Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons rice vinegar or Chinese black vinegar
  • 1 hot chile, (minced)
  • 3 garlic cloves, (minced)
  • 1 tablespoon minced ginger
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil
  • 3/4 pound ground venison, (duck or other meat)
  • 3/4 cup Chinese chives, (green onions or other wild chive-like green onion)
  • 2 tablespoons minced ginger
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup chicken stock or water
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • Either 30-36 store-bought potsticker wrappers or:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, (about 10 ounces)
  • 3/4 cup hot water

Instruction

  • Mix all the ingredients for the sauce together and let sit at room temperature while you make everything else.
  • In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients for the filling together until well combined. It is better to let the mixture sit for 30 minutes to overnight, but you can use it right away.
  • Fill each wrapper with a scant tablespoon of filling. Close each one into a half-moon, making sure there are no air pockets. It is probable that some of the filling will squirt out the ends as you seal them -- this is normal, just drop it back into the bowl with the rest of the filling. If the wrappers are dry, get a little bowl of cool water and wet half of each wrapper circle with the water; this will help it seal tightly.
  • Pleat the edges: I usually start from the center and do 3 pleats on the left of the dumpling, then another 3 on the right of the dumpling, As you make the pleats, settle the dumpling on your work surface so it sits flat. You will need this flat surface to get a nice crispy bottom to your potsticker. Set each finished dumpling on a baking sheet lined with either parchment or a little semolina flour or corn meal.
  • To cook your potstickers, get a large, non-stick frying pan out and heat about 2 to 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil (I use peanut) over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, about a minute or two, lay the potstickers down in one layer; they can touch each other. Fry like this 1 to 2 minutes, until the bottoms are browned.
  • Add enough water to come up about 1/4 inch. The pan will sputter and spit, so have a lid ready. Turn the heat down to medium, cover the pan and cook for 6 minutes. After 6 minutes, move the lid partway off the pan to let steam escape. Cook 2 more minutes, then remove the lid entirely. You will soon hear the cooking change from boiling to sizzling -- that's your cue they are done. Serve immediately.