Pan-Fried Pot Stickers Perfection

Pan-fried dumplings, also known as potstickers, are a delicious Chinese appetiser that combines a steamed wrapper on top with a crunchy, crackly crust on the bottom. The process of making potstickers involves three stages: frying, steaming, and frying again.

First, the dumplings are fried in a hot pan with oil for a few minutes. Then, water is added to steam the dumplings and ensure they are cooked through. Finally, once the water evaporates, the dumplings are fried again until the skins turn golden brown.

To ensure the dumplings don't stick to the pan, it is recommended to use a Teflon-coated pan or a well-seasoned cast-iron pan. Additionally, a reasonable amount of oil should be used to coat the bottom of the dumplings.

Prepare the filling

To prepare the filling for your potstickers, you'll need to gather your ingredients. A classic combination is ground pork, green onions, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, and cabbage. However, you can also experiment with different types of meat, vegetables, and seasonings to create your own unique filling.

Once you have your ingredients, it's time to mix them together. Finely chop or mince any larger pieces, such as the green onions and garlic, to ensure they combine well with the other ingredients. You can use a fork or your hands to mix everything together thoroughly. If you're using meat in your filling, it's a good idea to chill the filling in the refrigerator before assembling your potstickers. This will make it easier to work with and can help prevent the filling from bursting out of the dumplings during cooking.

When you're ready to assemble your potstickers, place a small amount of filling in the center of each wrapper. Be careful not to overfill the wrappers, as this can cause them to burst during cooking. You can seal the potstickers by folding them in half, creating pleats, or using a combination of both methods. Just remember to leave a small opening in one corner to allow steam to escape during cooking.

Now that you've prepared the filling and assembled your potstickers, you're ready to move on to the cooking process!

Make the wrappers

Making the wrappers for potstickers is a simple process that requires just a few ingredients and two steps.

Ingredients

To make the wrappers, you will need:

• All-purpose flour
• Warm water
• Salt
• Cornstarch, for dusting

Step 1: Prepare the dumpling dough

In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt, and water with a spatula, chopsticks, or your hands, until you form a rough dough. Then transfer it onto a working surface and knead for a couple of minutes into a slightly smoother dough. The dumpling dough should be slightly tacky without being sticky.

The amount of water and flour you use may vary depending on the brand of flour and the humidity/temperature of your location. Add a little extra flour or water, if needed, just one teaspoon at a time until the dough is the right consistency.

Then, wrap the dough and allow it to rest for about an hour. This will make the dough softer and more supple, making it easier to roll out and shape. If you're using flour with a higher protein/gluten content, then you can let the dough rest for a little longer.

Step 2: Roll out the dough

While the dough rests, gather the tools you'll need: a rolling pin, a kitchen towel, and a cutter. You can use a cookie cutter, the rim of a wine glass, a small bowl, or something similar, depending on the size of the dumpling wrappers you want.

When the dough is rested, cut away about one-third of it. Make sure to re-wrap the unused dough and place it back in the fridge to prevent it from drying out.

Now, it's time to shape the wrappers. There are several ways to do this, including rolling out dough sheets and cutting out the shapes, weighing and individually rolling each wrapper, or the traditional Chinese/Japanese method of hand-rolling and shaping each piece. For beginners, the easiest method is to roll out the dough into a sheet and cut out the shapes.

Roll out the sheet to about 6.5 inches wide, cutting off the uneven edges. Then, use a sharp knife or a pizza cutter to cut squares that are about 3x3 inches in size.

Gather the scraps to re-roll, or wait until you've cut out all the dough portions before re-rolling. Make sure the scraps are wrapped if you aren't using them immediately.

Using a rolling pin, roll the dough as thin as possible. Aim for 2mm for general dumpling/wonton/potsticker wrappers and 1mm for gyoza wrappers. You should be able to see your fingers through the dough. If you have a pasta machine, you can use it to help roll out the dough.

