Why does nobody talk about how long it takes to fold 50 dumplings by hand?

I timed myself last Saturday and it took 2 hours and 15 minutes to get through 50 wrappers, but my friend swears she does 60 in under an hour, so which is it, am I just slow or is she lying about the pleats?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_nathan1mo ago

Hold up, 50 dumplings in 2 hours sounds about right to me, I think your friend might be skipping some pleats or rushing the pinching. I always end up with at least one that splits open while boiling if I try to go that fast. What kind of filling are you using, because wetter ones definitely slow things down?

the_william1mo ago

And are you telling me she got 60 in under an hour, or is that more like "under an hour" meaning 55 minutes and 37 seconds? I fold pretty slow myself, but I got a buddy who claims he can knock out 70 in 45 minutes and I call total baloney on that because my pleats always look like a toddler did them if I rush. But really though, what's the secret with the wetter fillings, because I tried a pork and napa cabbage mix last week and it was like wrestling a slippery fish inside that dough. My grandma used to say if you can't feel the pleat pinching right, you're better off just making potstickers and calling it a day.

rubysingh1mo ago

Are you folding them from scratch or using store bought wrappers? Because that changes everything, the dough thickness alone can add or save you 20 minutes easy. Also have you asked your friend to show you her pleat technique one time? I bet she's doing a simple fold without the fancy crimping, which makes a huge speed difference. Next time you're both cooking, make her count out loud as she goes, you'll catch the real number real quick.