Potstickers, those pan fried dumplings of East Asian cuisine, are a favorite of Kelly’s. They are a type of dumpling filled with ground meat, vegetables, or other ingredients that is browned on one side and then simmered before serving. They got their English name from the translation of their Chinese name, which literally means “pan stick”. When they are fried in the pan, they slightly stick to it before they are turned & simmered. They are differentiated from other types of Asian dumplings that are boiled or steamed, because they need a thicker skin of dough to hold up to being fried.

Kelly is our dumpling connoisseur. I don’t think there is any type of dumpling from any culture that she does not like. Italian raviolis, Russian pelmeni & vareniki, Polish pierogies, Chinese bao & crab rangoon, she seeks them out and enjoys eating them all. Then she comes home and convinces us to make them for her! At first, I was overwhelmed by the prospect of making potstickers. I was in favor of going to a restaurant if she wanted them for dinner, but Eric was up to the challenge of making them. And it turns out, they are not all that hard to make at home. Now that I’ve admitted that, I’m guessing there will be more requests for potstickers. With so many different options for filling combinations, we’re sure to be trying out other versions soon!

Shrimp, Cabbage & Carrot Potstickers (adapted from cookinglight.com)

Time required: 1 hour 10 minutes, Makes about 60 potstickers

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon minced or crushed garlic
• 1/2 cup finely grated carrot
• 2 cups thinly sliced napa cabbage
• 4 teaspoons chili garlic sauce, divided
• 5 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
• 1 1/4 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined & finely chopped
• 60 wonton wrappers
• cornstarch
• 2 cups + 1 tablespoon water, divided
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and swirl the pan to coat it. Add the garlic to the pan and cook it for 1 1/2 minutes, stirring it constantly. Stir in the carrot and cook for 1 minute. Add in the cabbage and cook for 3 minutes or until the cabbage is wilted.

Stir in 1 tablespoon of the chili garlic sauce and cook the mixture for 30 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce.

When the mixture has cooled, stir in the shrimp.

On a clean work surface, lay out a few wonton wrappers at a time, and spoon about 2 teaspoons of filling in the center of each. Moisten the edges of the wrappers with water. Fold them in half, pressing the edges together to seal them. Place them on a baking sheet that has been sprinkled with cornstarch and cover them with a clean cloth to prevent drying. Repeat with the rest of the wrappers.

To freeze the potstickers: Sprinkle the uncooked potstickers with additional cornstarch and freeze them on the baking sheet until they are firm. Transfer them to an airtight zip-top freezer bag and store them for up to 2 months.

To serve the potstickers: Bring the remaining teaspoon of chili garlic sauce, 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of water, 3 tablespoons of honey, and 1 tablespoon of vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan. Cook the sauce for 3 minutes or until it is thickened, stirring frequently. Set it aside and cover it to keep it warm.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches of 10 potstickers, coat both sides of the potstickers (fresh or frozen) with cooking spray. Arrange the potstickers in the skillet and cook them for 2 minutes or until they are browned then turn them over.

Carefully add 1/3 cup water to the skillet. cover the pan and steam the potstickers for 5 minutes if they are fresh or for 7 minutes if they were frozen. Uncover the pan and cook them for 1 minute longer or until the liquid evaporates. Remove them from the pan to a serving dish and cover them to keep them warm. Repeat with process with the remaining potstickers and water. Serve them with the sauce.

These delicious dumplings are a complete meal or a tasty appetizer!  ~Linda

Shrimp, Cabbage & Carrot Potstickers (adapted from cookinglight.com)

Time required: 1 hour 10 minutes, Makes 60 potstickers

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon minced or crushed garlic
• 1/2 cup finely grated carrot
• 2 cups thinly sliced napa cabbage
• 4 teaspoons chili garlic sauce, divided
• 5 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
• 1 1/4 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined & finely chopped
• 60 wonton wrappers
• cornstarch
• 2 cups + 1 tablespoon water, divided
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and swirl the pan to coat it. Add the garlic to the pan and cook it for 1 1/2 minutes, stirring it constantly. Stir in the carrot and cook for 1 minute. Add in the cabbage and cook for 3 minutes or until the cabbage is wilted. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the chili garlic sauce and cook the mixture for 30 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce. When the mixture has cooled, stir in the shrimp.

On a clean work surface, lay out a few wonton wrappers at a time, and spoon about 2 teaspoons of filling in the center of each. Moisten the edges of the wrappers with water. Fold them in half, pressing the edges together to seal them. Place them on a baking sheet that has been sprinkled with cornstarch and cover them with a clean cloth to prevent drying. Repeat with the rest of the wrappers.

To freeze the potstickers: Sprinkle the uncooked potstickers with additional cornstarch and freeze them on the baking sheet until they are firm. Transfer them to an airtight zip-top freezer bag and store them for up to 2 months.

To serve the potstickers: Bring the remaining teaspoon of chili garlic sauce, 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of water, 3 tablespoons of honey, and 1 tablespoon of vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan. Cook the sauce for 3 minutes or until it is thickened, stirring frequently. Set it aside and cover it to keep it warm.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches of 10 potstickers, coat both sides of the potstickers (fresh or frozen) with cooking spray. Arrange the potstickers in the skillet and cook them for 2 minutes or until they are browned, then turn them over. Carefully add 1/3 cup water to the skillet. cover the pan and steam the potstickers for 5 minutes if they are fresh or for 7 minutes if they were frozen. Uncover the pan and cook them for 1 minute longer or until the liquid evaporates. Remove them from the pan to a serving dish and cover them to keep them warm. Repeat with process with the remaining potstickers and water. Serve them with the sauce.