My family and I were in Hong Kong for a week, and decided to take a cooking class on Chinese dumplings. Ever since then I have been fascinated by them. I love the texture and the sauces that go with them. Sometimes I make multiple sauces because I like really spicy food, while the rest of my family doesn't. Other times I simply make a basic soy dipping sauce and add Sambal Oelek chili paste to my sauce.
It is not hard to make your own dough for the wrappers, but it is time consuming and does require more equipment and patience. When I am in a hurry, I simply use wonton or gyoza wrappers. Store them in the freezer and thaw them in the refrigerator overnight. I also keep shrimp in my freezer and thaw them overnight or in a bowl of cold water, if I'm in a hurry. Leave the shrimp in the bag and submerge the bag in water. Most of the rest of the ingredients are staples in an Asian pantry.
Equipment
The equipment needed for this recipe is minimal. A large frying pan, preferably non-stick, with a lid, a pastry brush with a small bowl of water, a wet kitchen towel or two, a platter sprinkled with cornstarch, and a baking sheet are all that you will need. If you don't have a pastry brush, simply use a wet cloth to wipe the wonton wrappers.
Once you get the hang of it, the assembly goes quickly, but give yourself plenty of time when you are first starting out. And please remember to utilize the mise en place principle.
Making the sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce 1 teaspoon sesame oil, spicy or regular
3 tablespoons rice vinegar 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted
1 tablespoon water 2 teaspoons chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon Thai chili sauce paste
I find that it's best to make the sauce first and refrigerate it. The only difficult part about this recipe is toasting the sesame seeds, which is not exactly required, but I do find that it enhances the flavor. Put the sesame seeds in a small pan and toast over low heat, shaking frequently. Please do not leave them unattended because they will burn quickly. Let them cool slightly. After the seeds are cooled, simply combine all of the ingredients and stir. The sauce can can be made 1 day ahead. Refrigerate if the sauce is not going to be used within the next hour or so.
Preparing the shrimp filling
1 tablespoon finely minced ginger 1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic 1 teaspoon Thai chili garlic paste
1 tablespoon chopped chives or green onions 2 teaspoons dry sherry or wine
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water 1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 pound raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and finely chopped
1 - 3 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil
32 wonton or gyoza wrappers
cornstarch, for sprinkling the platter
Combine all the ingredients except the vegetable oil, wonton wrappers, and cornstarch for sprinkling. Combine thoroughly, cover, and set aside. Refrigerate if not using immediately.
Working with the wrappers
Have a wet kitchen towel or paper towels ready. These wrappers dry out quickly, so you want to keep the package covered as well as any prepared dumplings. Until you become familiar with the process, work with only 5 - 8 wrappers at a time. This should insure that they won't dry out. As you become more experienced, work with up to 12 wrappers at a time.
Lay 5 - 8 wrappers on the counter in a grid pattern. Working quickly, spoon about 1 1/2 - 2 teaspoons of filling into the center of each wrapper. You want enough filling to give your dumplings taste, but if you put too much in, then they will not seal and will open when you cook them.
Dip your pastry brush in the water and brush the four sides of each of the wrappers. Again, working quickly. Once all four sides are wet, pick one up and start folding it. Bring two of the opposite sides together and pinch them; this will form a triangle. Pinch closed both of the sides. The wet sides are what will help seal them. Take the other two corners, not the one that you just pinched together, and now pinch them together in front of the wrapper.
Put this on the platter lightly sprinkled with cornstarch and cover with a wet towel while you fold the remaining wrappers. Continue this process until all 32 wrappers are filled and folded.
Time to cook the dumplings
Preheat the oven to 200º. Put a baking sheet in the oven. The cooked dumplings will be transferred to this sheet to keep warm while the rest of the dumplings are cooked.
Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable or peanut oil in the large frying pan over medium-high heat. If the pan is not non-stick, you will need enough oil to provide a thin layer of oil on the bottom of the pan. Place only enough dumplings in the pan that will comfortably fit. Do not crowd the pan. Cook until the bottoms are brown, about 2 minutes. Pour 1/2 - 3/4 cup water in the pan and cover. Cook about 5 minutes. Most of the liquid will evaporate. Transfer the cooked dumplings to the baking sheet and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with the remaining dumplings, adding more oil as necessary.
Once these are pan-fried, they are called potstickers because they sort of stick to the pot. If they are steamed only, then they are called dumplings. That's all there is to making potstickers. Once you get the hang of it, it's really fun. Serve these hot with the sauce on the side.
Click to see the Shrimp potstickers recipe.