Pot Stickers, aka Pork Dumplings
I love dim sum.
The Chinese invented this snack about 2,500 years ago for travelers who wanted something to go with a nice cup of tea when they stopped to rest along the way.
One of my favorites (among many) is the humble pot sticker, technically a pork (or shrimp) dumpling. And like everything ancient, there’s a legend surrounding their origin.
It seems some hapless chef in Imperial China overcooked his dumplings, and they stuck to the pan. Upon discovering his mistake, he covered it by yelling, “Eureka, I have created the ‘guotie’” which translates to “wok stuck.” Of course, everybody loved the crispy bottoms and juicy innards.
As an aside, the Australians (who have a different word for everything!) call dim sum “yum cha.” I thought they did because they considered the little snacks yummy or something but it actually means “drink tea” in Cantonese which is what you do when you have dim sum (although beer is not a bad option).
It takes some technique to learn to make a lot of these tasty dim sum snacks but one of the easiest is the pot sticker. Here’s a recipe you can make in just a few minutes.
Make a pile of the filling and freeze it for later. I make a few dozen for appetizers at dinner parties, and the guests Hoover them up. (Many of you under sixty are Googling “hoover” right now. Hint: an analog Roomba.)
Serves: 4 | Prep Time: 20-25 minutes | Cook Time: 6-10 minutes | Yield: ~24 dumplings
Ingredients
For the Filling
- 7 oz ground pork
- 3 tsp Shaoxing rice wine
- 2 tsp light soy sauce
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 3 tsp finely diced ginger
- 2 tsp finely diced scallion
- 2 tsp finely diced garlic
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp sugar
- Pinch of white pepper
- Cornstarch (if needed to thicken)
Additional
- Round dumpling wrappers (thin, like Sue Gow brand)
- Neutral cooking oil (canola or vegetable)
- Water for sealing
For the Dipping Sauce
- Light soy sauce
- Rice vinegar
- (Mix equal parts)
Preparation
Mix all of the ingredients (except the wrappers and oil) in a bowl. If the mixture is too wet, add enough cornstarch to thicken it.
You can make the wrappers, but it’s much easier to buy them. Look for thin, round ones, like Sue Gow.
Set individual wrappers onto non-stick parchment paper. Have a small bowl of water handy for sealing the wrapper.
Place a spoon-sized clump of dumpling mix in the center of a wrapper. Dip your finger into the water and wet the edges of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper in half and press it closed. Use your opposite thumbs to fold a tiny pleat on either side of the dumpling, then press firmly to seal the dumpling closed.
Heat a skillet (medium heat) with oil. If you are using a non-stick pan, just use a bit of oil. Place each dumpling pleat side up and press down to flatten the bottom. Cook for about ten minutes if frozen or six minutes if fresh, turning them as they brown on each side.
Toward the end, add a few tablespoons of water to the pan and shake it to moisten the dumpling on all sides.
Serve with a 50:50 mix of light soy sauce and rice vinegar for the dipping sauce.
If you prefer shrimp, you can replace the pork with finely chopped shrimp. Or use both.