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My kids LOVE dumplings - as long as there’s NO green stuff inside. 2 out of my 3 kids don’t like their food with any greens or multiple textures in it. And they usually like their food a single color. I don't know how many different brands of frozen dumplings I've bought in the past that all have had noticeable green stuff in them or they have a crunchy texture of (often times) cabbage which my kids don't find appealing. So my mother, Teresa Kuo and I re-invented a generations-old dumpling recipe that will be pleasing to kids and to kids-at-heart!
This is also a good recipe to cut down on sodium so you can control how much salt/soy sauce you use. I’m not someone who likes to hide or mask food like in Jessica Seinfeld’s book, Deceptively Delicious or The Sneaky Chef by Missy Chase Lapine but I have to say the idea is growing on me. My mother and I found a way that adds flavor but yet they don’t “see” any of the the green stuff, spices or herbs! I hope you enjoy this recipe!
This is also a good recipe to cut down on sodium so you can control how much salt/soy sauce you use. I’m not someone who likes to hide or mask food like in Jessica Seinfeld’s book, Deceptively Delicious or The Sneaky Chef by Missy Chase Lapine but I have to say the idea is growing on me. My mother and I found a way that adds flavor but yet they don’t “see” any of the the green stuff, spices or herbs! I hope you enjoy this recipe!
PORK, SCALLION AND GINGER POTSTICKERS
Yields about 45-50 dumplings
Ingredients:
1 package of round dumpling wrappers (My preference is Twin Marquis and can be found at Asian markets)
1 egg, beaten for meat mixture*
1 egg, beaten in a separate bowl to seal the dumplings*
1 pound ground pork*
1/2 cup canola oil
4 tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger-root
4 tbsp finely chopped white part of scallions
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
salt and white pepper to taste
2 Dipping sauce receipes below
In a large mixing bowl, combine ground meat, 1 beaten egg, ginger, scallion, soy sauce, sesame oil and drizzle in canola oil slowly to make a smooth and airy filling along with the salt and white pepper. Set aside.
Take a single dumpling wrapper and put a tsp of the meat mixture into the center. Use your finger and dip into the beaten egg mixture and dab along the entire edge of the wrapper. Seal to make a semi-circle.
Folding is an art. My mother mastered it. I, however, have not. You can simply crimp the edges to make a pretty wavy edge or you can simply use a fork and make crimps along the edge. The important thing here is to make sure you make a tight seal so the meat will not leak out (or it will be a messy situation).
My mother also told me not to fold the edges on top of each other since you want to make the top of the dumplings as delicate as possible. Over-folding will make the dough tough and it could also be raw after cooking.
In a large non-stick pan, cover the bottom with canola oil (about ¼ cup) on high heat. The oil will prevent the dumplings from sticking. When hot, in a single layer, place the dumplings in the pan without overcrowding. I did this twice so as not to overcrowd the pan. You want a nice crispy brown surface on the dumpling hence calling it a “potsticker”. When you’ve finished placing the dumplings in a single layer, fill the pan with water* until it covers halfway up on the dumplings, then cover the pan immediately and lower the heat to medium.
When the water evaporates, uncover the pan and when the bottom of the dumplings have a nice brown color, take them out and serve immediately. Be mindful
that the interior of these dumpling will be steaming hot so let cool when serving to children.
Dipping sauces
Sesame and soy:
1/4 cup of soy sauce
2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
2 tbsp balsamic or rice wine vinegar
1 tsp of Sambal chili sauce
Mix all the ingredients together, garnish with chopped scallions and cilantro to make it more sophisticated.
Creamy Peanut Butter* and soy:
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
4 tbsp of toasted sesame oil
4 tbsp of soy sauce
Mix peanut butter, sesame oil and soy sauce until smooth, if too thick, add a tsp of hot water to make a smoother consistency. You can also add some Sambal chili sauce for some spice.
*DOUBLE DUTY TIPS:
*If you don't eat eggs, you can use silken tofu and/or egg yolk (if you have an egg white allergy) to incorporate the meat mixture.
*You can also just use water in replace of egg for the "glue" to seal the dumplings.
*You can use all sorts of ground meat for this recipe. You can certainly substitute pork for turkey or chicken to make a leaner version.
*To add even more flavor to your potstickers, you can also replace the water with chicken broth when cooking your dumplings.
*If someone in your family has a nut allergy, you can easily replace the peanut butter for sunbutter which is a huge crowd-pleaser in my family!
*To cut down on fat, you can also boil the dumplings. In a large pot, fill with water until a rolling boil, put the dumplings in and make sure you stir so they don't stick together. When the water boils, time for 3 minutes and take out and serve immediately. You can also make a soup with this and boil the dumplings in chicken, beef or vegetable stock.
