Steaming Secrets: Perfect Pot Stickers At Home

Steamed pot stickers are a type of dumpling that are believed to have originated in China. They are typically filled with ground pork and cabbage, but can be stuffed with other ingredients too. Pot stickers are usually pan-fried and steamed to give a soft, tender texture to the filling and a crunchy texture to the dumpling dough.

Ingredients:

- 3/4 lb ground pork

- 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch

- 1/2 tablespoon dry sherry

- 1 tablespoon soy sauce

- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

- 1 garlic clove, crushed

- 2 green onions, chopped

- 1 teaspoon brown sugar

- 1 teaspoon sesame oil

- 1 (14 ounce) package wonton wrappers

- 1 teaspoon sesame oil

- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

- 3 tablespoons soy sauce

- 1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

Instructions:

1. Mix all the filling ingredients together in a bowl.

2. Place one rounded teaspoon of the filling into the center of a wonton wrapper.

3. Brush the edges of the wrapper with water and pinch the ends together to seal, forming a little pouch around the filling.

4. Steam the pot stickers for about 5 minutes.

5. For the dipping sauce, sauté red pepper flakes in sesame oil, add the remaining ingredients, and heat through. Drizzle over pot stickers or use as a dipping sauce.

How to make the filling

The filling is the most important part of a potsticker. It's what gives the dumpling its flavour and juiciness. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to make the perfect filling for your steamed pot stickers.

Ingredients

You will need the following ingredients for the filling:

• Ground pork
• Green onions
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Soy sauce
• Sesame oil
• Cayenne pepper (optional)
• Napa cabbage or green cabbage
• Water chestnuts (optional)
• Bok Choy (optional)
• Hoisin sauce (optional)
• Chilli paste or sriracha (optional)

Preparation

Chop or mince the green onions, garlic, and ginger. If you're using napa cabbage or green cabbage, finely shred and chop it. You can also dice the bok choy and water chestnuts, if using.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground pork, chopped vegetables, and all the other ingredients except the wonton wrappers and water. Use a fork to mix everything together until it is thoroughly combined. You can also use your hands to mix, but make sure to wear food-safe gloves if you do so.

Once everything is mixed, lightly tamp down the filling and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the filling for about an hour until it is chilled and ready to use.

Tips

• It is important to not overmix the filling. Just make sure everything is combined well.
• You can adjust the amounts of soy sauce, sesame oil, and other seasonings to suit your taste preferences.
• If you want to make the filling ahead of time, it can be refrigerated for 1-2 days before assembling the potstickers.

How to make the dough

Making the dough for steamed pot stickers is a simple process, but it does require some time and patience. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to make the dough:

Ingredients:

First, gather your ingredients. For the dough, you will need:

• All-purpose flour
• Kosher salt
• Boiling water
• Cold water

Mixing the Dough:

• In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour and salt.
• Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and gradually add the boiling water, stirring with a spoon. The mixture will look clumpy at this stage.
• Cover the bowl with a cloth and let the dough rest for about 5 minutes.
• After the dough has rested, add 1 tablespoon of cold water and knead for about 2 minutes until combined and a ball of dough has formed.
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for another 15 minutes.

Kneading the Dough:

• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured cutting board or work surface.
• Knead the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic, sprinkling additional flour as needed. This process should take about 15 minutes.
• Wrap the dough ball tightly in plastic wrap and let it rest for a final 15 minutes.

Tips:

• It is important to knead the dough for the full 15 minutes to create a beautiful, elastic dough that is perfect for rolling and filling potstickers. This allows the gluten bonds to form, which gives the dough its elasticity and ability to hold its shape.
• If the dough seems too sticky at any point, sprinkle a small amount of additional flour and continue kneading.

Now that you have your dough ready, you can move on to preparing the filling and assembling your pot stickers!

How to make the wrappers

Making the wrappers for your potstickers is a fun and rewarding process. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to make them:

Start by preparing your dough. For this, you will need 2 cups of all-purpose flour and 3/4 cup of water (boiling). Sift the flour and a pinch of salt together, then gradually add the boiling water, mixing with a spoon. The mixture will look clumpy. Cover the bowl with a cloth and let it rest for 5 minutes.

Next, add a tablespoon of cold water to the dough and knead for about 2 minutes until combined and a ball has formed. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for another 15 minutes.

Now it's time to roll out your dough. Lightly flour a cutting board and turn your dough onto it. Knead the dough until smooth, sprinkling additional flour as needed for about 15 minutes. You want to end up with a smooth and elastic dough. Wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap and let it rest for a further 15 minutes.

At this point, you can divide the dough into four equal pieces and roll each into a log about 1-inch in diameter and 12-inches long. Keep the dough covered with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. Cut the log into 6 equal pieces. Cut the rope into 1-inch slices and roll each slice into a ball.

Now it's time to roll out each ball into a wrapper. Flatten and roll out each piece to a circle of about 3 1/2-inch diameter and 1/8-inch thick. If you want a more symmetrical circle, use a round biscuit cutter.

