Steaming in the microwave works great for cooking frozen dumplings if you don’t have a steamer.

Avoid using regular plastic wrap in your microwave since it could melt on top of your dumplings.

Frozen dumplings may need to steam for an extra minute to cook all the way through. Tear open one of the dumplings and check if the filling is hot. If it still feels cold, keep heating your dumplings in 30-second increments until they’re warmed through. If you want crispy dumplings, put them onto a pan over medium heat for about 1 minute after you microwave them.

The aluminum foil balls create a buffer between the bottom of the pot and a plate with your dumplings. If you don’t have any foil handy, a wire rack will do the trick.

If you’re steaming frozen dumplings, they may stick to the plate when you heat them. Line the plate with parchment paper or brush on some cooking oil so you can easily remove your dumplings.

If you don’t have a lid for your pot, just cover it with another large pan. Condensation can build up on the lid if it doesn’t have a vent, and the water may drip down and make your dumplings soggy. Wrap a towel around the lid to capture the moisture. [8] X Research source

Frozen dumplings may take an extra minute or two to steam all the way through. Tear one open and check if the filling feels hot to see if they’re ready.

You can usually steam around 4–5 dumplings at a time when you balance them on chopsticks.

If you want to make a full meal, boil enough water to make some instant noodles below your dumplings so they cook at the same time.

It’s okay if the lid doesn’t fit tightly over the pot since the steam will still rise up and cook your dumplings. Rip open one of the dumplings and check that the filling feels hot. If you’re making frozen dumplings and they still feel cold, put them back on the chopsticks and leave them to steam for another 1–2 minutes.

You can use any cooking oil that you want for your dumplings.

You can steam-fry dumplings straight from frozen without thawing them beforehand.

You can always cut one of the dumplings open and peek inside to make sure it’s cooked or that the filling is hot throughout.