Pot Stickers

Pot stickers are delicious dumplings that can be pan-fried until crisp on the bottom and then cooked through by steaming. They can also be simply steamed. Made with round wonton or gyoza wrappers, these dumplings can be filled with various ingredients like ground pork, chicken, shrimp, or vegetables. They are commonly served with a flavorful dipping sauce. Pot stickers are best enjoyed immediately after cooking, but you can also prepare them ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze them until ready to cook.

MAKES: At least 24 dumplings (4 to 8 servings)

TIME: 30 to 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 pound ground pork, chicken, or other meat
• 1/4 cup minced scallion
• 1 cup washed and chopped leek, Napa cabbage, or bok choy
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon rice wine or dry sherry
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Large pinch of salt
• 24 round dumpling skins (wonton or gyoza wrappers)
• Peanut oil or neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn, as needed
• Ginger-Scallion Sauce (page 39) for serving

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a bowl, combine the ground meat, minced scallion, chopped leek or cabbage, minced ginger, rice wine or dry sherry, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, beaten egg, black pepper, and salt. Mix gently but thoroughly.
2. Place about 2 teaspoons of the filling in the center of a dumpling wrapper. Moisten the edge of the wrapper with water and fold it over to form a semicircle. Press the seam tightly to seal, ensuring there is no air trapped between the filling and the wrapper. Repeat with the remaining filling and wrappers, setting the filled dumplings on a lightly floured plate or wax paper. (You can refrigerate or freeze the dumplings at this point.)
3. Heat a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat and coat it with a thin layer of peanut oil or neutral oil. Place the dumplings in the skillet, seam side up, leaving space between them. You may need to cook them in batches. Turn the heat down to medium, cover the skillet, and cook for about 5 minutes.
4. Add 1/2 cup of water to the skillet, cover again, and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove the lid, increase the heat to high, and cook until the water has evaporated, about 3 minutes.
5. Remove the pot stickers from the skillet and serve them immediately with Ginger-Scallion Sauce for dipping.

VARIATIONS:

• Steamed Dumplings: Instead of pan-frying the dumplings, steam them in a steamer for about 10 minutes per batch. Serve with Soy Dipping Sauce and Marinade (page 25).
• Vegetarian Pot Stickers or Gyoza: Replace the meat with 1/2 pound of drained and mashed soft tofu. Reduce the amount of leeks and add shredded Napa cabbage, chopped fresh mushrooms, shredded carrot, and chopped walnuts to the filling. Use thinner gyoza wrappers if available. Fill and cook as directed, adjusting the cooking time slightly.

Enjoy these flavorful pot stickers as a delicious appetizer or main course. Serve them with your favorite dipping sauce and savor the combination of crispy and tender dumplings.