Potstickers with Sesame Sauce

Potstickers are delicious dumplings with a crusty base and tender top and filling. They are perfect party appetizers, but at my house, they’re kept in a freezer bag so we can grab as many as we want to cook for a quick lunch or snack. It is rumored that the original potsticker was made by accident. Supposedly, a chef intended to boil dumplings in a wok, but he walked away, and the water boiled off. The dumpling stuck to the wok and crisped up, producing what we now know as the potsticker, which in Chinese literally means “stuck to the wok.”

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Ingredients

Makes 30

• Gyoza Wrappers (or round dumpling wrappers)

• 3 tablespoons white sesame seeds

Filling:

• 2 cups chopped cabbage

• 1/2 cup chopped green onions

• 1 teaspoon Morton kosher salt

• 1/2 pound ground pork

• 2 tablespoons ginger, minced

• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced

• 3 tablespoons sesame oil

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

• 1 egg

Sesame Dipping Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons orange juice

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce

• 2 tablespoons honey

• 1 tablespoon garlic chili sauce

• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Process

Potstickers:

Mix all filling ingredients in a large bowl until combined. Pour sesame seeds into a small bowl and set aside.  

Lay several dumpling wrappers on your work surface. Have a small bowl of water on hand.  

Place 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of a wrapper. Moisten your finger in the water and run it around the edge of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper over the filling and press to seal. Using your thumb and first finger, fold a pleat into one side and fold an inverted pleat into the other side, pressing firmly to seal. Dampen the bottom of the dumpling with some water and press into the bowl of sesame seeds so they adhere.

Place dumplings on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling. Once the dumplings are on the sheet tray (don’t let them touch), you can freeze them on the tray. Once frozen, they can be put into a freezer bag to be used whenever you want. 

To cook, heat a skillet over medium high heat and add a tablespoon of canola oil. When hot, place the dumplings into the oil, not allowing them to touch. Cook until the bottoms of the dumplings are golden brown.  Hold a lid in one hand while pouring 1/4 cup of water into the skillet. Quickly lay the lid over the skillet and let the dumplings steam for 6 minutes if fresh, and 9-10 minutes if frozen. Remove lid and serve dumplings with dipping sauce.

Sesame Dipping Sauce:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and garnish with chopped scallions.