And there you have it! Fresh, homemade potsticker wrappers ready to be filled and cooked!

How to fill the pot stickers

Filling and assembling potstickers is a fun and easy process. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to fill your pot stickers:

Start by preparing your filling of choice. Common ingredients include ground pork, chicken, turkey, beef, shrimp, or mushrooms for a vegetarian option. Combine your chosen ingredients in a mixing bowl and be sure to add in your favourite spices and seasonings. Don't be afraid to experiment with different flavours! Once your filling is ready, give it a quick taste test by cooking a small amount in a skillet to ensure the seasoning is just right.

Now it's time to assemble! Grab your wonton or dumpling wrappers and lay them out on a clean surface. You can use store-bought wrappers or make your own from scratch. If you're making your own, roll the dough into a log and divide it into small pieces, then roll each piece into a thin circle.

Brush the edges of the wrapper with a beaten egg or dip your finger in water and run it along the edges—this will help seal the pot sticker. Place a heaping teaspoon of filling in the centre of each wrapper. If you're using a wonton wrapper, you can fold it in half, sealing the corners. For a more intricate pleated design, use your dominant hand to hold the filled wrapper, then use your other hand to push small pleats into one side of the wrapper, pressing and sealing as you go. Repeat this process until you have pleated almost the entire edge, leaving a small opening at the corner. Finally, pinch the corner closed and gently press around the entire edge to ensure a tight seal.

Once you've filled and sealed all your potstickers, you can cook them right away or freeze them for later. To cook, you can pan-fry, steam, or boil your potstickers. For pan-frying, heat some oil in a skillet and place the potstickers crimped-side up. Fry for a few minutes, then add a small amount of water, cover, and steam until the wrappers have softened. Alternatively, you can use a bamboo steamer or boil them in a broth-based soup.

How to cook the pot stickers

Ingredients

Firstly, gather your ingredients. For the filling, you will need:

• Ground pork
• Green onions
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Soy sauce
• Sesame oil
• Cayenne pepper (optional)
• Napa cabbage or green cabbage

For the wrappers, you will need:

• All-purpose flour
• Kosher salt
• Boiling water
• Cold water

You will also need oil for frying, and water for steaming.

Making the Filling

In a mixing bowl, combine the ground pork, green onions, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, and cayenne pepper (if using). Top this mixture with the cabbage—you can use either finely shredded and chopped napa cabbage or finely chopped green cabbage. Mix everything together with a fork until it is thoroughly combined. You can then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the filling until it is chilled and ready to use.

Making the Dough

Place the flour and salt in a mixing bowl and slowly pour in the boiling water, stirring with a wooden spoon until a dough starts to form. Flour your hands and transfer the dough to a work surface, kneading it until it becomes smooth and elastic. This should take around 3 to 5 minutes. If the dough seems too sticky, you can sprinkle on some more flour (up to an additional 1/2 cup) and continue to knead.

Once the dough is ready, wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest for about 15 minutes. Then, turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead it again until smooth. Tightly wrap the dough in plastic wrap once more and let it rest for another 15 minutes.

Making the Wrappers and Assembling the Pot Stickers

Divide the dough into four equal pieces, keeping the other pieces covered while you work with one piece at a time. Roll each piece into a log about 3/4-inch thick and then divide each log into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a thin circle about 3 1/2 inches in diameter—this will be your pot sticker wrapper. Repeat this process until you have used up all the dough.

Now it's time to fill and assemble the pot stickers. Place a small amount of the pork filling (about 1 to 2 teaspoons) in the center of each wrapper. Lightly moisten the edges of the wrapper with water and fold the two sides together, pinching the edges to seal. To create the pleated effect, make a small fold or "pleat" on one side, pressing it down, and repeat until you've pleated almost the entire edge. Leave a small opening at the corner, then carefully pinch it closed. Finally, gently press around the entire edge to ensure it is fully sealed. Repeat this process until you have used up all the dough and filling.

Cooking the Pot Stickers

Heat some oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place the pot stickers in the hot oil, making sure the flat side is down, and cook until the bottoms turn golden brown (about 2 minutes). Then, add some water to the pan and quickly cover it. Steam the pot stickers for about 3 minutes, then uncover and continue to pan-fry until the water has evaporated and the bottoms are browned and crunchy. Serve hot and enjoy!

Tips and Variations

You can also freeze uncooked pot stickers for later. Simply place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, making sure they don't touch each other, and freeze them for a few hours until they are solid. Then, transfer the frozen pot stickers to a zip-top freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When you're ready to cook them, there's no need to thaw—simply follow the cooking instructions above, but you may need to add a few extra minutes to account for the frozen temperature.

While the traditional filling for pot stickers is ground pork and cabbage, you can also get creative and experiment with different fillings. For a vegetarian option, try using diced and sautéed mushrooms (shiitake mushrooms work particularly well). You can also add ingredients like spinach, kale, or water chestnuts to the filling for extra texture and flavor.

Frequently asked questions