Pork and Cabbage Potstickers
No matter how many potstickers or dumplings I make, I’ve never been able to make just the right amount of filling for the amount of wrappers I buy. I’ve been able to accept this flaw in my character. Leftover filling freezes well and I’m more likely to have excess filling than I do wrappers.
Also, as long as you seal the dumpling properly, it really doesn’t matter how you pleat it. Saying that, there’s nothing more satisfying than rows of neatly folded dumplings.
When it comes to how finely you should chop your cabbage and spring onion – if you’re my sister, she likes it almost minced. I don’t mind a bit of texture with my cabbage so I think it’s personal preference. You just don’t want chunks of cabbage sticking out of the mince. One more thing… avoid the low fat mince, you need some fat to keep the filling juicy.
INGREDIENTS
450g pork mince
¼ green cabbage, finely chopped (approx. 1.5 cups)
4 spring onions, green and white parts, finely chopped
1 handful of coriander, finely chopped
1 tsp white pepper
2-3 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tsp grated ginger
1 X 275g packet of Gow Gee Wrappers
Salt
METHOD
In a large mixing bowl, add the pork mince, cabbage, spring onions, coriander, white pepper, grated ginger and two tablespoons of oyster sauce. Using a fork, mix everything together till the ingredients are well incorporated.
This is a good time to take a small spoonful of the filling and cook it in a pot of boiling water just to taste the seasoning. You can add extra grated ginger or the extra tablespoon of oyster sauce and you can figure out much salt you need to season the filling.
Once you’re happy with the flavour, you’re ready to start making dumplings!
Cover the wrappers with a tea towel and work with one wrapper at a time.
Have a small bowl of water ready for you to dip your finger in, to wet the edge of the wrapper.
Line a baking tray with baking paper so you can place the dumplings there.
To get started, choose which hand you’re going to sit the wrapper in, have it facing up and put a wrapper on your fingers. Spoon a teaspoon of filling into the middle of the wrapper – you need to leave a border around it. It might take a few goes for you to figure out how much filling you’re comfortable working with but just remember it’s easier to work with less filling.
Dip a finger into the water and run it along the border of the top half of the wrapper – this will help seal the wrapper.
This is the point where everybody differs on how they choose to fold the wrapper. I like to lift the bottom half of the wrapper towards the top half and hold the dumpling with both hands and seal the border in the middle of the wrapper. At this point you’re holding what looks like a taco that’s sealed in the middle. I start from the right side of where I’ve sealed it and start pleating – this is where a video is really helpful so I strongly recommend checking out the video I’ve shared in my Instagram story highlights on my Instagram profile page.
Once I’ve pleated one side, I start working on the other side until the filling is fully enclosed.
Place the completed dumpling on the baking tray and cover it with a clean tea towel. Repeat with all the wrappers and filling.
When you’re ready to cook them, heat 2-3 tablespoons of rice bran oil in a large frying pan over medium heat (you’ll need a lid) and place the dumplings in the frying pan quite closely together. Fry them till the bottoms are browning and then pour enough water to cover the bottom of the pan (that can be anywhere from 1/3-1/2 cup water depending on the size of your frying pan) and quickly put a lid on the frying pan and reduce the heat to low. This will steam the dumplings and help them cook through. Check on the dumplings after a few minutes, the water should be evaporated (if not, just remove the lid and let the water evaporate).
Serve the dumplings hot with some chilli sauce or my favourite combination of soy sauce with chilli oil.
Extra dumplings freeze really well and I find the best way is to have them laid out on a single layer on the baking tray and place that in the freezer for a few hours till the dumplings are just hardening. Move the dumplings into freezer bags and place back in the freezer. When you want to cook them, you just need to ensure they spend a bit more time in the pan with a little extra water.