# Dipping sauce for steamed dumplings **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 7, 2008, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dipping-sauce-for-steamed-dumplings/471718 "2008-11-07T21:04:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dipping-sauce-for-steamed-dumplings/471718/1 "2008-11-07T21:04:30Z")
In an earlier thread: > **[Steamed dumplings](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=486789)** > > My favorite treat in Chinese Take-Out are the steamed pork dumplings: http://www.nyceats.net/photos/eats/nankingdumplings.jpg I’d love to have a steady supply of this manna from heaven in my fridge, but Googling only yields recipies to make your... I sought steamed dumplings in a store. Now I want the special sauce that goes with the dumplings, like maple syrup goes with pancakes. Asking around, I gather that the sauce is not just poured out of a bottle, but must be made up from a recipe. any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dipping-sauce-for-steamed-dumplings/471718/2 "2008-11-07T21:17:19Z")
> [@Enola\_Straight](#): > > In an earlier thread: > [Steamed dumplings - Factual Questions - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=486789) > I sought steamed dumplings in a store. > > Now I want the special sauce that goes with the dumplings, like maple syrup goes with pancakes. > > Asking around, I gather that the sauce is not just poured out of a bottle, but must be made up from a recipe. > > any ideas? I have a real recipie at home, but I usually whip up my own something with some ginger (fresh is best, dry is ok, don’t used pickled) 3-4 cloves of minced garlic, about a cup of soy sauce, some rice vinigar (to taste but a couple of tablespoons at least), some chili sauce (about a tablespoon full) and dark brown sugar (1/4 cup I think). You could sub honey for the brown sugar, but I don’t usually have honey on hand. I thicken with a bit of corn starch and correct from there. If I have them I will toast some sesame seads along with the garlic and ginger. ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dipping-sauce-for-steamed-dumplings/471718/3 "2008-11-07T21:18:34Z")
Here’s one that looks pretty simple. [http://www.recipezaar.com/Chinese-Steamed-Dumplings-with-Dipping-Sauce-14302](http://www.recipezaar.com/Chinese-Steamed-Dumplings-with-Dipping-Sauce-14302) ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dipping-sauce-for-steamed-dumplings/471718/4 "2008-11-07T21:22:48Z")
Yum, I love steamed dumplings. My favorite Chinese take-out place back in DC served them with soy sauce. It wasn’t just straight soy sauce though. It tasted like it had a bit of sugar added, along with maybe some finely chopped green onion or chive, maybe a little hot pepper. When I was in college I worked at a Chinese restaurant that had the best food ever. I’d kill to have their house salad dressing recipe, but it was mostly soy sauce, vinegar, a little hot pepper, and peanut butter. Fucking fantastic. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dipping-sauce-for-steamed-dumplings/471718/5 "2008-11-07T21:29:20Z")
**NAF** has it nailed. That’s pretty much the sauce I whip up whenever we have dumplings. ---
**Author:** ![Cerowyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Cerowyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerowyn)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dipping-sauce-for-steamed-dumplings/471718/6 "2008-11-07T21:56:43Z")
Try them with Japanese ponzu sauce. Heaven. (And, this is in GQ?) ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dipping-sauce-for-steamed-dumplings/471718/7 "2008-11-07T23:07:22Z")
I’ve used a quick and dirty recipe for my sauce, when I’m pressed for time. It contains soy sauce, rice vinegar, the juice from my pickled ginger jar, and some smoked sesame oil. Ratios vary depending on my mood. ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dipping-sauce-for-steamed-dumplings/471718/8 "2008-11-07T23:20:32Z")
My Asian grocer has it bottled. It is not great but it is good. Comes in several varieties, too: Garlic and Hot. Ask in the store where you bought the dumplings. That said, NAF’s recipe is not only good and simple but it stores well for at least a month (better with powdered ginger), so if you are making a habit on dumplings at home, you can make one batch and have it ready. ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dipping-sauce-for-steamed-dumplings/471718/9 "2008-11-08T01:53:56Z")
I usually mix together these sauces: Soy sauce Mirin rice wine Rice vinegar Smaller amounts of Chili oil Sesame oil I keep on trying to remember to mix some up before I go and order takeout dim sum because they almost never give you any sauce or at least decent sauce. That is, in the cheapest joints that I ususally frequent. I’ve also stockpiled all these ingredients at my friends’ place in San Francisco and at my sister’s house. I think I’m going to try and have cheap dim sum in the San Gabriel Valley on Sunday because I’m going to go and see the UCLA game with my nephew. Yum! ---
**Author:** ![Oregon\_sunshine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/50afbb/32.png) [@Oregon\_sunshine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oregon_sunshine)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dipping-sauce-for-steamed-dumplings/471718/10 "2008-11-08T02:26:14Z")
garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar (not much!), sugar ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dipping-sauce-for-steamed-dumplings/471718/11 "2008-11-08T02:51:57Z")
Moving to Cafe Society from GQ. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Avumede](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/avumede/32/7235_2.png) [@Avumede](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avumede)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dipping-sauce-for-steamed-dumplings/471718/12 "2008-11-08T04:41:27Z")
I make dumplings all the time, some pre-made frozen, some I make fresh. The sauce? Vinegar. Could be any kind, but I like Chinese Chinkiang vinegar which I put a bit of shredded ginger in. That’s it. It’s a standard sauce for xiao long bao (soup dumplings), but works well with any pork-based dumpling. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dipping-sauce-for-steamed-dumplings/471718/13 "2008-11-08T05:04:02Z")
> [@Avumede](#): > > I make dumplings all the time, some pre-made frozen, some I make fresh. The sauce? Vinegar. Could be any kind, but I like Chinese Chinkiang vinegar which I put a bit of shredded ginger in. That’s it. It’s a standard sauce for xiao long bao (soup dumplings), but works well with any pork-based dumpling. Chinese steamed dumplings like you get at restaurants? Got a recipe to share? I was just talking the SO tonight over dinner I’d like a recipe for that. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dipping-sauce-for-steamed-dumplings/471718/14 "2008-11-08T05:14:46Z")
I was looking for egg roll wraps to make pot stickers. Went to three Krogers without luck. I agree with Naf and the Soy/vinegar(wine)/sugar group. I wanted to continue my experiments with sweet and sour with chili and/or ginger. I am attempting to create Pei Wei’s sweet and sour chicken. ---
**Author:** ![chocolatefrog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/41988e/32.png) [@chocolatefrog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chocolatefrog)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dipping-sauce-for-steamed-dumplings/471718/15 "2008-11-08T07:54:51Z")
I like mine with black vinegar, the same way I like my fried gyoza. Mmm gyoza…