Prepare to tuck this recipe away! Harry’s easy, delicious dumpling dipping sauce is a keeper. Say that five times, fast.
This secret sauce has an exceptional flavor, one taste, and I promise you’ll be sold.
Check out more of our delicious, authentic Chinese Recipes.
Authentic Chinese
If you’ve been following along with my series on authentic Chinese recipes, you know that our family has been the lucky-tasting beneficiaries of delicious Chinese cuisine over the last six years.
We’ve enjoyed numerous dishes from our friend and former international student, Zhengzheng Ren (Dave).
Zhengzheng loves to cook! One of his favorites is this Chinese Pork Dumpling Recipe. These dumplings are filled with fresh veggies and delicately seasoned pork.
They are easy to make and quite delicious. Take a look at the dumplings being made above. You should try it! 😁
Dumpling Sauce Recipe
Zhengzheng’s friend, Lingkai Zhao, Harry, introduced us to this game-changing dipping sauce recipe that pairs perfectly with the dumplings.
It takes them to a whole new level. We call it Harry’s delicious dumpling sauce, and I know you will love it. It has an extraordinary flavor that you might expect from your favorite restaurant.
Harry learned this recipe from his parents, both educators who live in China. Harry’s home city is Yinchuan, China, in the Province called Ningxia.
He attended high school here in the U.S. with Zhengzheng and is now attending the University of Wisconsin – Madison.
Better Than Store-Bought
Yes, of course, you could go buy a bottle of dipping sauce or soy sauce at the grocery store, but to us, it’s worth this 10-minute step.
Now that we know about Harry’s recipe and its fantastic flavor, there’s no need to do store-bought again.
This sauce is super simple and quick to make. It pairs perfectly with dumplings or adds a lovely side of flavor to Asian appetizers, such as wontons, egg rolls, or spring rolls.
Ingredients
Here’s what you will need. Affiliate links are underlined.
Flavored Oils
Cooking Oil: The guys grew up in China using vegetable oil, but I like to use avocado oil for a healthier version. You cannot tell the difference in taste! So, the choice is all yours.
Garlic Fresh garlic is best here! But if all you have is garlic in a jar, by all means, use that!
You can mince your fresh garlic using a garlic press, which makes an even, more consistent minced size (Read: better looking), or just use a knife.
The jury is still out on which is faster. My vote is going with the press.
Sesame Oil This oil is derived from sesame seeds. It has the most amazing nutty smell and flavor. I could drink it, but that’s probably not a good idea.
Sesame oil is best as a finisher, which is added at the end of the recipe. Lee Kum Lee Pure Sesame Oil is the one we have been using.
Vinegar and Sauces
Chinese Vinegar is a staple in Chinese cooking. It is slightly acidic, has more depth than white wine vinegar, and is not as sweet as balsamic.
It is originally from a town in the Eastern part of China called Zhenjiang. Chinkiang vinegar is also called “black vinegar” for short and is labeled as “Chinkiang” or “brown rice vinegar.”
It is typically used as a base for a dumpling dipping sauce in noodle dishes or stir-fries. Gold Plum Chinkiang Vinegar.
Regular or Light soy sauce These two names are used interchangeably. This is the most common type of soy sauce you will find in the United States.
Light soy sauce is what you find at the typical grocery store or get with Chinese takeout. It is quite thin in consistency, light in color, and salty in flavor.
Dave likes this one, Lee Kum Lee Premium Soy Sauce.
Dark soy sauce: This soy sauce is darker in color, slightly opaque, and thicker in texture than light soy sauce.
It tastes richer, sweeter, less salty, and savory than its lighter counterparts. Lee Kum Lee Premium Dark Soy Sauce.
Seasonings
Crushed Red Chile Pepper Use this pepper right out of the bottle, then spice your sauce up or down depending on your tastes.
Green Onions This adds a little flavor and a pop of garnish color!
Dipping Sauce for Dumplings Recipe
Without further ado, Harry’s famous dipping sauce for dumplings recipe is below. (Famous in our house anyway!)
Print
Harry’s Delicious Dumpling Dipping Sauce
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
Description
This is the most delicious dipping sauce ever!
Ingredients
2 tablespoons of oil
3–4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp of crushed red chile pepper
1/2 tsp of sesame oil
3 tablespoons chinkiang vinegar
2 tablespoons regular soy sauce
1 teaspoon of dark soy sauce
1 green onion, sliced
(affiliate links are underlined)
Instructions
Add minced garlic and crushed red pepper to a small bowl. Heat oil over high heat for 1 minute, then immediately pour the oil over the garlic and chile pepper.
Next add the sesame oil, Chinese vinegar (or Chinese Worcester), regular soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and green onions (optional). Stir. Enjoy with Dumplings!
Notes
The flavor of this sauce gets even better over time, so make this sauce first before you make your dumplings. If you can’t, no worries, it’s still delicious!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Dips
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Chinese
Keywords: Chinese, Dipping, Sauce, Dumplings, Wontons, minced garlic, crushed red chile pepper, sesame oil, Chinese Worcester, Chinese Vinegar, Regular Soy Sauce, Dark Soy Sauce, Chicken Base or Bouillon
Asian Dinner Recipes
Hungry for more authentic Chinese meals? Click below to try other wonderful recipes.
All Chinese Recipes
Chinese Sautéed Shrimp Recipe
Lo Mein Noodles
Chinese Pork Dumplings
Chinese Chicken and Potato Stew
Braised Pork Belly Recipe
How to Store Leftover Dipping Sauce
On the rare occasion that you have leftover dumplings, store the leftover dipping sauce in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It keeps well for 4-5 days. However, I recommend a sniff test first. 😉
Most importantly, thank you, Harry, for bringing this delicious dumpling dipping sauce into our world. I am forever grateful. ❤️
Try this sauce with Zhengzheng’s Chinese Pork Dumplings.
If you try this recipe, please let us know what you think in the comment box below, or if you share a picture, please tag me @bebraveandbloom or use #bebraveandbloominspiration on your photos.
Thanks for following!
xo,
Cindy
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This is a robust sauce our family loves!! Restaurant quality at home. Yum.
★★★★★
OMG! Unbelievable flavor. Loved this.
★★★★★
Thanks, Kelly! We love it too.
This sauce is the real deal. Amazing flavor.
★★★★★
I agree. Thanks for trying the recipe!