumplings last week for lunch and they were remarkably good. The filling was juicy and had nice texture, like as if the pork and green beans had been hand chopped (they were likely machine chopped to a coarse texture). The flavor was distinctive enough to be good. (Use the regular pan-frying method for these but know that they may take a little longer as they're frozen; see Asian Dumplings for guidance.)
The dough had some give, though it wasn’t as tasty as homemade. The package says bleached flour was used, most likely for a desirable white color. As I’ve noted in Asian Dumplings, unbleached all-purpose flour makes better dough for dumplings such as pot stickers. Commercially-made dumplings will never be as good as freshly made or homemade dumplings. But they’re convenient to have and you can try different styles and fillings, then come up with your own!
I have about a dozen WeiChuan dumplings left and they’re thawing on the kitchen counter. There’s a pot of water coming to a boil and I’ll poach them off, tumble them in vinegar and chile oil!
WeiChuan products are widely distributed in the United States at Asian markets big and small. Look for this new line of Shandong dumplings. Check them out and let me know your thoughts. Or, if there’s another brand you like, let me know!
Veena says
Thanks for the tip! I love dumplings and it's so convenient to have a bag of these on hand when you just don't have time to cook. But yes most just end up being mushy and bland. Hope to find WeiChuan dumplings in the Seattle area.
VirgoBlue says
I'm so glad you've pointed this out! I feed my kid frozen dumplings and she loves them, but the MSG content is disturbing. And I personally breakout in hives w/too much MSG! Thanks so much.
Amanda T. says
I'm going to check WeiChuan out for sure. I've been enjoying the frozen dumplings from oddly named "Chinese Spaghetti Factory." This might just be a Boston-based company, but it's pretty decent for frozen.
Andrew says
The number of people with any sort of adverse reaction to MSG is minuscule. No good evidence has ever been produced despite numerous studies. So all the people claiming reaction are generally fooling themselves. Especially in light of foods like tomatoes and mushrooms which are packed with glutamates and eaten without spurious claims from the same people.
If on the other hand people simply don't like the taste of MSG then that is a different matter. Personally I love it. A nice pho broth wouldn't be the same without it.
dave says
This looks great, I've been hunting for frozen dumplings to use in a pinch and I'll keep an eye out the next time I'm in the market.
For pan frying do you use nonstick at all?
Misty says
That's like saying allergies are a figment of imagination. Hives are no joke. Clearly there are different levels of tolerances to artificial vs naturally occurring substances. Listen to your body and don't eat things it doesn't like regardless of people who claim there is no problem...
teresa says
Awesome tip! You need to add a Facebook [like] button for those of us too lazy to respond. =D
Jaide says
Those seem awesomely good. I haven't seen these around, but then, I haven't looked.
Diane says
Mmmm...making a Ranch 99 trip this weekend to scout for these.
twitter.com/aqnguyen says
@Dave: I typically use nonstick skillets for pan-frying dumplings. Cast iron and an All-Clad type pan work too. Woks are good but a little fussy. See the original wok-sticker experiment post for laughs and info:
http://www.asiandumplingtips.com/2010/05/wok-stickers-original-pot-sticker-experiment.html
Louise W. says
I saw this yesterday and found the dumplings at an asian grocery today (Tampa area): will let you know what I think! Thanks for the tip. I seldom have time to make my own dumplings (but I do usually make my own dipping sce).
Louise W. says
Had these for lunch: the chicken-filled ones. Pretty good!
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marlon says
Those seem awesomely good. I'm so glad you've pointed this out! I feed my kid frozen dumplings and she loves them, but the MSG content is disturbing.