Then, use your cutter to cut out the wrappers. If you plan on stacking the wrappers, make sure to dust each one with cornstarch to prevent them from sticking together.

If you want to ensure your wrappers are even in size, weigh the dough. As a general rule:

• 9-11g works well for smaller, thinner wrappers like gyoza
• 12-13g is perfect for a medium-sized dumpling
• 14-15g will work for larger 'potsticker' style dumplings

However, feel free to experiment to see what size and weight you prefer for your homemade wrappers. Most varieties aim for a size of about 3-4 inches in diameter. With gyoza, try to aim for 1mm thickness; with other dumplings, 2mm should be fine.

Fry the potstickers

Now that your dumplings are ready and your pan is hot, it's time to fry! Place your potstickers in the pan, ensuring they are not overlapping. You want to leave enough space between each dumpling so that they don't stick together. This is important because you don't want them ripping and losing all that delicious filling!

You should fry the potstickers for around two to five minutes, or until the bottoms turn a golden-brown colour. This initial fry is brief, and you will then add water to steam the dumplings and ensure they are cooked through.

Once the water has evaporated, it's time for the second fry. This will give the dumplings a golden-brown skin. This is the stage where things can go wrong, so be careful! You can add a bit of flour and white vinegar to the water to help the dumplings release from the pan. The starch in the flour will form a giant disc that connects all the dumplings, making it easier to remove them from the pan.

Watch the colour of the dumplings and the edges of the disc—when the edges curl up, you know they are done. You can then use a thin spatula to slide under the disc and flip it onto a plate.

If you like your potstickers well browned, you can use a spatula to gently lift and turn them. You can also remove the lid and cook the dumplings on medium-high heat for an even crispier texture.

Finally, transfer the dumplings to a serving platter and serve immediately. Potstickers are best enjoyed hot and fresh from the pan!

Steam the potstickers

To steam potstickers, you will need a steamer and a pot large enough to accommodate it. Place the steamer inside the pot and extend the section panels to touch the sides of the pot. Fill the pot with water, ensuring the water level is just under the steamer—do not let the water come through the holes, or the potstickers may become too soggy.

Remove the frozen potstickers from their bag and lay them in a single layer to cover the steamer sections. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and cover the pot with a lid. Cook the potstickers until they are soft, which should take approximately 15 to 20 minutes. The wrapper will turn shiny and soften. To test if they are done, remove one from the pot, replace the lid, and cut the potsticker in half.

Alternatively, you can steam potstickers in a frying pan by adding an inch of water or cooking sauce, covering, and cooking until done. Flip them once during the cooking process to avoid lopsided browning.

Once the potstickers are fully steamed, you can either serve them immediately with your favourite Asian dipping sauce or pan-fry them in a thin layer of sesame oil to brown them.

Make a dipping sauce

Making a dipping sauce for your pot stickers is easy. The sauce is salty, tangy, and has a touch of sweetness to balance out the flavours. Here is a simple recipe that serves 6-8 people and takes less than 5 minutes to make.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup soy sauce (low sodium or regular)
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar (or Chinese vinegar)
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons sugar, honey, or brown sugar, to taste
• 1 tablespoon sliced green onions
• Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• Sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and sugar together in a small bowl and whisk until well combined. Stir in the sliced green onion, then garnish with red pepper flakes and sesame seeds. Whisk well before serving and enjoy as a dipping sauce for potstickers, egg rolls, gyoza, or wontons.

Tips

• To make the sauce gluten-free, use gluten-free soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos.
• To reduce the sodium content, use low-sodium soy sauce.
• For a thicker sauce, add 1/2 teaspoon of cornstarch.
• For a spicier sauce, add more red pepper flakes or a squeeze of sriracha sauce.
• For a tangier sauce, swap out the brown sugar for rice vinegar.
• For a sweeter sauce, add honey or maple syrup instead of sugar.
• For a more traditional sauce, add 1-2 tablespoons of chilli oil.

Frequently asked questions