Celebrate the Year of the Wood Snake with a Family Favourite: My Mum’s Fried Dumplings

by Stephanie Hannington-Suen

As the Year of the Wood Snake approaches, it’s the perfect time to reflect on new beginnings, transformation, and growth. In Chinese culture, dumplings are more than just a meal — they are a symbol of wealth, prosperity, and good fortune, making them a must-have dish for Lunar New Year celebrations. Their shape, resembling ancient gold or silver ingots, is a reminder of the wealth we hope to attract in the year ahead.



For a traditional and much-loved meal to enjoy this month in the lead-up to Lunar New Year, I’m sharing a family favourite: My Mum’s Fried Dumplings. This recipe has been passed down through generations, and it fills our home with warmth and joy every time we make it. Making and eating dumplings together is more than just cooking; it’s a chance to come together as a family, share traditions, and have fun, especially when each person gets to fold their own dumplings.

Ingredients:

For the dumplings:
Two packets of dumpling wrappers, around 80 dumplings
500g ground pork
330g prawns, finely chopped
1 cup spinach, cooked and excess water moved then chopped
1 large piece of ginger, finely chopped
3 spring onions, finely chopped
3 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
3 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
4 tbsp Vegetable Oil
2 tbsp Sesame Oil
Salt and pepper to taste

For the dipping sauce:
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp chilli oil (optional for a little extra heat)
A small pinch of brown sugar (to balance the flavours)

Instructions:
  1. Make the filling: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground pork, chopped prawns, and spinach. Add the soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and sugar. Season with salt and pepper, then mix everything together until it’s well combined. The filling should be rich in flavour, with the sweetness of prawns balancing the savoury pork and the freshness of the spinach.
  2. Assemble the dumplings: Place a small spoonful of filling in the centre of each dough circle, add water around the edge of the dough circle, then fold the dough over and pinch the edges together to seal the dumpling. You can experiment with different folding techniques, and it’s always fun to get the whole family involved, even the kids will enjoy folding their own dumplings.

  3. Cook the dumplings: Heat a tablespoon of oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the dumplings and cook for 2-3 minutes until the bottoms are golden and crispy. Carefully add about 1/4 cup of water to the pan and cover it. Let the dumplings steam for another 5-7 minutes, or until they’re cooked through and the water has evaporated.

  4. Make the dipping sauce: While the dumplings are cooking, mix together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, chilli oil (if using), and brown sugar in a small bowl. This dipping sauce complements the dumplings perfectly, with a lovely balance of salty, tangy, and sweet.

  5. Serve and enjoy: Once the dumplings are cooked, plate them up and serve with the dipping sauce on the side. Gather your loved ones around, share the dumplings, and enjoy the flavours, the company, and the sense of togetherness they bring.





Dumplings are more than just food, they are a symbol of luck and good fortune for the year ahead. They remind us of the importance of family, tradition, and sharing good times together. Every family has its own version of dumplings, and ours is a blend of pork, prawn, and spinach. If you’d like to try something different, we also love a vegetarian version made with cabbage and mushrooms, which is always a hit.


If you decide to give this recipe a go, we’d love to see your version. Share your dumplings with us and join in the celebration of the Year of the Wood Snake. Wishing you a prosperous year ahead, full of new beginnings and growth.

Happy Lunar New Year!