These plump and juicy pot sticker dumplings are as easy as they are delicious.
It’s no secret that I am obsessed with dumplings. If I had to choose only one food to eat for the rest of my life, it would definitely be dumplings.
One of the things I miss most about Australia is the top notch dumpling situation, they’re a lot more hard to come by here in the UK and the shop bought versions I’ve found have not really hit the spot! I started to make my own dumplings out of necessity but now I make my own dumplings because they just taste SO good!
It’s been a while since I posted Steph’s recipe for boiled dumplings (which are absolutely fabulous by the way) but after following the instructions to pan fry some shop bought dumplings, I became obsessed with making my own pot stickers, loosely following the packet of dumplings and Nagi’s Recipe Tin Eats recipe.
These pan fried dumplings are called pot stickers because of their tendency to stick to the pan while cooking which makes for their signature crispy bottoms.
Every time my mum ate a really good meal at home, she’d always say “this is so good, imagine how much it would cost in a restaurant!” I’m officially (and happily) turning into my mother because I say the same thing every time I make these dumplings!
There is a lot to love about these pot stickers, they’re plump, juicy and flavoursome and let’s not forget the crispy bottoms. They’re super easy to make, all you need is a wok or frying pan with a lid and you can literally make them in minutes!
Uncooked dumplings will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to two days – just place some baking paper in between each layer. To freeze, pop uncooked dumplings on a baking tray in the freezer and when solid, put them in a freezer bag and store for up to 3 months. Just remember to defrost frozen dumplings before cooking.
You don’t need any fancy sauces for these pot stickers – our favourites are soy sauce mixed with some chilli oil/paste or the classic soy sauce mixed with some black vinegar. So good!
Try this recipe for some dumplings that are yum-pling!
If you had to eat one food for the rest of your life what would it be? Are you a dumpling fan too?
Ingredients
500g pork mince
125g cabbage, finely shredded
5-6 Shitake mushrooms (optional)
3 spring onions, finely chopped
thumb size piece of ginger, grated
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons Chinese cooking wine
36 dumpling wrappers (450g pack)
TO COOK
4-6 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup water, for each batch of dumplings
How to Make the Dumplings
- Combine all the dumpling ingredients except the wrappers in a bowl and mix well.
- To make the dumplings, place a generous teaspoon of the pork mixture in the centre of the dumpling wrapper. Dab water half way round the outside edge of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper in half so it’s like a taco and gently press the edges together with your fingers.
- To make the pleats, hold your thumb and index finger at the centre of the seam you just sealed, and with your other thumb and index finger, fold a small portion of the top dumpling skin towards the centre seam. This is your first pleat. Continue this process until you have pleats along the seam of the dumpling. If the pleats aren’t sticking, just dab with water and if any filling escapes, gently squeeze it back in.
How to Cook the Dumplings
- Make sure you have a pan with a well fitting lid. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in the pan over a medium heat. Add the dumplings in the pan, pressing down firmly to flatten the bottoms. You should be able to fit about 8-10 per batch.
- When the base is golden (you’ll need to check) add 1/2 cup of water and immediately pop the lid on.
- Cook the dumplings for about 7 minutes – keep an eye on them and if the water dries out add a little bit more.
- Remove the lid, the water should have evaporated and the pleats should be cooked through. Leave the pan on the stove until the base is dry and the dumpling bottoms are nice and crisp.
- Remove the dumplings from the pan, pop them on a serving plate and serve with dipping sauce.
