Potstickers

I am a dumpling FIEND. I would gladly eat dumplings every day. I don't discriminate in my dumpling adoration. Pierogies, spaetzle, chicken and dumplings, gnocchi, dim sum, every culture has their own riff on dumplings and I love them all. The one nearest and dearest to my heart though, is the potsticker, or gyoza. Sometimes I crave them like crazy and there's not a lot of options for getting them into my mouth. Don't be intimidated by these, they're actually really easy to make.

Previously only attainable at restaurants or from the freezer section I now bring you a recipe to make your own potstickers, and they're amazing. I put fresh ginger, garlic, and green onions in some ground pork and wrap it in a wonton wrapper. You can find them in the refrigerated vegetable section.

Here's the pork mixture pre-wrapper.

In the process. Take about a tablespoon at a time in the middle of the wrapper and wet your finger and run it along the edges to make it stick together. Try to get as much air out as possible. Otherwise they might burst when you cook them, which is only aesthetically troublesome but still.

This recipe makes about 40 dumplings. I cooked up some the night I made them and I put the other plates into the freezer. You want to freeze them in a single layer and then move them into a bag or container or they'll stick together and you'll be sad. I know from experience. There may have been a dumpling tantrum the first time I made them when they all stuck together after freezing.

To cook them, fresh or frozen, heat about a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a nonstick skillet and place 5 or 6 in the pan. Let brown on the first side and turn over. Add 1/4 cup water and put a lid on it. Let simmer and steam until the water evaporates. It should be all cooked through at that point. Place on a paper towel and serve with dipping sauce.

Enjoy the fruits of your labors. Tasty, fresh potstickers that don't have any weird ingredients or preservatives and since you froze some, you can make them whenever you want!!!!! POTSTICKERS FOR LIFE.

Potstickers

• 1 lb lean ground pork
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 Tblsp soy sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp fresh grated ginger
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 pkg wonton wrappers
• vegetable oil

Mix first 8 ingredients together until well mixed. To fill wontons wrappers, place a small spoonfull of filling in the middle of each wrapper, use your finger to moisten the edges with water and press tightly to seal. Place flat in single layer on plate or tray. At this point you can cook right away or freeze.

When you're ready to cook heat a Tblsp of vegetable oil in skillet and heat over medium-high. When you drop the dumplings in they should sizzle immediately.Don't crowd the pan. Cook for a couple minutes until the first side is golden brown and flip over. Add 1/4 cup water into pan and put a lid on. Reduce heat to medium and cook until the water evaporates and they are cooked through. Drain on paper towels. Serve immediately.

I made a dipping sauce with 1/4 cup soy sauce, a drizzle of sesame oil, and a pinch of fresh grated ginger and sliced green onions. Yummy!