Recipe(tried): Potsticker party recipes

Last night for dinner I invited some friends to make a bunch of different kinds of potstickers. Like our family, they also have 2 teenagers, and so we all sat around making potstickers, and after I had showed them the technique and we had filled a couple of frying pans full, I started to cook them. By the time we had finished shaping them (we made around 150 of them, some to freeze for another meal), and cleared and reset the table with the dipping sauce, plates and chopsticks, a couple of batches were ready, and I just kept refilling the pans and cooking them in batches. We ate them at pretty much the same pace as they were getting cooked, so it all timed out pretty well. I figured, even if the cooking got ahead of the eating, it would still all be fine because they stay pretty hot even after cooking.

I made 3 different kinds of fillings, and a salad. The dipping sauce was made from rice vinegar, soy sauce, and chili oil (mostly vinegar with the other two things to taste.

To shape and cook them, put the filling in the centre of the dough (you can buy potsticker wrappers, or "gyoza" at the supermarket, or an asian supermarket), wet the top part of the wrapper with water (along the edge), and bring the two sides of the dough up and pleat the top.

To cook them, coat the bottom of the pan with oil (I used canola) and cook a pan full, being careful not to crowd them, for a couple of minutes, until the bottoms start to brown. Then put about 1/4 cup of stock or water into the pan, cover it, then turn down the heat and let them steam for about 5 minutes. Then take the lid off and shake the pan, making sure all the liquid evaporates and dries out the pan and the potstickers. Then shake them out onto the platter and stand back (ok, maybe that's just for my own safety!)

I realise if you have no idea what a potsticker, or chinese dumpling is, this will all sound terribly complicated. But although it is a bit labour-intensive, it is actually quite simple and if you know what they look like, the instructions will make sense, and having it as a group project was fun and efficient! For my own family, well, we would just make 1 or two fillings, and have some for dinner and some for the freezer. They can be cooked from frozen, same method, just a longer steaming time.

If I have inspired you to try them, well great! Because the ones you buy from the store have no resemblance to these bunches of awesomeness you can make yourself!

Cheers!

Carolyn!

CUCUMBER LYCHEE SALAD
(from the show Everyday Exotic)
(I doubled this recipe)
Ingredients:
* 1 English cucumber
* 1 cup lychees, peeled, pitted and halved (I used canned)
* 3 stems cilantro, finely chopped and leaves picked (reserved for garnish)
* 2 red Thai chilies, pith and seeds removed and finely diced
* zest and juice of 2 limes
* 1 tsp sugar
* 1 tbsp seasoned rice wine vinegar
* Salt

Directions:
1. Cut cucumber in half length-wise, deseed with a spoon, quarter and dice 1/4 inch thick.
2. In a bowl, mix cucumber, lychees, cilantro stems and chili.
3. Add lime zest, juice, sugar, salt and vinegar, toss.
4. Before serving, garnish with cilantro leaves.son, to taste).

Pork filling for potstickers: (I tripled this)
* 1/4 small head Napa cabbage, finely chopped (about 2 cups; 7 ounces)
* 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus 1/8 teaspoon for seasoning
* 1/3 pound ground pork (not too lean)
* 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced (from 1/2-inch knob)
* 1 small carrot, coarsely shredded (about 2 tablespoons)
* 2 scallions, thinly sliced (about 1/4 cup)
* 2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
* 1 tablespoon soy sauce
* 2 teaspoons Asian (toasted) sesame oil
* 1/2 egg, lightly beaten
* 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Veggie potstickers: (I doubled this)
* 1 red onion, sliced
* 1 tablespoon minced ginger
* 1 cup sliced shiitake mushroom
* 1 cup white cabbage, shredded
* 1 cup carrot, shredded
* 1 cup chopped garlic sprouts or chives
* 1 teaspoon white pepper
* 1 teaspoon sesame oil
* 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Saute the veggies in a little oil until soft. I had salted a whole head of sui choy (chinese cabbage) and left it to drain all day, rinsed the salt off and dried it to use some in all these fillings.

Leave the filling to drain and cool, then season with the pepper, cilantro and sesame oil.

CHICKEN POTSTICKERS: (I DOUBLED THIS)

2 cups finely chopped napa cabbage
1/4 cup blanched spinach, chopped
1 pound ground dark chicken meat (I used 1 lb breast, 1 lb thigh, minced)
1/2 teaspoon peeled and grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic chives or green (spring) onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

p.s. yes the only filling that gets cooked ahead of shaping the dumplings is the veggie one...it need to soften and drain, or it would be too watery. The other ones (with the meat) firm up and hold their shape inside the dough as they get cooked.