Exotic chinese dumplings for appetizer or dinner – pack them with any filling of your choice, pan fry,steam, freeze or eat fresh!
I have never had homemade potstickers before. I have had it once in a restaurant but I always loved to have it. It is just that it is so hard to find a pure vegetarian one at a restaurant here. So, I made these homemade potstickers for me. The best thing about potstickers is that it is so easy to customize the fillings as you fancy. I have heard pork and shrimp dumplings are great to taste. I might make some next week and post recipe for that. But now it is my customized fillings time 🙂 You can add your veggies that is available at your house. These mushrooms gives an earthy flavor. The filling here is an even mixture of mushrooms, tofu, shredded carrots and cabbage.
It is also great to make homemade potstickers, because you can make a huge badge of them and pop them right in the freezer in a zip lock. That way you can indulge these delicious beauties whenever you want! I have made a note how to freeze them for future use. You know it is homemade, fresh and great to prepare them on a weekday when you are tired but still want to eat something delicious with your favorite fillings.
By this method of cooking, I made them with maximum crispy crunchy surface.
How to froze potstickers:
Prepare the potstickers with filling and place them on a baking sheet for 10-15 minutes outside. Now place the baking sheet in freezer for 4-5 hours. Now throw them into a freezer bag. When you are ready to eat, just toss them into an oil greased skillet. It might take little longer to cook than usual (may be 3-4 minutes more) because it’s frozen. Do not try to defrost them and then cook. It is not the best idea. But trust me, the taste is going to be same. You can store them for a month for sure and it is still going to be yum!
How to fill and fold the potstickers:
The filled dumplings should form a slight crescent shape. You can fold in anyways. Do not fret if you don’t get it 🙂 or try two to three times more! 🙂
When you are ready with the filling, you can get ready to assemble the dumplings:
- Defrost the wonton/dumpling wrappers overnight in fridge or defrost by keeping them outside for 2-3 hours. I kept them outside for an hour and then just microwaved them for 20 seconds. (Don’t do it more).
- Separate them and keep them on a baking sheet or tile.
- Wet the edge which will help seal the edges.
- Add a tsp of filling.
- Fold in half with no air gaps inside.( like half moon)
- You can just use them like this or pick some shapes to do like below.
- The method below: Start pleating from right to left side of the dumpling and pinch it.
- Or pinch the center together. Starting from the center,make 3 pleats to the right side of the dumpling. Repeat with the left side of the dumpling so that all the pleats point together towards the center.
Here comes the recipe 🙂 Now
- For Filling:
- Cabbage – 1 cup, shredded
- Carrot – 1 cup, grated
- Garlic – 3 cloves, finely minced
- Shallots – 2 tbsp, finely chopped
- Fresh ginger- 2 teaspoons, finely chopped
- Green onions – 2 , finely chopped
- Coriander leaves – 1 tbsp, finely chopped
- Green chillies – 1, finely chopped
- Sriracha - 1tsp
- Black pepper – 1 tsp
- Salt – 2 tsp
- Soy sauce – 2 tsp
- Wonton wrappers – 30
- Cooking oil – 2 tbsp
[br[To blend: - Tofu – 4 ounces, chopped (I used extra firm)
- Mushrooms – 2 ounces, stems removed, chopped
Dipping Sauce:- Hoisin – ½ cup
- Sriracha – 2 tsp
- Ginger – 1 tbsp, freshly grated
- Soy sauce – 2 tbsp
- Sesame oil – 2 tsp
- Red chili peppers – 3 dried,crushed
- Garnish
- Sesame seeds – ½ tsp
- Green onion – 1 tbsp, sliced
- In a blender, add the ingredients under to blend (mushrooms & tofu). And give a 2 pulses blend so that so are slightly blended but should not have smooth texture.
- In a mixing bowl, add all ingredients under “for filling” except oil and wrappers. Mix the blended mushrooms & tofu to it. And keep aside.
- To wrap:Defrost the wonton/dumpling wrappers overnight in fridge or defrost by keeping them outside for 2-3 hours. I kept them outside for an hour and then just microwaved them for 20 seconds. (Don’t do it more).Separate them and keep them on a baking sheet or tile.
- Wet the edge which will help seal the edges.Add a tsp of filling.
- Fold in half with no air gaps inside.( like half moon).You can just use them like this or pick some shapes to do like below. The method below: Start pleating from right to left side of the dumpling and pinch it. (picture above)
- When ready to cook, take a non-stick skiller, heat 1 tbsp of oil over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, add the potstickers to the pan in a single layer. Do not crowd the pan by placing 1 potstickers on another. Cook until browned on one side. It will take about 3 minutes.
- Now flip and add 2 tbsp of water to the pan. Close the lid. And let them steam for 3-4 minutes and when you are hear sizzling sound or when the water has evaporated. Open the lid and when the other side has turned brown, Just remove the pot stickers and continue with the next batches.
- Prepare the dipping sauce by whisking together all the sauce ingredients in a pan and heat them in low –medium heat for 5-6 minutes till they thicken. And garnish them with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.
You can serve them with just soy or *sriracha sauce if you do not want to prepare the dipping sauce
Note: *Sriracha sauce is an Asian-style hot chili sauce and you can find them in most local grocery store in the Asian section.
