Your Fried Dumplings Need a Crispy Skirt.

The dumpling skirt, or dumpling lace, is one of my favorite dumpling decorations and can be sewn onto any fried dumpling. It’s easy to make and adds extra crunch to the tender dumplings. Here’s how you can do it.

What is a flared skirt?

A dumpling skirt is a crispy, crunchy lace fringe made from flour, cornstarch, or a combination of both. It cooks right in the pan while you fry the dumplings. (I wish I could wear a dumpling skirt, but we just don’t have the technology.)

This starchy layer bubbles, creating holes, then browns and sticks to the dumpling. When ready, you can invert the contents of the mold onto a plate and the dumplings will remain attached, held together by a wide lacy mesh of starch. The fun part is breaking open the skirt and pulling out one dumpling with a special crispy bottom—it’s the meat-and-dough equivalent of a crème brûlée.

You can use fresh or frozen dumplings, and what I mean when I say is that any dumpling that can be pan fried is suitable for this application. Pork gyoza, beef dumplings, cheese tortellini and vegetable khinkali all benefit from a delicate and crisp lace skirt. (I always have two or three bags of Trader Joe’s pork or chicken gyoza in the freezer in case the apocalypse comes again.)

How to make a dumpling skirt

Arrange the dumplings

Add a small amount of oil, about a teaspoon, to an eight- to 10-inch skillet. Use a spatula to spread it across the bottom of the pan. (I usually take a dumpling and brush it with oil.) Arrange eight to 10 dumplings in a decorative pattern on the pan. I chose a simple starburst, but you can stun them or add a little chaos and let the chips fall however you like. Just make sure you’re happy with how they’re designed; you won’t be able to adjust them after adding starch. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook the dumplings for about three minutes.

Make a starch slurry

Meanwhile, whisk cornstarch and water in a small measuring cup. I use a combination of these two ingredients in equal proportions with 1/4 cup of water. This mixture will be thin and cloudy. Once it hits the pan, the water will begin to evaporate, causing the starch to bubble up and form a lacy pattern.

Pour out the slurry and cover the pan

Depending on the size of your pot and how busy it is, you may not need to use all of the slurry. Pour half the solution into the pan and tilt it to check if the liquid covers the bottom. If this does not happen, add more liquid. Holes may not develop if you make the layer too deep; The starch will become crispy and brown on the bottom, but the inside will remain soft. Cover the pan with a lid to allow the dumplings to cook until finished, about five to seven minutes.

Uncover and make crispy

Remove the lid from the pan. The skirt should be stiff, have lots of small holes and begin to brown. Let the dumplings and skirt continue to cook until the entire lacy bottom is evenly browned, two to three minutes.

Turn over and serve

Turn off the heat and remove the pan from the stove. Invert the dish onto the pan, place the palm of your hand on the bottom of the pan and invert the pan and plate together so that the dumplings are upside down and the flat bottom of the skirt is up for decoration. Serve immediately with your favorite sauce.

Fried dumplings with skirt

Ingredients:

• 8-10 dumplings (I used frozen gyoza)
• 1 teaspoon flour
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• ¼ cup cold water
• 1 teaspoon oil for frying pan

Add oil to an eight- or 10-inch skillet and spread it to coat the bottom. Add dumplings to the pan. Cook the dumplings for about three minutes over medium-low heat.

Meanwhile, prepare the paste. Whisk flour and cornstarch in a small measuring cup. Add water to starch and mix thoroughly. Pour half of this mixture into the dumpling pan and tilt it to coat the bottom with mush. Assess whether you need more liquid in the pan.

Cover the pan with a lid and let the dumplings cook for about five more minutes. Uncover the pan and continue cooking until the dumpling skirt is completely and evenly browned. Turn off the heat, place the serving dish upside down in the pan, and invert the pan and plate together so that the dumplings are upside down on the plate. Serve immediately.