Potstickers (鍋貼)

October 17, 2022 (Last Updated: October 11, 2022)

When I think of potstickers, I think of the choice food my mom brought me and my sister as an afterschool snack. They were beautifully folded bites of yumminess that we quickly indulged on as she drove us home from school. They were the best things to eat in the car: portable, bite-size finger food.

Of course, I took them for granted. I would scarf them down not realizing how much work it takes to put them together. But if my mom kept making them, I’m assuming her heart was full that we were enjoying them.

I often crave these savory pockets of goodness. It’s so easy to pop them out of the freezer and cook them up as a snack. Grant it, I have to make a bunch of them first. Luckily, folding them is fun for me since I think I’m making little pieces of art.

I’m proud that over the years my recipe has continuously improved as I diversify the texture and strive to replicate the flavors I love of old. Every bite reminds me how much work it takes to make them but it’s so worth it.

If you like these Potstickers, try these:

Pork, Shrimp and Veggie Dumplings (豬肉蝦仁雜菜餃)
Pork, Shrimp and Chive Dumplings (鮮蝦韭菜餃)

Potstickers (鍋貼)

Prep Time: 100 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Yield: 50–60 pieces 1x
Category: Dumplings
Method: Pan-fry
Cuisine: Chinese

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Description

Ingredients

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6 large dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated, squeezed dry, stems removed, finely chopped
3.5 ounces of dried shrimp, soaked overnight, finely chopped
6 Napa cabbage leaves, generously salted, set aside for at least 30 minutes, rinsed, wrung dry, finely chopped
3 sprigs of green onions, minced
2-inch knob of ginger, grated
¾ pound of fatty ground pork
1 tablespoon of oyster sauce
1 tablespoon of salt
1/4 cup of dried shrimp soaking water
1/2 tablespoon of white pepper
Potsticker wrappers

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Instructions

Make the filling. Place all of the ingredients other than the wrappers into a large mixing bowl. Mix, fold, whatever it takes until everything is thoroughly combined. It will feel sticky and that’s okay. Allow the filling to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes or in the fridge covered until you’re ready to assemble.
It’s folding time. In a small bowl, add a 1/2 cup of water. Place one wrapper in the palm of your left hand. Wet one of your fingers on your right hand with the water and dab it on the edge of the wrapper. Add a scoop of filling to the center of the wrapper.

Bring the bottom part of the wrapper up to create a half moon shape.

While the left thumb and index finger holds the edge of the wrapper, allow the right thumb to make a small raindrop with the wrapper.

Press down on the raindrop. This is a pleat. Repeat this 4 to 5 times depending on the size of the wrapper and your pleats.

Seal the potsticker by bringing the unpleated side of the wrapper with the pleated side. It’s most aesthetically pleasing if the pleats were centered before sealing.

Place the potsticker on a baking sheet covered with plastic wrap. Repeat until you run out of filling or wrappers. Keep the potstickers separated on the baking sheet so that they don’t stick to each other.
Cook the potstickers. If you plan to eat these immediately, on high heat in a large pan, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and bring a ¼-inch of water to a boil. Place the desired amount of potstickers into the pan, flat side down. Cover the pan and steam for 5 minutes. Drain the water and add another tablespoon of cooking oil into the pan. Turn down the heat to medium and pan fry the flat side of the potstickers until they’re golden brown, approximately 5 minutes. Dish up and serve.

If you’re eating them later, freeze the baking sheet of potstickers. Transfer them to a storage medium once frozen. Cook them the same way as above. You don’t have to defrost them before cooking.