Thursday, May 04, 2006
Pork and Ginger Pot Stickers
This is a fantastic recipe from Ming Tsai's cookbook, Blue Ginger. The pot stickers are a must at every party we have, and quite sought after by some of the men in our crowd of friends. To make these pot stickers vegetarian, simply replace the pork with a package of firm tofu, crumbled (make sure to drain well). For vegan pot stickers, also leave out the egg. Look for the gyoza wrappers by the refrigerated tofu in your grocery store.
Ingredients:
Filling:
4 c. finely chopped napa cabbage
1 T. salt, divided
1/2 lb. ground pork (not too lean)
2 T. finely chopped fresh ginger
1-1/2 T. finely chopped garlic
2 T. soy sauce
3 T. toasted sesame oil
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 package round gyoza/pot sticker wrappers
Dipping Sauce:
1/3 c. soy sauce
1/3 c. rice wine vinegar
1/3 c. green onions, green parts only, sliced 1/8-inch thick
1 T. toasted sesame oil
1 T. sambal oelek
Step-by-step:
1. Combine the cabbage and 1-1/2 t. of the salt and toss together; set aside for 30 minutes.
2. Transfer the cabbage to a cheesecloth and twist to squeeze as much water as possible from the cabbage. This will make the filling more cohesive.
3. Combine the cabbage wiht the pork, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, the remaining 1-1/2 t. of salt, and egg. Mix thoroughly.
4. Set a small bowl of cold water next to your work station. To fill the pot stickers, place about 1/2 T. of the filling in the center of each wrapper. Smooth a small dab of water around the outside of one half of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper in half and seal each dumpling by making three pleats from the top to the bottom right. Repeat, working from the top to the bottom left. Press the dumplings down gently on a work surface to flatten the bottoms.
5. Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add the oil and swirl to coat. When the oil is very hot and shimmers, add the potstickers, flattened bottoms down, and cook in batches without disturbing until brown, about 6 minutes.
6. Add about 1/2 c. of water and cover. Steam the pot stickers until puffy and firm, and the water has evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. If the water evaporates before the pot stickers are done, add more in 1/4-cup increments.
7. Remove cover and cook over high heat to allow pot stickers to recrisp on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer pot stickers to a platter.
8. Stir together dipping sauce ingredients and serve alongside the pot stickers.
Labels: appetizers
