Chinese Pot Stickers

Having lived in Hong Kong for 7 years, Chinese pot stickers were one of those things that we had almost every week. A bunch of us colleagues would frequent our local dim sum joint and order a plateful of them and then fight over who would get how many. We inevitably had to order a second plate. I fell in love with them then and the love continues. A dear friend in Hong Kong taught me how to make them and I continue to enjoy them to date. I have managed to get my kids and husband hooked on them too.

The Ingredients for Chinese Pot Stickers

Some ground pork, some fresh vegetables, some spices, some sauces, and a few wrappers are all it takes to make these delicious juicy treats.

The Ingredients List:

• 2 cups of ground pork
• 1 cup finely chopped cabbage
• 1/2 cup finely chopped shitake mushrooms
• 1/4 cup finely chopped chives
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 tablespoon white pepper
• 2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 48 round dumpling wrappers
• water for wrapping

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The Filling for Chinese Pot Stickers

Ok, on with the recipe. We can do that by adding the ground pork into a large mixing bowl. I add all the other ingredients to the bowl one at a time. Then use a spatula or a spoon, to mix everything well so that all the spices, vegetables and meat are well combined.

I often like to taste the mixture in order to adjust for salt or spice. To do that, heat some oil in a small pan and once it’s heated, cook about a tablespoon of the ground pork mixture and taste it. If you prefer a more salty mixture, you can add more salt to the mixture before you start filling and wrapping the dumplings.

Wrapping the Chinese Pot Stickers

For me wrapping the dumplings is so therapeutic. I could sit there for an hour doing this without even thinking about it. My son also really enjoys folding the dumpling with me. He finds creative ways of folding them and sometimes uses a fork to create marks and designs on the wrappers. It is such a fun activity for the family.

To start the wrapping process, place about 3/4 to about 1 tablespoon of the ground meat into the middle of the wrapper. Using some cold water and your finger, wet about 1/4 of an inch all around the wrapper. Gently fold the wrapper into half, but do not put the edges together just yet.

These dumplings are generally wrapped by creasing only one side of the wrapper. Using your finger to pull and crease and push down to adhere to the flat side of the wrapper. My video shows the step by step way to wrap / fold the dumplings. Place each wrapped dumpling on a parchment lined baking tray and cover with a damp cloth. This prevents them from drying up as you continue to wrap / fold more. ALSO, keep the wrappers under a damp cloth, so that they too don’t dry up.

Frying the Pot Stickers:

When you are ready to fry the dumplings – which you no doubt will be ready to enjoy once you are done making them. It’s impossible to resist them. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a large pan that has a tight fitting lid. Heat the oil and add the pot stickers to the pan. Allow them to cook for about 2-3 minutes.

Once the dumplings start to get translucent and start to brown from the sides, add 4 tablespoons of water to the pan and quickly cover the pan. Allow the dumplings to cook for a further 3-4 minutes or until the water has dried up. The idea is to cook the pork with the steam.

Serving Suggestions:

I love serving them with a sauce that I make. In a small bowl, mix together:

• 2 tablespoons or soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon of sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon of sugar
• 1 tablespoon of garlic chili sauce.

Variations:

The beauty of these dumplings is that you can use so many ingredients for filling them. Try:

• replacing the pork with ground chicken, ground or finely chopped shrimp, or even ground beef.
• I love using leeks in place of chives. If you use leeks, you can half the amount of cabbage you use and double the amount of chives you would have used.
• I have used crimini mushrooms in place of shitake mushrooms and they taste equally good.

Can I Freeze my Chinese Pot Stickers?

Yes, you can definitely freeze these delicious dumplings and enjoy them at a later date. I generally make a large batch and freeze them and enjoy them on multiple occasions instead of just the day we make them.

To freeze, place them on a parchment lined baking tray, making sure to keep them separated. Place the baking tray into the freezer and allow the pot stickers to freeze. Once rozen, you can place them in air tight containers and back into the freezer until you are ready to use them.

When you are ready to use, remove them from the freezer and cook them from frozen. DO NOT allow them to defrost before you cook them.

Tried and Liked the Recipe?

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